The Simpson Lady Broncos ran, threw, and jumped their way to their first ever State Track championship, winning the 2024 Class C track title Thursday at Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge. Simpson scored 78 points to easily outpace the field in winning the title. Evans finished fifth with 46 points, and Hornbeck made the top ten with 24 points. The Simpson boys finished in third place at the state meet with 51 points.
The Lady Broncos 4 x100 meter relay team of Dakota Miller, Olivia Edwards, McKenzie Grover, and Ashley Williams took first place. Regan Clutter won the state title in the high jump. Olivia Edwards took second place in the triple jump and the javelin. Dakota Miller finished second in the1600 meter run and third in the 300-meter hurdles. Alyssa Rowe took home a second in the 3200-meter run, while Ashley Miller took fourth in the 100-meter dash.
The Simpson boys’ third place finish was led by distance runner Ean Allain, who won titles in the 800- and 1600-meter runs. Aiden Martin won the 300-meter hurdles, took third in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump.
Distance star Reese Jeane of Evans won three state championships at 800 meters/1600 meters/3200 meters. Her teammate, Addison Outlaw Knight, finished second place in the 800-meter run.
Hornbeck’s relay team of Parker Alexander, Trace Fox, Cooper Martin, and Landyn Remedies took home a state title in the boys 4×400 meter relay. The Lady Hornets were led in scoring with a state title in the shot put by Hannah Mitchell and one in the discus by Cali Wedgeworth.
The Class B state meet was also held last Thursday in Baton Rouge. Anacoco’s girls took fourth place overall by scoring 50 points. Joanna Mawae won a state title in the high jump, and the 4×400 meter relay team of Sohpia Swinney, Riley Draughn, Brylee Goins, and Madi Stanley won the state title. The team of Stanley, Hayley Smith, Izabella Henry, and Abilee Dowden finished in second place in the 4×200 race. Swinney also took second in the 300-meter hurdles and third in the 800-meter run, while Stanley added a third-place finish in the 800-meter run.
Pitkin’s Natalee Nolen scored points for the Lady Tigers with a second-place finish in the javelin throw.
The Anacoco boys were led in scoring with a second-place finish by Layton Kay in the 800-meter run and a third from Lance Grafton in the discus. Anacoco finished seventh in the team standings and scored quite a few points with 4th and 5th place finishes.
The Pitkin Lady Tigers got on the scoreboard with a second-place finish from Natalee Nolen in the javelin.
The Rosepine Lady Eagles took fourth place with 43 points in the state 2-A track meet Friday in Baton Rouge. Speedster Amaya Shine won the 200-meter dash and took second in the 100-meter dash. The 4×400 meter relay team of Shine, Aaleyiah Pollard, Hayley Calcote. and Geson Dickson brought home a state title. Rosepine relay teams also took fourth in the 4×800 meter and fifth in the 4×200 meter races.
Leesville had great finishes by some Lady Cats and another state title for a Wampus Cat runner. Distance star Lina Mills-Zacapa finished second in the 1600-meter run, third in the 800-meter run, and fifth in the 3200-meter run to cap off her stellar career at Leesville High. The Lady Cats relay team finished third in both the 4×400 and 4×800 meter races. The Leesville boys posted a state title from defending state champion, junior, Keeton Johnson in the 1600-meter run. The 4×800 meter relay team of Johnson, Jakori Celestine, Keon Johnson, and Azjay Rhodes finished in second place.
Congratulations to all the outdoor track and field athletes from Vernon Parish high schools who competed at the state level.
