BARBE'S ARIEL WILLIAMS WAS ALL SMILES AFTER JUMPING 5-10 AT '22 REGION I-5A MEET!
Nobody did it better than Barbe's Ariel Williams at the District 3-5A District Championships earlier this week. Williams, a Louisiana Tech signee, won the high jump (5-10), long jump (19-0), and 200m (25.62).
However, it wasn't enough for her Lady Bucs to take home the team title as Lafayette, who scored 201 points, came away with an 11-point win.
In the boys' division, Barbe took home the district championship. The Bucs scored 106 points, 19 more than second-place Carencro. It's the third straight District 3-5A title for Barbe.
"The big thing, I think, is that our guys won their third consecutive title and competed with grit," Barbe Head Coach Ben Beasley said. "It's not like we have one person who can go out and score a ton of points. It took everybody. That's what we talked about in our team meeting heading into the meet. We have a ton of respect for Coach Peters at Carencro, his staff, and his athletes. They do a heck of a job. We knew it was going to be a dog fight."
Beasley heard the team scores before the 3200m and Barbe only led Carencro by three points.
"When I heard that I said 'I don't know,' " Beasley said. "We had some guys step up in the 3200m and then our 4x400m went from fifth to third thanks to our anchor, Darryl Washington. He is a fun one to watch."
The guys stepping up in the 3200m were juniors Joseph Geier and Francisco Coronado. Geier ran a 10:58 to finish second. Coronado finished fourth with a 11:10.
Washington was one of four Barbe Bucs to win their individual event on the boys' side. He won the 400m with a 49.48, breaking the 50 second barrier for the first time in his career.
Beasley's pole vault crew came up big with 18 points. Sophomore Carter Hooks finished first (12-6). Hooks' teammate, Gunnar Patterson, was the runner-up with a jump of 12-0.
Barbe junior Michael Fulton won the discus with a throw of 160-5.
Five athletes won two events at the District 3-5A Meet. In the boys' division, Lafayette freshman Jackson Tolbert won the 1600m (4:53.08) and the 3200m (10:52.60) , Ovey Comeaux's Kalix Robinson won both the 110m hurdles (15.29) and the 300m hurdles (39.13), and Landon Baptiste won the high jump (6-4) and triple jump (45-6.5).
Baptiste also finished second in the long jump to New Iberia's Jorri Daniels (24-6), who is now the state leader in the event after a personal record which is over two feet longer than his previous personal best.
Daniels was a quarter of an inch behind Baptiste in the triple jump.
In the girls' division, Ovey Comeaux's Sya Bolden continued her stellar freshman season by winning the 800m (2:23.25) and 1600m (5:22.35). Barbe sophomore Reese Trahan was the other double winner taking gold in both the 100m hurdles (16.44) and the 300m hurdles (47.01).
The top four athletes and relay teams from the District 3-5A Meet qualified for the Region I-5A Meet, which will be held in Natchitoches on Wednesday.
This week, Beasley will have a new message for his Bucs in their team meeting.
"Survive and advance," Beasley said. "Don't chase times. Chase the place. Our region is tough. There are guys--especially in the field events--who won't qualify for state, but could--on any given day--place at the state outdoor meet. And most of the guys I'm referring to are young guys. It's going to be a dog fight for a few years, but it's going to fun to watch."