Seeks sixth straight track title

The Hackberry High girls track team finished the first hand of championship rings last year. Now they will start on the second hand as they go for their sixth consecutive Class C track and field championship today at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium in Baton Rouge.

The Mustangs return several key athletes from last year’s title run, including Karlie Stine, Austyn Quintela, Angelle Delcambre, Blanche Beard and Olyvia LaBove.

Stine and Quintela went one-two in the high jump last year and are once again qualifiers. The pair enter with identical 5-foot-2 qualifying marks.

Stine will also look to defend her state title in the 800-meter run (2:52.75) in which she is the third seed this time around behind Christ Episcopal’s Svenya Stoyanoff (2:38.46) and Alden Sonnier (2:47.41).

Delcambre is the defending 300-meter hurdles champ and has the top qualifying mark (52.78).

Beard is the top seed in the 400 (1:05.96).

Beard, Quintela, LaBove and Stine will have the coveted Lane 5 in the 4×200-meter relay as they seek a second straight state title in the event.

Hackberry also has a 4×400 title to defend, but the team of Beard, Shae Fontenot, Delcambre and Stine is seeded second this time behind Christ Episcopal.

Also for Hackberry, Ali Desmoreaux is the top seed in the javelin (104-2), just ahead of Singer’s Abigail Barks (101-10) and Paige Sims is seeded second in the discus (85-2).

There are several Southwest Louisiana athletes looking to bring home individual titles in today’s meet for Classes B and C.

Singer’s Hope Cony is the top qualifier in the 100 hurdles (19.21) while Barks is the top seed in the shot put (31-4)

Reeves’ Claire Dunnehoo has a chance for two championships as the top seed in the triple jump (31-2¼) and No. 2 in the pole vault.

Hackberry’s Bryce Welch in line to defend his discus state title as the No. 2 seed at 133-10. He is also the top seed in the shot put (43-9), but will be pushed by Starks’ Bryce Wilfer (40-9), last year’s runner-up.

Also for the Mustangs, Keaton Jinks has improved on his state-winning throw of 146-1 last year and enters this year’s meet with a top throw of 151-8 and the No. 1 seed.

Johnson Bayou’s Garrett Trahan is seeded No. 1 in the 400 (54.48) and No. 2 in the high jump (5-10).

In Class B, Bell City’s Haley Ward is going for a second consecutive title in the 300 hurdles and will get Lane 4 with a seed time of 53.34 and will have to beat top seeded Hailie Williams (51.77) of Episcopal of Acadiana. Ward is the top seed in the long jump (16-8).

Bell City’s Ryan White is the second seed in the discus (123-8) and 2017 girls discus runner-up Claire Johnson of Lacassine is the top seed this year at 100-1.