On your marks … Area athletes return two years later to defend titles

Rodrick Anderson

Merryville senior Mekyah Hooper and Singer’s Brayden Thibodeaux are back to defend their state titles while several other Southwest Louisiana athletes are ready to improve on their finishes from two years ago when the Louisiana High School Athletic Association state track and field championships begin Thursday.

The 2020 edition was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The state track and field championships will run three days at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium in Baton Rouge. The championships start with Classes 1A, B and C on Thursday, followed by Classes 3A and 2A on Friday and Classes 5A and 4A on Saturday.

Hooper won the Class 1A 400-meter run and high jump in 2019 and is seeded fourth and fifth, respectively, in those events. She will be pushed by teammate and fellow senior Maddie Mahfouz in the high jump.

Mahfouz cleared 5 feet this year and is seeded third. She will get one more chance to

improve on her bronze medal in the 300-meter hurdles in 2019 as the top seed in her final meet with a time of 48.60 seconds.

Thibodeaux is after his second Class B shot put title and has the top-seeded throw at 47 feet, 4 1/2 inches.

Reeves’ Faith Cauthron was the runner-up in the 1A javelin in 2019 as an eighthgrader and leads the field this time at 110-8.

Hackberry’s Cameron Kyle, the 2019 Class C javelin runner-up, is seeded second (124-2) in his final year looking to knock off top-seeded Kyote Pittman (131-1) of Hornbeck. He will also compete in the triple and high jumps.

Lacassine’s Vanessa Duhe is looking to best her runnerup finish in the Class B discus in 2019.

Hackberry senior Coleman McCready is going for a double gold as the top qualifier in Class C shot put (42-8) and discus (128-11).

Grand Lake’s Gabe Boudreaux, the area’s top high jumper, is looking to bring home a medal as the top seed at 6-8, and is seeded second in the triple jump.

Other area No. 1 qualifiers in Class 1A include Hamilton Christian long jumper Elijah Belton (21-9 1/2) and Grand Lake’s Bryant Williams in the shot put (47-6 1/4).

In Class C, South Cameron’s Ariana Lasalle (long jump), Reeves’ Claire Dunnehoo (triple jump) and Hope Cauthron (200), Hackberry’s Blaine Picou (high jump), and South Cameron’s Chad Lapoint (110 hurdles) are the top seed in their events.

In Class B, Hathaway’s Kaitlyn Sawyer (1,600) and Brea Baca-White (400) are the top seeds in their events.

””

Merryville senior Maddie Mahfouz is seeded third in the high jump headed into the LHSAA Class 1A track and field championships on Thursday in Baton Rouge.

Rodrick Anderson/American Press

SportsPlus

Local News

WEATHER UPDATE: Severe storms possible overnight

Local News

Town hall meetings, candidate forums, debates planned ahead of March election

Crime

2/18: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

Local News

Republicans consider cuts and work requirements for Medicaid, jeopardizing care for millions

McNeese Sports

Rain washes away Cowboys’ trip

Local News

Temple: Changes to La. insurance industry won’t be felt overnight

Local News

Dispute over Gulf name may be headed to court

McNeese Sports

Cowboys rally for big win

Crime

Hitman will continue to serve life sentence in Fourth of July murder

Local News

Delta Airlines flight flips over on landing at Toronto’s Pearson Airport and 8 people are hurt

Local News

School Board looks to make up lost time due to snow days

Local News

Jennings councilman wants to change rules for hiring, firing attorney

life

Preserving history for future generations: Exhibit examinins role Black churches play in communities

Local News

Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal

Crime

2/17: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

life

Vote now for the People’s Choice Mardi Gras of SW La.

Local News

Trump begins firings of FAA air traffic control staff just weeks after fatal DC plane crash

McNeese Sports

Showdown in Hammond

McNeese Sports

Diamond roundup: Cowboys fall, Cowgirls win

Local News

US eggs prices hit a record high of $4.95 and are likely to keep climbing

Local News

Several Louisiana public university athletic programs — including McNeese — face financial deficits

Local News

Getting back on par: The long and short of the National Golf Club of Louisiana

Local News

NASA sending DeRidder students’ experiment into stratosphere

Local News

Shady Lane man found unresponsive has died