While public and private schools in Louisiana may not quite be at the level of Shakespeare's famous fueding families--the Montagues and the Capulets--in Romeo and Juliet, the relationship has been strained at times. Two of Louisiana's best track and field athletes are proving that public and private schools can get along-and their most recent date--the Catholic Prom-- is just one example. Dutchtown's Rachel Fereday and Catholic's Louis Rudge are a match made in MileSplit LA Prom Heaven.
Fereday is the queen of the girls' 800m in Louisiana since winning her first state championship at the 2022 LHSAA Indoor Championships. Her state win streak is at three after successfully defending her title last month. And she is looking forward to finishing off her stellar high school career with yet another state championship this May.
Rudge is the state's best 300m hurdler after a running a 38.26 at the the Louisiana National Guard Zachary Bronco Classic last Thursday. Rudge is no stranger to state championships. The defending 2022 LHSAA Class 5A state champion in the 300 hurdles (37.39) was a big reason his Catholic Bears took home the hardware after last year's LHSAA State Outdoor Championship.
They have been dating since this past summer, so you will have to excuse Rudge for skipping the whole poster ask thing.
"It wasn't much," Rudge said of the ask. "I kind of just asked her in person after she reminded me that I needed to ask her."
They didn't have time for posters and pictures. What they did have time for is Ruffino's.
"The food was really good," Rudge said. "The massive ribeye was amazing."
Fereday also used the same adjective-amazing-to describe the food.
At the prom, it was Fereday who was the one most in her element. Admittedly, Rudge is not much of a dancer.
"I had maybe too much fun dancing...," Fereday said.
Prom was a little easier for Rudge this year. Last year, he had to hurry back from two states away as the Catholic Bears were competing in the Mobile Challenge of Champions in Alabama on the morning of the Catholic Prom.
For Fereday, all she had to do was rearrange weekend workouts to make time for the festivities.
It was a special evening for both.
"The best part was definitely just spending time with Rachel and my friends," Rudge said.
"The best part of the evening was spending time with Louis and one of my closes friends on my team, and we get do it all again this weekend!"
This weekend it will be the Dutchtown Prom! What will they wear? Will they eat at Ruffino's again?
While those questions are unknown, one thing is for sure. We cannot wait to see those instagram pictures of this match made MileSplit Prom Heaven.
BEST DRESSED!
While Fereday and Rudge are a shoe in for MileSplit LA Prom Couple of the Year, Denham Springs' Porter Gibson wins the best dressed award. It can be challenging for a big man like Gibson to find suits, Gibson had no problem rocking a navy suit with huge ice crystals adorned on the coat and pants.
His coach need not worry, he will be back in his regular purple and gold competition attire on Wednesday for the Denham Spring Relays. You can watch the meet LIVE on MileSplit. You can also follow our social media account for meet information and results. Finally, look for the photo album of the meet on the Thursday.