St. John girls capture 8-1A track title

St. John High’s Lady Eagles won their first District 8-1A track title in over 20 years as they rolled up 164 points and qualified athletes in 14 of the 18 events in Tuesday’s (after deadline) return trip to West St. John High in Edgard for the local regional 1-A meet.

The Eagles, scoring in pairs in a handful of events, beat second place hosting West St. John (109 points) by a solid total. Ascension CHS was a close third with 101 points, while White Castle and East Iberville tallied in double digits for fourth and fifth place. Christian Life and Ascension Christian fell far behind.

With the top four finishers in the 8-1A meet qualifying for the regional meet, St. John had as many as ten girls competing in single events and several additional girls on relay units.

Leading the way for SJHS was young underclassman Alana Blanchard, who only the day before played second base for the number two-seeded playoff Lady Eagle softball team.

Blanchard won both the 100-meter dash (14.1) and the long jump (14-10.5)/ She was second in the 300-meter hurdles (56.24) and she ran, but placed eighth in the 100-meter hurdles.

Leading the way in the field was another playoff softball Eagle, Jessie Brown. She followed up a two-home run afternoon last Monday with Most Valuable honors in the field the next evening. Brown was second in both the shot put (27-3) and the discus (90-2).

Keri Yarbrough (another softball player) won the discus (92-8) to give SJHS a one-two punch in the 8-1A event.

Kamryn Theriot (softball pitching ace) added to the victories in the field by claiming the high jump with a leap of 4-6. She beat teammate Mikelyn Glaser on few misses at 4-6, another one-two punch.

And, adding a third one-two punch was Francesca Louviere (softball), who placed second in the long jump to Blanchard with a leap of 14.7.

Still in the field events, Shelbi Strickland (softball) and Kaycee Keller (softball) finished second and third, respectively, in the triple jump. Strickland went 28-3 and Keller 25-3. Keller also added a second place in the pole vault.

Distance runner Gabbi Rivet claimed a pair of third-places in the 1600 (7:28) and the 3200 (17:10). Strickland placed fourth in the 400-meter dash with a clocking of 1:20.

The best the Lady Eagles did in the relays was second in the 4 X 200 with a time of 2:15. Strickland was joined on the unit by Alex Carbo, Jessica Lee, and Maddie Bahry (softball). The 4 X 400 relay unit was third with a time of 5:56 Baton unit members were Strickland, Annette Stassi, Carbo, and Victoria Weaver (softball). The 4 X 100 relay unit was fifth.

WCHS:

Joyce Robinson won the 300-meter hurdles (18.34) and was second in the 100-meter hurdles (18.3).

Shaneikqua Johnson won the 200-meter dash with a clocking of 28.6.

The Lady Bulldogs’ 4 X 100 relay unit placed second with a time of 55.9. Members were Sheena Banks, Johnson, Joyce Robinson, and Drusilla Robinson. The same group with Kennesha Green replacing Banks placed fourth in the 4 X 200.

Banks was third in the long jump with a leap of 14-3.

EIHS:

Rolisha Handley led the Lady Tigers with a district victory in the 400-meter dash (1:12.7). She also qualified for regionals with a third place in the 800-meters.

Nikki LeBlanc was second in the 100-meters (14.27) and third in the 200-meters (29.9).

The Lady Tigers’ 4 X 100-meter relay team (Brea Allen, Nakashia Snowten, LeBlanc, and Handley) was fourth with a time of 1:00.4.