There were many great stories in 2022. During this last week of the year, we will take a look back at 22 of our favorite..
No. 22
Ouachita's Jeremy Nelson set the stage for epic triple jump battles throughout 2022 against Ruston's Brandon Green with his win at the LSU Last Chance Qualifier. He came into the competition with a best on 46-10. On his first jump, everything clicked for "Mr. Ouachita" and he hit 48-0.
Amazingly, Nelson used the momentum from his first jump--along with a little help from the crowd--to get out to 49-8.25, at the time...the No. 3 jump in the US.
In the stands, watching this take place was Ruston's Brandon Green, who owned the No. 5 jump in the nation.
While Nelson would push Green all year, the Ruston Bearcat would get the best of Nelson each time the pair went head-to head.
No. 21
Nelson wasn't the only jumper to shine at the LSU Last Chance Qualifier, Ruston's Bryanna Craig had a PR in the high jump AFTER a 400m race between Scotlandville's Makeriah Harris and her teammate Jada Williams. Craig led for 390m, but in the end in the end, it was Harris (56.88), who got the win. The LSU training staff had to attend to Craig, who was lying on the ground near the podium in the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse.
At the time all three were ranked in the Top 25 in the nation over 400m.
Craig went from lying on the groud by the podium to soaring over the bar at 5-9.75, breaking the composite fieldhouse record by a quarter of an inch.
READ MORE: Nelson, Craig Have Field Day at Last Chance!
No. 20
Ruston Bearcats sweep DI LHSAA State Indoor titles, and St. Louis claims an EPIC D-II LHSAA State Indoor win!
READ MORE: Bearcats, Saints, Cubs win state indoor titles!
No. 19
There were several story lines at the 2022 LHSAA D-1 State Indoor Meet. One involved the boys 60m hurdles. At the LSU Last Chance Qualifier, John Curtis' Justin Horne (7.93) either guessed and timed his start up perfectly or he was able to get one past the watchful eye of the LSU Track & Field Officials Association judges at the start of the race. Coaches and fans from Scotlandville were conviced it was the latter, and voiced their displeasure in no uncertain terms.
At the LHSAA D-I State Indoor Meet, Scotlandville's Broderick Davis (8.00) got revenge on Horne by winning the state championship, beating Horne by .08.
The best part? Both return in 2023, along with Catholic's Louis Rudge to provide La. track and field fans with some exciting hurdle action.