The St. Louis Catholic girls and Lake Charles College Prep boys look to defend their state track and field championships today at the Louisiana High School Athletics Association state championships at LSU Bernie Moore Stadium.

St. Louis ran away with the title last year, its fifth outdoor title, beating runner-up E.D. White by 50 points and could do it again this year.

Junior distance runner will go for the triple crown as the top seed in the 800- (2:20.83), 1,600- (5:23.75) and 3,200-meter runs (12:17.50).

The Saints are poised to score big in the relays as well with the top seed in the 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 and the No. 2 4×800 team.

In the field, Emma Freeman, Tia Reder, Maci Fontenot and Myca Trail will try to stack the Saints to an early lead. Freeman is seeded in the top three in the javelin (128-7) and discus (116-4) , while Reder is No. 1 in the triple jump (37-101/2) and No. 3 in long jump (18-41/4). Trail (5-4) and Fontenot (5-2) are seeded one-two in the high jump.

Kenzie Touchet is the favorite to win the 300 hurdles.

LCCP tied Madison Prep for the boys state title last season with District 4-3A rival Iowa six points back in third. Both schools will have strong contingents today in Baton Rouge.

The Trailblazers qualified in the top three in three of four relays where they scored 24 of their 60 points last year. Reginald Burks (shot put, 48-81/4) and JaRell Joseph (400, 48.03) are seeded second in their events.

Iowa is seeded in the top three in all four relay events, while Crajuan Bennett will look to improve on his runner-up finish in the 100 (10.94) in 2021.

LCCP’s Jayla Mason is the favorite in the 200 (25.19) and 400 (56.64).

Westlake junior Tristan Goodly is coming off a personal-best distance of 47-3 in the triple jump at the regional meet as he goes for his second consecutive state title in the event. He is seeded second in the long jump (23-23/4). He won both events at the indoor state championships in February.

South Beauregard’s Trinity Spooner, ranked fourth in the nation (151-8), is going for her first javelin state title since 2019 and will be up against district rivals Freeman and Iowa’s Brianna Underwood (130-3).