By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

East St. John’s Patrick Lewis, Matthew Watkins, and Jacobi Wilson shined on Friday at the Wildcat Relays at Destrehan.

Each took a first place finish on a day where the Wildcats were preparing for today’s 6-5A District championship meet at Dutchtown.

The Wildcat girls’ finished third overall in the event, behind first place Karr and Hahnville. The boys finished fifth.

Lewis’s put of 48-8 secured first place in the boys’ shot put competition.

Meanwhile, Watkins’ time of 22.0 secured first in the boys’ 200-meter event, a feat that prompted ESJ Coach Eleno Rodriguez to insert Watkins into today’s 200-meter race to represent the Wildcats.

“He did real well. He got us some points we weren’t expecting,” said Rodriguez. “He’ll run it in the district meet. He’s really stepping up.”

That move will allow the Wildcats’ Tori Zeno to shift his attention away from the 200, and to the 100-meter and 4×100 meter relay events.

Wilson took first place in the girls’ 200-meter event with a time of 26.0. Wilson also shined in the 400-meter event, falling just short of first place and finishing second with a time of 57.20.

But that time not only represented a season-best for Wilson, but also was the second best time in the state this year in the event.

“Everyone’s very excited for her,” said ESJ girls’ track Coach Tiffany Wilson. “It was a hallmark time for her.”

The Wildcats’ Quinn Johnson was another who shined in the boys’ events. He ran a time of 11.30 in the 100-meter.

Ebony Jacob finished third in the girls’ shot put, with a put of 27-00.

All three girls’ relay teams took third place at the event: the 4×100 (Wilson, Deznee Wilson, Dynekia Sanders and Darichelle Sampson, time of 50.00); the 4×200 (Deznee Wilson, Sanders, Sampson, and Terrian Daniels, 1:48.20); and the 4×400 (Sampson, Sanders, Daniels, and LaShonte Smith, 4:26.10).

Coach Wilson says her girls’ should enter today’s meet with a lot of confidence after Friday’s performance, but at the same time looking to improve.

“If we can maintain the level we’ve been consistently at, and improve upon that a little bit, we can definitely compete in district and in state.”

Wilson points to host Dutchtown as the meet favorite, but says Hahnville won’t go quietly, either as ESJ’s toughest competition.

Rodriguez points to the parity in the boys’ district so far, and says that with a break or two, it’s anyone’s race.

“I think we’ve got a shot,” Rodriguez said. “But, it remains to be seen how we’ll perform. Nobody’s dominated any one event. I’m pretty excited about it.”