By JOHNNY PEPPO

Sports Editor

With the regionals meets scheduled for track-and-field this week, a handful of local athletes will be in the running for a chance at qualifying for the state tournament.

In 5A competition, East St. John seniors Vincent Stewart and Jamaan Kenner head into the high jump with a chance to go one-and-two. Stewart, last year’s state champion with a leap of 6-07, has consistently cleared 6-08 this season and looks to repeat. Kenner trails Stewart in the event, but not by far having cleared 6-06 in the ESJ Relays in Reserve.

Another local standout in this round of play should be Riverside sophomore Jesse LeBlanc who has qualified for three different events, all with scores that would compete in a state meet. In the javelin, LeBlanc had a winning throw of 134-6 last Wednesday in the district meet.

He also brought home first place finishes on the track in the 1,600 meter and 3,200 meter runs with times of 5:07 and 11:11 respectively.

For the girls in the River Parishes, Shunta Isaac of Hahnville looks to compete in the 5A high jump as well as the 400 meter dash. With a leap of 5-2 in the district meet, Isaac matched her performance in last year’s state meet. Ashley Cooper of ESJ advanced in all three of her field events with second place finishes and looks to further that in the regional meet this week.

Other hopefuls coming into the post-season competition are Hahnville’s Nathaniel Jupiter in the triple jump, 1,600 meters and 300 meter hurdles; Riverside’s Taniesha Patterson in the 100 meters and the shot-put; and Destrehan’s Shaquieda Wells, for the long jump and 100 meter dash.