MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / November 25, 1998

NEW ORLEANS – The Lutcher Lady Bulldogs continue to close in on the top swimming programs in the state, placing third at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association/State Farm Division III State Swim Meet Saturday afternoon at the UNO Lakefront Arena Pool.

Lutcher had its second straight third-place finish but increased its points from 154 in 1997 to 209 this year. The Lady Bulldogs had placed seventhin their first season in 1996.

Parkview Baptist captured its third straight state title with 534.5 points.Sacred Heart of New Orleans, with 476 points, was second, followed by Lutcher, St. Louis (130.5) and Brusly (121), West Feliciana (98), E.D. White(73), Rayville 59 and Pearl River (34). St. James placed 10th with onepoint.

The 200-yard relay team of Kelen Vieira, Lacey Millet, Aymee Whitney and Tia Jackson opened the meet with a time of two minutes, 6.88 seconds toplace third. Sacred Heart won the state championship with a Division IIIstate record time of 1:56.77. Parkview was second in 2:03.75.Millet came through with a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley, touching the wall in 2:35.24. Parkview’s Shelby Benson was firstin a time of 2:16.76. In the 50-yard freestyle, Becky Sylvest placed sixthin the consolations and 14th overall with a time of 32.33.Lutcher was fourth after eight events with 61 points but began to move up as Whitney swam the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1:07.25 to placefifth. Kendall Forster set the Division III state record with a time of57.67 to capture the state title.The Lady Bulldogs added 27 points in the 100-yard freestyle. Kelen Vieiraplaced third with a time of 1:02.71. Jackson added an eighth-place finishin a time of 1:08.36. Parkview’s Kate Ripple came in at 55.55 to placefirst.

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Morgan Belak, Rachel Hoover, Rochelle Madere and Becky Sylvest placed sixth with a time of 2:17.

Parkview won the title with a time of 1:46.60.Vieira touched the wall in 1:09.09 to place fourth in the 100-yardbackstroke. Parkview’s Ripple won her second state title with a time of1:03.07.Lutcher continued to add points in the 100-yard breaststroke. Whitneyplaced fifth in 1:19.72 with Millet right behind her in 1:20.20. St. James’Eileen Becnel placed eighth in the consolations and 16th overall with a time of 1:33.97. The 400-yard relay team of Millet, Whitney, Jackson and Vieira placed third with a time of 4:26.94. Parkview Baptist shattered the Division IIIstate record with a time of 3:47.89.

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