The 2022 La. high school cross country season did not disappoint. And before we completely turn our attention towards the quickly approaching indoor season, why don't we take a look back and pass out some much-deserved awards?
MileSplit LA Girls' Runner of the Year- Houma Christian's Emma Bourg
There is no surprise here. It's Houma Christian's Emma Bourg. The senior Lady Warrior made a statement with her 17:26 at the Catholic Invitational, surpassing the goals she had set for herself at the beginning of the season.
What did Bourg do? She continued to work and set even more ambitious goals.
It would have been easy for Bourg to show up at the LHSAA Division IV state meet and coast to an easy win in less than favorable course conditions. But that is not how Bourg operates. The University of New Orleans commit attacked the course at Northwestern State University and walked away as the only female runner--in any division-- to break 18 minutes.
Not only that, it was the largest margin of victory among all state championship races.
MileSplit LA's Boys' Runner of the Year-Jesuit's Jack DesRoches
Again, not much of a surprise here. Our winner in this category is Jesuit's Jack DesRoches. He is the fastest runner on the fastest team in Louisiana cross country history.
In typical DesRoches fashion, nothing came easy for the Vanderbilt University commit. After runner up performances is his two previous state championship races (2021 LHSAA Cross Country Championships and 2022 LHSAA State Outdoor Meet 3200m), DesRoches was able to break through with a focused effort at the 2022 LHSAA Divison I State Cross Country Meet with a winning time of 14:46, 13 seconds ahead of sophomore teammate Brady Mullen.
It was a great ending to a season that taught DesRoches patience as he missed most of Jesuit's June base building while overcoming a nagging illness.
MileSplit LA's Girls Coach of the Year- St. Joseph's Academy Mark LaHaye
SJA head coach Mark LaHaye became the Sticker's head coach in 2013. In 2014, he won his first state championship. Last month, he won his eighth. That's right. SJA has won the LHSAA state championship eight of the last nine years.
The bad news for their competition is that he will not lose any of his girls from this year's state championship team to graduation.
Led by St. Joe's individual state champion Hannah Vaughan, the Stickers scored 40 points, beating runner-up Ruston by 37 points.
LaHaye was asked if driving to Natchitoches and collecting another state championship trophy ever gets old.
"Never!," LaHaye said, cracking a smile as he watched his Stickers celebrate yet another state championship.
MileSplit LA's Boys' Coach of the Year-Jesuit's Cullen Doody
"A rising tide lifts all boats."
It's just one of the metaphors Jesuit's Cullen Doody has used this year to describe what has transpired not only with the Jesuit distance program, but with cross country across the state, since he stepped in during the summer of 2020.
Since going to three miles in the late 1970s, no team has ever had a perfect score in the highest classification in LHSAA state meet history. Not only had a perfect score at the 2022 LHSAA Division I State Cross Country Championships. They placed all seven runner in the top ten.
Doody spent some time in summer training talking to his runners about "chopping down some of the big trees." Another metaphor.
"You have to do that so that some of the other trees can get some sunlight to the other trees so they can grow," he told them, but he wasn't giving them a lesson on forestry. He was telling them that they are capable of being a "big tree", or a top runner--like DesRoches or 2021 LHSAA State Cross Country champion Michael Vocke.
They listened.
You'll never find Doody-led Jesuit team patting themselves on the back for what they have accomplished. It's a mindset for the Blue Jays. One that is always looking to the next challenge. And looking for their next opportunity to run even faster.
MileSplit LA's Program of the Year- (3 way tie)Episcopal, Christ Episcopal, Ruston
Christ Episcopal, led by Coach Chad Hunt, swept the LHSAA Division V State Championships. Epsicopal, led by Louisiana Sport Hall of Famer Coach Claney Duplechin, won the Divison III Girls' title and finished third on the boys' side. In Division I, the Ruston Bearcats, led by Coach Dustin Cochran, finished second in the girls' division and third in the boys' race.
MileSplit LA's Freshman Girl of the Year- Mount Carmel's Stella Junius
Junius ran an 18:05.44 at the Catholic Invitational. That time was 18 seconds faster than the next closest freshman--Episcopal's Lauren Bradford.
READ MORE ABOUT MCA's MileSplit LA Future Star here!
MileSplit LA's Freshman Boy of the Year- Highland Baptist's Tyler Blissett
Blissett ran a season best of 15:29.11. That time was seven seconds faster than the next closest freshman--Jesuit's Brady Monahan.
Blissett's success was no surprise to MileSplit LA. We highlighted him way back on March 9th as he began is 8th grade outdoor campaign.
READ MORE ABOUT Highland Baptist's MileSplit LA Future Star here!
MileSplit LA's Race of the Year - LHSAA Division II Girls State Championships
Read about Vandebilt Catholic's amazing girls' LHSAA D-II state championship win at the link below.
Article on Vandebilt Catholic's win over Academy of Sacred Heart
