
By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
NATCHITOCHES — Parkway competitors, led by Brennan Robin’s double in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs, captured three of the eight event victories by local boys at the Region 1-5A track and field championships Thursday in rainy weather at the refurbished Walter P. Ledet Track Complex at Northwestern State.
Captain Shreve’s Leah Bryant and Byrd’s Emmy Banker paced Shreveport-Bossier girls by sweeping their specialties. Bryant took the 100 and 300 meter hurdles races and Banker won the 1600 and 3200. Airline’s Shelby Ledet prevailed in the high jump. There were 13 local girls entries advancing to the LHSAA Championships next weekend in Baton Rouge with top three finishes.
In the boys division, along with Parkway’s three wins (the other in the 4×800 relay), Huntington (Adrian Payne, 300 hurdles, and the 4×200 relay team) and Benton (Caden Austin, pole vault, and Jordan Johnson, high jump) each posted two gold medal performances and Byrd had one (Wyatt Ditt, 400). A total of 25 local athletes and relay teams earned trips to Baton Rouge for the state meet.
The Region 1-4A meet was held concurrently. Bossier’s Quinton Hodge was a double winner, taking the boys 800 and 1600 crowns, among five boys event victories. Northwood got gold medal efforts from Kriston Johnson in the discus and Jeremiah Johnson in the 200 dash, and from the Falcons’ 4×200 relay foursome.
In Region 1-4A girls competition, Northwood’s 4×100 relay was the only local winner among 10 state meet qualifying performances – two by Bossier’s Zamarion Carter, in the 100 meter hurdles and the long jump.
Alexandria Senior High won the boys 1-5A regional team title with 60 points. Huntington tied for third with Ruston at 51, with Parkway fifth (46), Benton seventh (44), Airline eighth (37) and Byrd 10th (24) in the standings.
ASH also took the girls team championship with 121 points. Byrd was fifth at 44, Shreve seventh (38), Huntington eighth (33) and Airline 10th (15).
No team scores were posted with the Region 1-4A results.
The Ledet Complex added a new Mondo track oval and lights and a video board among nearly $2 million in improvements during the offseason. The lights came in handy due to some delays caused by intermittent rains.
The list of state meet qualifiers from Shreveport-Bossier:
REGION 1-5A
Boys
Airline – Preston Hughes, 110 hurdles, 2nd, 14.82; Jayden Williams, 800, 2nd, 1:53.01; Lathan Woodland, 400, 3rd, 49.17; 4×400 relay, 3rd, 3:24.55.
Benton – Caden Austin, 1st, pole vault, 12-0; Jordan Johnson, 1st, high jump, 6-4; Malachi Zeigler, 2nd, javelin, 182-9; Ryder Dodson, 2nd, discus, 163-10; Brody Hutchinson, 3rd, 1600, 4:32.81.
Byrd – Wyatt Ditt, 400, 48.79; 4×400 relay, 2nd, 3:20.87.
Captain Shreve – Shawn Devers, 3rd, long jump, 21-3 ½; Andre Campbell, 3rd, shot put, 46-7 ½.
Evangel – Ryan Morris, 3rd, triple jump, 43-6.
Haughton – Kyron Turner, 2nd, high jump, 6-4.
Huntington – 4×200 relay, 1st, 1:28.47; Adrian Payne, 1st, 300 hurdles, 40.44; Payne, 3rd,110 hurdles, 15.31; Nathan Green, 2nd, 200, 21.96; Christopher Anderson, 3rd, 800, 1:58.57.
Parkway – Brennan Robin, 1600, 1st, 4:13.32; Robin, 3200, 1st, 9:12.59; Ben Ruliffson, 3200, 2nd, 9:22.36; 4×800 relay, 1st, 8:06.97.
Girls
Airline – Shelby Ledet, 1st, high jump, 5-4.
Byrd – Emmy Banker, 1st, 1600, 5:25.54; Banker, 1st, 3200, 11:32.98; Kinsley Mayfield, 2nd, 3200, 11:50.04; Isabel Wooley, 2nd, 800, 2:18.40; 4×800 relay, 2nd, 9:49.47.
Captain Shreve – Leah Bryant, 1st, 100 hurdles, 14.87; Bryant, 1st, 300 hurdles, 44.24; Keylanii Douglas, 3rd, discus, 125-9.
Huntington – Zykereya Duncan, 2nd, 200, 24.83; 4×200 relay, 2nd, 1:42.58; Terriona Richmond, 3rd, 100 hurdles, 15.74; 4×100 relay, 3rd, 48.76.
REGION 1-4A
Boys
Bossier – Quinton Hodge, 1st, 800, 1:57.93; Hodge, 1st, 1600, 4:34.92.
Loyola – Jacques Braud, 2nd, 3200, 10:15.10; Joshua Lirette, 2nd, pole vault, 12-0; Ty Walsworth, 3rd, 100, 11.07; 4×800 relay, 3rd, 8:27.58.
Northwood – Jeremiah Johnson, 1st, 200, 22.29; Kriston Johnson, 1st, discus, 144-9 ½; 4×200 relay, 1:29.84.
Girls
Bossier – Zamarion Carter, 2nd, long jump, 16-0 ½; Carter, 3rd, 100 hurdles, 15.80.
Booker T. Washington – Nevaeh Robertson, 3rd, triple jump, 36-4.
Caddo Magnet – Matilda Reeg, 3rd, 3200, 13:03.62.
Loyola – Sophia Fertitta, 2nd, 3200, 11:35.43; Katherine Renda, 3rd, 800, 2:26.68.
Northwood – 4×100 relay, 1st, 50.95; Alyssa Brewer, 2nd, discus, 101-4; 4×800 relay, 2nd, 10:24.66; Malayia Davis, 3rd, 100, 12.85.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com