L’Observateur / June 27, 2000

BATON ROUGE – Traun Smith was able to make the big leap, both figuratively and literally, to the collegiate level this season.

Smith, an all-stater at Destrehan and now at LSU, was selected as the Freshman of the Year on the All-Louisiana track team named recently.

Smith was an NCAA indoor provisional qualifier and nearly made the national meet with a personal best jump of 52 feet.

LSU’s Pat Henry, who led the women’s team to the NCAA outdoor title, was named the Coach of the Year for both the men and women. LSU’s DerrickBrew and Russ Buller were the male track athlete and field athlete of the year, respectively. Tulane’s Solomon Kandie was the Newcomer of theYear.

For the women, LSU’s Peta-Gaye Dowdie was the track athlete of the year while teammate Keisha Spencer won the honor for the field. UNO’s PaulineVondrkova was the Freshman of the Year.

On the high school level, Destrehan’s Damien Richard was named to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s all-State track team in the long jump. Richard had the longest jump in the state this season at 24-5.Riverside’s Richie Hymel was named all-state in the high jump. Hymel hada personal and school best jump of 6-9, tying Donaldsonville’s Mike McKinney, Benton’s Jarvis Smith and Baton Rouge’s Fred Townsend for the state’s best jump.

Lutcher’s William Adams was selected in the javelin. Adams had the thirdbest throw in the state at 195-11. Ruston’s Josh Joerg had the best throwat 215-0.

Townsend was named the outstanding track athlete while Benton’s Greg Doughty received the honors for the field. Opelousas’s Charlie Mahfouz wasthe Coach of the Year.

Jackie John of Iowa and McMain’s Xyliena Lynch shared outstanding track honors for the girls while Benton’s Rachel Walker won it in the field.

Zachary Winfield of McMain was the Coach of the Year.

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