By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE – Riverside named its male and female athletes of the year at its recent athletic banquet, each of whom can boast the title of state champion.

Basketball standout Cedric Jenkins and multi-sport star Shea LaFountain were named the school’s male and female athletes of the year respectively for the 2009-10 school year.

Jenkins, a senior guard, is one of the few athletes that can boast four state championships and four selections to the LSWA All-State team. After earning those honors three times at Reserve Christian, the closing of the school propelled he and his Eagle teammates to Riverside, where he averaged 19 points per game and led the Rebels to the first state basketball championship in school history.

He also averaged six rebounds, five assists and two blocks a game for a Rebels team that entered the playoffs as the top seed in Class 2A.

He leaves prep ball with a career average of 20 points per game and has signed on to continue his playing career at the University of Southern Mississippi.

A junior, LaFountain has another year to help her Rebels continue to win in volleyball, softball, and track and field. The latter saw her reach the ultimate height of state champion when she captured the Class 2A high jump championship with a leap of 5-2 at LSU two weeks ago. LaFountain also took a third place finish in the triple jump.

LaFountain hit .404 for the Lady Rebel softball team, playing second base and hitting second. She drove in 21 RBIs and scored 25 runs for a state quarterfinalist.

On the volleyball court, she made 467 kills and tallied 3.4 blocks and 15.6 digs a game. She earned L’Observateur’s St. John Parish Most Valuable Player honor for her performance.