AIRLINE'S SHELBY LADET COMPETES AT THE REGION 1-5A MEET
There was a plethora of young, talented future stars at the 2024 LHSAA State Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Here are just a few of the top freshmen and sophomores who had outstanding seasons.
Top Four Freshmen Boys...
Parkway's Brennan Robin- Robin went for it in the boys' Class 5A 1600m. What choice did he have? He was running against the only miler in LHSAA history who has won four consecutive state championships in the highest classification. That would be Jesuit's Michael Vocke, who won the LHSAA State Championship with a time of 4:17. Robin is ahead of that schedule as he finished second on Saturday with a time of 4:14-only two seconds away from the composite state record of 4:12 set by Rummel's Keith Iovine, set in 1982. No freshman in the history of the LHSAA has run the 1600m faster than Robin ran on Saturday. If he can stay healthy, we are putting the 42-year old record on notice at next year's LHSAA State Outdoor Championships.
West Monroe's Jaxon Talley - Another freshman who has produced marks never seen before. We believe that Talley is the first freshman to throw the javelin over 200' feet since the rule change took effect in 1990. While he didn't throw over 200' on Saturday, he did finish second to Catholic's LSU signee Paul Catalanatto, who defended his championship from the year before. Talley had a throw of 194-4, good enough for a silver medal.
Jesuit's Ja'ir Burks- Burks just missed the podium in the boys 110m hurdles. He ran a 14.63. That time ranks No. 2 in the MileSplit LA database. The only freshman who has run faster is Mansfield's Jaden Youngblood, who ran a 14.53 at the state meet in 2022.
Lafayette Christian's Talan Sievers - Ran a 4:31.75 to finish 6th in the Class 4A boys' 1600m. It was the highest finish by a freshman boy on the track at the LHSAA Class 4A State Outdoor Meet.
Top Six Freshmen Girls...
Parkview Baptist's Lucy Cramer - she was a part of three class records being broken at the LHSAA Class 3A State Outdoor Championships on Friday. Cramer set new marks in the 1600m and 3200m. She also ran a leg on Parkview Baptist's winning 4x800m which broke the Class 3A record with a time of.
Airline's Shelby Ladet - Ladet had the highest finish of any freshman girl in Class 5A as she finished as the runner-up in the Class 5A high jump. Ladet jumped 5-5.75. It's the second year in a row that a freshman has finished as runner-up in the Class 5A high jump with the exact same height. Last year, it was Barbe's Aniyah Lavan who finished second with a jump of 5-5.75. Those are the top two performances in the MileSplit LA database for freshmen at the LHSAA State Outdoor Meet.
Warren Easton's Khai Brown- Brown, the MileSplit LA Indoor Athlete of the Year, finished second in both the 100m and 300m hurdles. The only freshman who has run faster than Brown's 43.85 at the Region 3-4A Meet in the 300m hurdles is Scotlandville's Makeriah Harris (42.29).Brown's time in the 100m hurdles (15.12) at the state meet ranks No. 10 all-time for freshmen in the MileSplit LA database.
Dutchtown's Keira Melan- Melan had the highest finish of any freshmen girl on the track at the 5A outdoor. She just missed the podium in the 5A girls 800m with a time of 2:18.47. With two of the top three in this event graduating, Melan will be one of the top returners in the state in this event heading into 2025.
John Ehret's Aniyah Cargo- Cargo finished sixth in the 5A 100m with a time of 12.00.
Plaquemine's Aldany Dupree- Was the 4A runner-up in the 800m with a time of 2:18.