The Ruston Bearcats started the Region 1-5A Meet in Natchitoches on Wednesday the same they ended it-with a relay win. Between those victories in the 4x800 and 4x400, the Bearcats did enough to come away with their fourth straight regional victory.
The last time a team not named Ruston won a 1-5A regional meet it was 2018 and Ouachita Parish came away with the title. The Lions were coached that season by Morgan Smith, who is in his first year at the helm at Ruston.
Ruston won with a total of 91 points, beating the runner-up Airline by eight points.
Landon Byrd, Andrew McKaskle, Liam Lowe, Cole Maestrini got it started in the 4x800 with a time of 8:14.84, three seconds ahead of runner-up Parkway.
The performance by his anchor brought tears to the eyes of Ruston distance coach Dustin Cochran.
"He has been one who has been plagued through the years with doing well, then just not putting it together at the end," Cochran said. "He earned a spot on the district team with his performance at the Hoss Garrett Relays. I decided that he is the senior on the team, he will anchor it. So, watching him anchor a regional championship yesterday after all he's been through just made me very proud of the kid. He's had every reason through the years to quit or give up on himself. He never has. He has trusted me the whole way...even when he didn't trust himself. And it paid off with a medal I think he will remember forever. As well as valuable life lessons."
Another Bearcat Cochran was proud of Wednesday was Thomas Rogers, who won the 1600m (4:36.13) and finished second in the 3200m (9:34.81) -leading Ruston with 18 points.
The junior Bearcat, who Cochran has referred to as a "gunslinger" in the past, is just starting to come into his own.
"This season, Thomas has fully trusted the process," Cochran said. "In the past, he didn't think about pace and strategy. Now, he is a guy who puts himself in spots to succeed and use his speed at the end of races. I think now that he's listening and learning to how to really race, he's only scratching the surface."
Yet another Ruston distance runner who came away with a gold medal was Bryar Madden in the 800m. The senior, who has signed and will continue his career with the LA Tech Bulldogs on the other side of Tech Drive, ran a 1:55.79.
Sealing the win at the end of the meet for the Bearcats was Kendrick Jones, Madden, Dylar Richmond, and Jordan McWain with a winning time of 3:23.96 in the 4x400.
"I was overjoyed with the performances by our boys at regionals," Ruston head coach Morgan Smith said. "So many of these great young men overcame adversity and competed at such high level. I was so proud of the way our team has come together this year and supported each other. It's such an exciting time of year with state approaching, and I know our boys will continue to enjoy the experience with their teammates and exceed expectations next week at LSU."
