MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / May 2, 1999

DONALDSONVILLE – The Lutcher boys’ track team continues to make a statement that it is back, placing second at the Division III, Region III Meet Wednesday afternoon at Donaldsonville.

The Bulldogs finished with 78 points. Port Allen literally ran away withthe title, sweeping the relays to finish with 121 points. Brusly and WestFeliciana tied for third with 52 points while Amite was fifth with 43.5points.

“Port Allen was really strong,” Lutcher coach Chris Barrient said. “But I’mreally happy to come out in the top two in a regional this tough. The kidswere really excited.”Lutcher’s Kenneth Johnson was named the meet’s Outstanding Track performer after winning the 200 meters and placing second in the 100.

Johnson was also a member of the second place 800-meter relay team and the third place 400-meter squad.

In the 200, Johnson crossed the line in 21.8 seconds, edging out Brusly’sNorman Lejeune who finished in 22.0. Johnson also edged out Lejeune inthe 100 with a time of 10.8, right behind Port Allen’s Jeremy Mitchell’s10.6.”He really turned it on in the 200,” Barrient said of Johnson. “That washis best 200 time he has had this year.”Cousins William Adams and Thomas Ricks dueled it out for the javelin title. Adams came out on top with a throw of 192-08. Ricks was secondwith an effort of 189-11.

“That was fun to watch and they did a very good job,” Barrient said.

Clarence Weber qualified for the state meet in the triple jump, placing second with a jump of 43-03. Quentin Brown of Port Allen won the titlewith a jump of 44-04 while teammate Shawn Griffin was third. Brownalso won the long jump to win Outstanding Field performer honors.

“Clarence has really worked hard the last couple of weeks,” Barrient said.

“He went out there and split Port Allen and got himself a chance to go to state.”David Pittman qualified in the 400 meters with a third place time of 51.4.E.D. White’s John-Erik Shanklin placed first in 48.9.”He ran his race,” Barrient said of Pittman. “He did what he had to do to goto state.”Also going to state are the team’s three relay squads. The 800-meterrelay team of Shane Duhe, Rick Bleakley, Lance Allen and Johnson placed second in 1:29.5. The 400-meter squad of Duhe, Ricardo Williams, Allenand Johnson placed third in 43.60. The 1600-meter team of Pittman, Damium Marcell, Kelsey Belvin and Quvadis Ezidore also placed third in 3:30.8. Port Allen won each event intimes of 1:29.1, 42.4 and 3:24.4, respectively.Barrient said he was happy that the seniors on the relay teams were getting the opportunity to go to state. Overall, the Bulldogs qualified forstate in eight events compared to one last year.

“We really stepped up,” Barrient said. “The kids deserve all the credit forthat.”In the girls’ competition at the meet, Lutcher qualified two and St. Jamesone for the state meet. Lutcher’s Tiffany Griffin captured the regionaltitle in the javelin with a throw of 108-06. Teammate Keondra Robertsonplaced third in the 400 meters with a time of 1:03.7. West Feliciana’sAishana Griffin was first in 1:01.2.St. James’ Shamel Nelson was third in the shot put with a throw of 31-41/2. Independence’s Alexis Taylor, the Outstanding Field performer placedfirst with a throw of 36-5.

Port Allen, led by Outstanding Track performer Alecia Griffin, won the team competition with 77 points. Donaldsonville was second with 59points, followed by West Feliciana with 55. Lutcher was 12th with 19points and St. James 16th with six.The top three finishers in each event qualified for the Class 3A Meet next Saturday at the Bernie Moore Track Stadium on the LSU Campus.

SPIVEY EXCELS AT REGION II MEET Destrehan’s Amanda Spivey won the high jump and came in second in the long and triple jumps at the Division I, Region II Meet Wednesday afternoon at Thibodaux.

Spivey had a career-best jump of 5-9 in the long jump. Spivey had a jumpof 17-6 in the long jump, second to Mandeville’s Erin Theriot who had a jump of 17-9 1/2. Theriot also beat Spivey out in the triple jump, 37-2 to37-1. Both of Spivey’s jumps were career bests.Yoshiko Taylor of East St. John captured the 3200 meters with a time of12 minutes, 31.79 seconds.Mandeville took the team title with 91 points. Istrouma was second with48 points, followed by Thibodaux (44), East Ascension (38) and Glen Oaks (37). Destrehan was seventh with 29 points and East St. John tied withDenham Springs for 15th with 12 points.

Return To Sports Stories

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

Internet services provided by NeoSoft.

Best viewed with 3.0 or higher