CENTRAL LAFOURCHE'S SAMUEL HODSON(9) COMPETES IN THE '22 LHSAA CLASS 5A 800m
If high school distance runners in Louisiana start asking their coaches where the starting blocks are housed and begging to have a shot in the sprint events, don't blame them. Blame Central Lafourche's Samuel Hodson.
Hodson won the 1600m at the Cardinal Relays on Friday with a 4:36. When he headed back to the clerk of course at the end of the meet, most watching probably assumed he was going to check in for the 3200m. Instead, Hodson got his lane assignment for the 200m. He sprinted to a win with a time of 22.31.
When Hodson sees runners being complimented for their range, he says hold my flats...or spikes. It begs the question. Is the junior Trojan a distance runner...or a sprinter.
The answer is neither. Hodson fashions himself a 400/800 runner, who is exploring his range.
"The purpose of running the 1600 and 200 was to test my range and see what I can do," Hodson said.
Hodson passed the test on Friday with flying colors. After three weeks of the outdoor season, Hodson ranks No. 15 in the 1600m and No. 25 in the 200. Interestingly enough, among all juniors in the state, Hodson ranks No. 4 in the 200m and No. 7 in the 1600m.
While Friday's rare double was a first for Hodson, he is no stranger to big-time competition and high-stakes racing. Last year, he was one of only two sophomores in the LHSAA Class 5A 800m. Hodson led through the first 300m of the race before finishing ninth with a 1:58.25.
This year, he is looking to make a trip to the podium after the race.
"I learned how to be more calm during tactical races like that one," Hodson said of last year's state outdoor 800m. "We came through at 1:00 which is almost unheard of when the winning time was 1:54," Hodson said. "I gained experience on how to properly run my 800m and I will use that experience this year during my championship races to help get on that podium."
Hodson's versatility on the track last Friday in Thibodaux mirrors the versatility the multi-sport athlete has shown through out his high school career. He has competed in cross country, swim, soccer, and track. It's the latter where he sees himself competing at the next level.
Of course, with his last name, nobody in Lafourche Parish is surprised by Samuel Hodson's athletic exploits. His uncle is former LSU quarterback and Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Tommy Hodson.
Who knows? The nephew could have his name called one day to be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Stranger things have happened, like a runner being ranked among the state's best in both the 1600m and 200m.
