- RESULTS FROM THE WATSON HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY CLASSIC
- PICTURES FROM THE WATSON HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY CLASSIC
Maybe it was being on the Choctaw Trails in Clinton, Mississippi. Or, maybe it was the fact that they had to get back to Baton Rouge to make their hair appointments for the Catholic homecoming dance. Whatever the reason, almost every St. Joseph's Academy runner had a personal record Saturday morning at the Watson High School Classic leading the Stickers to a huge win against the very best in Mississippi.
St. Joseph's scored 40 points by placing three runners in the top five. All three ran sub 19:00.
"The girls ran really well," Coach Mark LaHaye said. "They were excited that Emma Bourg was in the race. They knew what she could do, and they just tagged along with her and held on."
LaHaye said the Stickers enjoyed Clinton's Choctaw trails, as St. Joseph's arrived the day before the meet and walked the course. It was the Stickers first trip to one of Mississippi's most popular cross country venues.
"It's nice when you can go out of state and run against the best in another state at a venue like that," LaHaye said.
Elise Brown led the Stickers, running an 18:35, only six seconds behind Houma Christian's Emma Bourg, who won with a 18:29.
Other St. Joseph's girls included Hannah Vaughan (No. 3, 18:41), Michelle Daigle (No. 5,18:55, Grace Rennhoff (No. 14, 19:40), Julia Monzon (No. 23, 20:22).
The only real surprise for LaHaye was the margin of victory.
"Coming in I knew we had a shot," LaHaye said. "I didn't know until they announced the winners how big the margin was."
After the race, the Stickers didn't care much about the awards presentation. They were worried about getting back to Baton Rouge and making their appointments for the big dance.
"It's funny," LaHaye said. "They were in a panic when they announced that the awards presentation for the girls' race would be delayed for 20 minutes."
LaHaye and the Redstickers now enter "championship season". They will compete in the East Baton Rouge Metro in 10 days, then Regionals, and then try to make even less room in the already full trophy case at St. Joseph's Academy by winning their seventh consecutive LHSAA State Cross Country title at Northwestern State University on Monday, November 14th.