LEADERS OF THE PACK: Coats, E.D. White win big at Vandebilt Invitational

The racing conditions were less than ideal for Kelsie Coats.

But that didn’t prevent the E.D. White senior from winning the Vandebilt Catholic Cross Country Invitational last Wednesday.

Coats crossed the finish line in a time of 21:01 to help the Lady Terriers finish first in the eight-team field with 26 points.

&#8220It was tough because it was so hot and muggy and muddy,” explained Coats, who clocked in 44 seconds ahead of second-place finisher and teammate Lindsay Constant. &#8220We also had to run across their (Vandebilt’s) track, which was pretty brutal because the ground was uneven. I was wearing spikes, and I’d slip on the gravel.”

Nonetheless, she didn’t slip against her competition.

And neither did E.D. White, which easily beat second-place Vandebilt by 37 points.

Alexis Guidry paced the Lady Terriers with a ninth-place finish in 23:22.

&#8220E.D. White is just too good at this point to mount any real challenge in a meet,” said Terriers coach Dave Malone. &#8220There is room for improvement, but on any given day I have seven really solid runners.”

South Lafourche was tops in the boys’ race with 53 points.

The E.D. White boys’ squad placed second with 56.

&#8220We felt really good about being able to hang with E.D. White,” said Tarpons coach Joey Guidroz. &#8220Coach Eddie Cole came up to us after the meet, and his exact words were ‘We came to Vandebilt because we wanted to run against you.’”

South Lafourche’s Tyler Folse finished second overall in a time of 17:32 – 14 seconds behind Stuart Theriot of Central Lafourche.

The Tarpons had won the H.L. Bourgeois Invitational the previous week.

&#8220We knew South Lafourche would be tough,” said Cole, who has guided the E.D. White boys’ team to five consecutive state titles. &#8220They’re always competitive and they have a really good team this year.”

The Vandebilt boys’ squad came in third overall with 80 points. Junior Ross Mullooly was the Terriers top male finisher in a time of 17:39, which was good enough for fourth place.

&#8220I am seeing a marked improvement from the beginning of the year,” Malone said. &#8220I have a really good nucleus with my top five runners and am looking for some young kids to step up and take the last two spots. We may not match up very well with an E.D. White or a South Lafourche, but the boys will give everything they have right down to the end. I am very proud of both of my teams in terms of competitiveness and heart.”

(Staff photos by CHRIS SCARNATI

• Tri-Parish Times) The E.D. White girls’ cross country team placed first at the Vandebilt Invitational with 26 points.