By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

Lutcher’s dominance in the swimming pool has been well documented over the past few years – five straight state championships tends to get team notoriety.

But in Sulphur on Saturday, the Bulldogs had to work a little.

Work they did. Lutcher entered the 400-yard freestyle relay – the day’s final event – with a four-point lead over Vandebilt Catholic. Lutcher’s relay squad of Jayce Whitlow, Mark Pousson, Blake Roussel and Hunter Louque nipped the Terriers to claim the Division II championship, 364.50 to runner-up Vanderbilt’s 354.50.

“It was classic,” said LHS coach Lanny Remondt. “Closer than you’d want, but as exciting as it gets. I was pacing the whole time.”

The Bulldogs team bested Vandebilt 3:26.71 -3:26.78, netting its crown by the most razor thin of margins.

“They didn’t know exactly how close it was,” said Remondet. “I didn’t want to put it in their heads. They just knew they had to do well.”

It is Lutcher’s first championship in Division II.

“I told them all week, those other teams knew of Lutcher, but didn’t know what we were all about. We had to earn respect,” said Remondet.

Hunter Louque won the 100-yard freestyle championship with a time of 49.42. He also took second place in the 200-yard freestyle event (1:49.42). The Bulldogs’ 200-yard freestyle relay team (Whitlow, Mason Duhe, Roussel and Louque) bested Caddo Magnet for the state crown, 1:34.76-1:36.01. Roussel captured runner up honors in the 50-yard freestyle event (23.01), while Whitlow finished a step behind him in third (23.36). Lutcher’s 200-yard medley relay team (Blake Laiche, Zack Dornier, Mason Duhe, Mark Pousson) captured third place (1:51.22).

The Lutcher girls finished fourth with a score of 240.

Vandebilt Catholic (366 points) took the title.

The Lady Bulldogs captured a state championship in the 200-yard freestyle relay event behind its team of Kassidy Zeringue, Mallory Duhe, Kristen Roussel and Keri Zeringue).

The same four girls also took third place in the 200-yard medley relay (1:01.69).