MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / May 12, 1999

BATON ROUGE – Traun Smith and Amanda Spivey set class records to lead Destrehan at the Class 5A track and field meet Saturday at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium.

The Wildcats scored 20 points to finish eighth in the state. New Iberiacaptured the state title with 58 points. West Monroe and St. Augustinetied for second with 45 points, followed by Istrouma (37), Mandeville (25), Captain Shreve (22) and Ruston (21). East St. John scored sevenpoints to tie for 25th with Warren Easton.

In the girls’ competition, Destrehan finished 12th with 16.5 points.Mandeville won the state title with 52 points, followed by Ruston with 36.5, Comeaux (34), Warren Easton (31.5) and Istrouma (28). East St. John tied with Airline, Ouachita and Slidell for 38th with onepoint.

Smith won the triple jump with a jump of 50-1 1/2, bettering the old record of 50-0 set by New Iberia’s Kelvin Price in 1994.

Smith had beaten the record last year in winning the state title but the jump was ruled to have been wind aided. The composite record of 51-6was set by Baker’s Nat Sewell in 1991.

Smith said he could have done even better but he had to prepare for his other events, the long jump and the 800- and 400-meter relays.

“Last year I didn’t have to prepare for all the other events,” Smith said. “Iwas really tired.”Teammate Carlos Eugene was second with a jump of 47-4. Eugene alsoplaced second to Smith in the event last year.

“I really wanted to put pressure on him (Smith) a little more,” Eugene said. “We both were better last year.”East St. John’s Chris Bush made it a River Parishes sweep in the event,placing third with a jump of 46-6. Bush was making his second straightappearance at the state meet and said he was calmer this year.

“I just wanted to come out and compete here,” Bush said. “I grateful forthat and I think I did a good job.”Smith also placed fifth in the long jump with a jump of 21-9. New Iberia’sDamien Gardner won the state title with a jump of 24-0. Destrehan’sDonald Robbins’ composite record of 25-2 1/4 set in 1972 remained intact.

In the track events, East St. John’s Cornell Watkins placed sixth in the 200meters with a time of 22.143, just ahead of Huntington’s Johnny Butler’stime of 22.144. Captain Shreve’s Paul Stephens was first in 21.65.Destrehan’s 400-meter relay team of Damien Richard, Courtney McClella, Smith and Brandon McKnight was eighth in a time of 42.98. West Monroewon in a time of 40.93.New Iberia’s Bradford Williams was named the meet’s outstanding performer after winning the shot put and the discus.

In the girls’ competition, Spivey set the Class 5A high jump record with a jump of 5-8 3/4. That broke the old mark of 5-8 set in 1996 by a trio ofathletes, including Glen Oaks’ Felicia Gray who placed second this year with a jump of 5-6.

“I’ve waited for this for quite awhile,” Spivey, who placed second in the event last year and won it at the indoors meet this year, said. “I reallywanted to jump six feet but my legs wouldn’t let me do that.”Spivey added a third place finish in the triple jump with an effort of 36-0.

Mandeville’s Erin Theriot won the state title with a jump of 36-7, while Istrouma’s Demetria Smith was second with a jump of 36-4 1/4.

Spivey also tied with Ruston’s Latoya Evans for sixth in the long jump with a jump of 16-10 3/4. Warren Easton’s Jasmine Ruffin won the eventwith a jump of 18-3.

East St. John’s Yoshiko Taylor was sixth in the 3200 meters with a timeof 12:48.05. Comeaux’s Brit-tany Olivier was first in 11:55.51.East Ascension’s Sherri Andrews was named the meet’s outstanding performer after winning the 100 and placing second in the 200.

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