H.L. finishes top 5 in men’s, women’s regionals

All track and field athletes set goals to make it to state before the season starts.

They go through the grind of practicing and competing in the scorching spring sun, just to ready themselves every week.

Last Wednesday, several Tri-parish athletes officially punched their ticket to the state meet at LSU’s Bernie Moore Stadium Saturday, after their performances at the regional meet held at Thibodaux High School.

It was a good day for both the H.L. Bourgeois boy’s and girls’ teams as they were the highest finishers from the area.

The Lady Braves finished fourth overall with 52 points while the boys notched a fifth place finish with 42 points.

Brother Martin was the overall regional champion with 111 total points on the boy’s side while West Jefferson took home the title on the girl’s side with 82 total points.

Overall, Braves coach Joe Riley and Lady Braves coach Cory Adkins were pleased with their team’s performances.

“People look at us and we don’t do well locally, but we work to compete at the regional and state meet,” Riley said. “We instill that in our kids as soon as they come out at H.L. Bourgeois. Everything is geared towards regional and state.”

The preparations worked as the Braves qualified for state in five events.

Individually, Stanley Lyons (third in the long jump), Clark Bergeron (third in the pole vault) and Caleb Williams (third in the 400-meter run) all qualified. Two relay teams, the boy’s 1600-meter relay team (second) and the 400-meter relay team (first) both anchored by Williams, also qualified for state.

Riley said Williams’ competitiveness really comes out when he’s on the track.

“He had some pretty good performances but he is a team player,” Riley said. “He sacrificed himself for those guys. It’s all heart. He gives his all for the team. He didn’t have anything left in the tank and barely qualified in the 4X100. I told him just to qualify, but being the competitor he is, he tried to win it right there. It’s a testament to him and the team.”

The Lady Braves on the other hand had their strongest showing on the field side.

Adkins said he couldn’t have expected a better performance from his team.

“I’m very happy with how we prepared for this event,” Adkins said. “We had two girls break school records with Brianne Bergeron in the pole vault and Chelsey Steele in the javelin. I’m taking five or six girls to state, but I’m proud of all of them.”

Qualifying individually for the Lady Braves were Tiffany Lofton in the shot put (third place), Brittany Fitzgerald in the long jump (first), Tashawna Wesley (first) in the triple jump, Chelsey Steele (second) in the javelin and Rechelle LaFont in the 400-meter run.

In addition to H.L. Bourgeois, most area schools had at least one person or team qualify.

On the boy’s side, Greg Robinson (second in shot put), Jamal King (third in the discus), Shavon Coleman (second in the high jump) and John Esteve (second in the pole vault) of Thibodaux all qualified in the field events along with Mark Lawson (first) of Terrebonne in the long jump, Dezmon Green (first) of Central Lafourche and Rusty Borne (second) in the triple jump and Rafe Plaisance of South Lafourche in the discus.

Lawson also qualified in the 100-meter dash while South Terrebonne’s Mitchell Hutchinson (400-meter run) and Kiley Louviere (110-meter hurdles) also qualified.

South Lafourche’s Dexter Owensby finished third in the 800-meter run to qualify.

Terrebonne’s Lady Tigers duo of Alaina Verdin and Sierra Lyons qualified in the high jump and shot put respectively while teammate Cymione Fleming qualified in the 100-meter hurdles.

Central Lafourche’s Abby Lazard earned a second-place finish in the long jump while her teammate Kiera Smith also qualified with a second-place finish in the discus.

Brooke Abadie of Central Laforuche joined Steele as a local qualifier in the javelin and Thibodaux’s Rahshika Thomas advances following a third-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles.

The only girls’ relay team to qualify for state was Terrebonne’s 1600-meter relay team, which finished second.

All in all, the area proved it can compete with the region’s best, Riley acknowledged, but now he believes his team and the rest of the area qualifiers are ready to show their skills against the best in the state.

“This is what we prepare for,” he said. “We’ll be ready. “