After finishing second to Ouachita Christian at last year’s Class 1A state track meet, the Hamilton Lady Warriors are looking to take the final step toward a championship today.

Head coach Mona Griffin said she expects the Warriors to duel with Westminster for the team title. Hamilton finished second to Westminster at the regional meet last year.

The Warriors are led by a strong group of sprinters that includes Nique Griffin, who is qualified in the 200-meter dash, 400 and long jump; Frankie Griffin (high jump, 300 hurdles) and Symonne Texada (100, 400). Also competing for the Warriors will be discus thrower Ashley Fuselier and the 4×200 and 4×400 relay teams.

Nique Griffin is the defending champion in the 200 and 400. Texada was second in the 400 last year.

“I won’t be satisfied with second,” said Mona Griffin. “There are some events — the 200, the 300 hurdles, the 4×400 relay — that we can improve in to close the gap on Westminster.

“Nique has been dealing with a hamstring injury all season. She is about 90 percent right now. She has to wear compression shorts to try to keep it warm. She might not be able to run her best times, but she is healthy enough to win.”

Griffin said the big setting and pressure won’t bother her athletes.

“We have five girls that have been here several times,” she said. “We have some new girls, too, and they have performed well all season. I think they will be even better (Friday).”

Other area athletes figuring to compete for honors include Elton pole vaulter Caleb Bertrand, the defending champion and top seed for this year; Lake Arthur jumper Dion Cantrelle, who earned the Outstanding Field athlete at the regional last week and will compete in the long, high and triple jumps; Basile sprinter Kendrick Ceaser, the defending champ in the 400; and Vinton pole vaulter Whitney Adams, also a defending champion.

List of Southwest Louisiana Athletes

Class 2A

Boys

DeQuincy — Jacob Pruitt (triple jump).

East Beauregard — Johnny Vercher (discus).

Kinder — Dakota Johnson (discus).

Lake Arthur — Dion Cantrelle (high jump, long jump, triple jump).

Oakdale — Melvin Statcher (triple jump).

Pickering — Garritt Collins (javelin), Devin Whitley (110H).

Girls

DeQuincy — Haleigh Lorenz (HJ, long jump).

East Beauregard — Amanda Hunt (javelin), Jessie Pickett (discus), Kristin Plank (100H), Taylor Trahan (800).

Iota — Madison Meche (javelin), Cambrie St. Andre (100H).

Kinder — Destiny Brownlow-Dindy (shot put).

Lake Arthur — Isabelle Caron (1600).

Oakdale — Heaven Terrell (long jump, triple jump), Hannah Longino (100H, 300H).

Pickering — Bailey Lebato (javelin).

Vinton — Whitney Adams (pole vault, 100H).

Class 1A

Boys

Basile — Kendrick Ceaser (100, 400).

Elton — Caleb Bertrand (pole vault, 110H), Tim Regan (110H), Morgan Lemelle (800), 4×100, 4×200, 4×400.

Hamilton Christian — Kirkland Banks (long jump), Chris Elly (high jump), Ben Avery (800), Kody Gamble (400), 4×100.

Oberlin —Kedric Cole (high jump), Kendall Brandon (100, 200), Tanner Hebert (300H), 4×200.

Girls

Basile — Kinslie Denette (long jump).

Hamilton Christian — Nique Griffin (long jump, 200, 400); Frankie Griffin (high jump, 300H), Symonne Texada (100, 400), Ashley Fuselier (discus), 4×200, 4×400.

Merryville — Morgan Verrette (javelin), Ja’Cinda Carter (shot put, discus), Peyton Cournoyer (triple jump, 100H), Kelsie Williams (1600), Andrea Cournoyer (300H).

Oberlin — Kelsey Frank (javelin), Emily Granger (100H), Tanisha Allen (200).

(mgnonline.com)