Burks sets state 5A and composite 400-meter dash record

Published 10:41 pm Saturday, May 4, 2024

Kennedi Burks’ season ended just how she wanted. She set the Class 5A 400-meter dash state and composite record on Saturday at the LHSAA track and field championships at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium.

The Barbe junior crossed the line in 53.44 seconds and 1.73 seconds ahead of runner-up Madison Bailey of Hahnville. She knocked .29 seconds off the 5A and composite record of 53.73 that was jointly held by Zachary’s (5A) Jaynie Connor (2016) and McDonogh 35’s (4A) Marcquita Stalbert.

Burks also led the Bucs to a gold medal in the 4×200 relay (Aniyah Lavan, Alexandra Garner, Katherine Garner, Burks), beating runner-up Alexandria by .08 seconds with a time of 1:40.00.

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Alexandra Garner, Lavan, Tori Tran and Burks took second in the 4×400 (3:52.24).

Jolie Jones picked up 18 points in the field events for the Bucs, who finished as the runner-up to Scotlandville (83) with 51 points. Jones won the 5A discus with a personal best throw of 140 feet, 4 inches and was the runner-up in shot put (38-11).

Barbe’s Michael Fulton won the boys shot put title with a through of 55 feet, 6 1/2 inches on his fourth attempt.

In Class 4A, Leesville’s Keeton Johnson was the boys 1,600 champion (4:22.11) and teamed up with Keon Johnson, Jakori Celestine and Azjah Rhodes to take second in the 4×800 relay (8:08.90).

Also for Leesville, Lina Mills-Zacapa medaled in three events, the girls 800 (3rd, 2:23.28), 1,600 (2nd, 5:25.57) and 4×800 relay (10:08.01).

Class 5A

Boys

Team scoring top 10 — 1, Scolandville, 76; 2, Catholic-Baton Rouge, 53; 3, Jesuit, 48; 4, John Curtis, 32; 5, Parkway, 31; 6, Central Lafourche, 26; 7, Airline, 25; 8, Benton, 22; 8, Dutchtown, 22; 8, Alexandria, 22.

Field

SP — 1, Michael Fulton, Barbe, 55-6 1/2.

HJ — 3, Chris Calloura, Sam Houston, 6-6.

Girls

Team scoring top 10 — 1, Scotlandville, 83; 2, Barbe, 41; 3, Lafayette, 41; 4, St. Joseph’s, 40; 5, Baton Rouge, 36; 6, Alexandria, 34; 7, Destrehan, 26; 8, John Curtis, 20; 9, Mandeville, 18; 10, Mt. Carmel, 16; 10, East Ascension, 16.

Field

SP — 2, Jolie Jones, Barbe, 38-11.

DIS — 1, Jolie Jones, Barbe, 140-4.

Running

400 — 1, Kennedi Burks, Barbe, 53.44 (**state composite record)

Relays

4×200 — 1, Barbe (Aniyah Lavan, Alexandra, Garner, Katherine Garner, Kennedi Burks), 1:40.00. beat Alexandria by .08 seconds

4×400 — 2, Barbe (Alexandra Garner, Aniyah Lavan, Tori Tran, Kennedi Burks), 3:52.24.

4A

Boys

Team scoring top 10 — 1, Tioga, 60; 2, Warren Easton, 54; 3, Lafayette Christian, 39; 4, Neville, 35; 5, Evangel Christian, 32; 6, The Willow School, 31; 7, Belle Chasse, 28; 8, North DeSoto, 26; 9, West Feliciana, 24; 9, Northwood-Shreveport, 24.

Running

1600 — 1, Keeton Johnson, Leesville, 4:22.11.

Relays

4×800 — 2, Leesville (Keeton Johnson, Keon Johnson, Jakori Celestine, Azjah Rhodes), 8:08.90; 3, DeRidder (Jude Lowe, Kamdyn Johnson, Sean Ledesma, Caiden Washington), 8:12.96.

Girls

Team scoring top 10 — 1, Warren Easton, 72; 2, Teurlings Catholic, 56; 3, Huntington, 51; 4, St. Thomas More, 42; 5, Brusly, 35; 6, Ben Franklin, 32; 7, West Feliciana, 30; 7, Leesville, 30; 9, Loranger, 21; 10, Cabrini, 20.

Running

800 — 3, Lina Mills-Zacapa, Leesville, 2:23.28.

1600 — 2, Lina Mills-Zacapa, Leesville, 5:25.57.

Relays

4×400 — 3, Leesville (LaMayah Lake, Shyann McCummings, Monika Ortiz, Jaida Ortiz), 4:02.30.

4×800 — 3, Leesville (LaMayah Lake, Jullia Mills-Zacapa, Lina Mills-Zacapa, Piper Fowler), 10:08.01