LHSAA CLASS 2A

Emma Bourg (Houma Christian)

What a year it has been for Bourg! It started with Bourg having the fastest time among all Louisiana high school girls at the 2022 LHSAA State Cross Country Championships. Then, Bourg added a Gatorade Cross Country Player of the Year honor to her resume.

It continued during the 2023 indoor season at the LHSAA Division 2 State Championships where she won both the 1600m (5:06.55) and 3200m (11:13.07)

Not only is Bourg fast, she is tough. She was under the weather at her regional meet, but gutted it out to advance to her "Last Dance"--and we are not talking about prom.

We're excited to see what her next chapter holds at the University of New Orelans, but trust us when we say that you will be want to be able to tell people "I saw her run in high school." You have one more chance--Friday, May 5th at the LHSAA State Outdoor Championships.

If you cannot be in Bernie Moore Stadium on Friday, May 6th, you can WATCH LIVE ON MILESPLIT

A'shyria Burns (Menard)

Last year, Menard's Aly Jo Warren took home the LHSAA State Outdoor Meet MVP award. This year, we think the award will head back to Alexandria for the second year in a row. But this year, it will be in the hands of sophomore A'shyria Burns.

It's not that bold of a prediction.

Burns is ranked No. 1 in three events--the 100m (12.05), 100m hurdles (14.64), and triple jump (38-0). She is also ranked third in the long jump (18-2).

After one runner--up finish as a freshman last year (100m; 12.32) and THREE runner--up finishes at the LHSAA Division 2 State Indoor Championships in the 60m (7.75), 60m hurdles (9.12), and long jump (17-3.75), you can bet Burns will be motivated to climb to the top of the podium at Bernie Moore Stadium on Friday.

Alana Simon (Episcopal)

Battling Burns in a couple of events will be Episcopal's Alana Simon, who will be competing in the last high school meet of her career. And it has been a spectacular career indeed in one Louisiana's storied high school progams.

Simon was the LHSAA State Indoor champion in both the high jump (5-8), where she defended her title from 2022, and long jump (17-9.75).

While she has three indoor titles, she is looking to check off that final box on Friday by winning a state championship at an LHSAA State Outdoor Meet.

She knows where the podium is located. She made three trips there at last year's state outdoor meet.

Jaden Youngblood (Mansfield)

Made history last year as becoming Mansfield's first-ever state champion in the 60m hurdles (8.31) at the 2022 LHSAA State Indoor Meet. At the end of his freshman year, Youngblood was a part of history as Mansfield won their first state championship in 35 years.

During his sophomore campaign, the success has continued for Youngblood and the Wolverines. Youngblood defended his LHSAA state indoor 60m hurdle title (8.16) and led the Wolverines to yet another state championship.

During the outdoor season, Youngblood has not lost a race on Louisiana soil. Youngblood is ranked No. 1 in the 110m hurdles (14.36) and second in the 300m hurdles (38.82). Only East Feliciana's Herman Batiste has run faster (38.83) in the 300m hurdles.

Younblood is the defending champion in the 110m hurdles (14.53). He finished third in the 300m hurdles at last year's state outdoor meet (39.69). The winner in last year's 300 hurdles? Youngblood's Mansfield teammate Nick Bailey.

Trip Roemer (Loyola)

Last year, Loyola junior Trip Roemer made a decision. Am I going to be just another runner who goes through the motions every day at practice and meets? Or am I going to start taking this running thing seriously and put in the time and effort to be the version best version of myself--and one of the best in the state? He chose the latter and that moment of truth has led to big things this year for the Flyer.

For starters, he finished as the LHSAA Division 3 State Cross Country Championships runner--up with a time of 16:14.40 in terrible conditions, a far cry from his 17th place finish (18:10.90) the year before.

During the indoor season, he finished in the top 10 in all three distance events with a fourth-place 3200m (9:58.33) being his best event.

The 3200m was also his best event at the Region 1-2A Meet. He won with the 10:10.46. But he also qualified for state in the 800m (2:01.66) and 1600m (4:38.22), fininishing third at regionals in both events.

Thus far in the outdoor season, our favorite Trip Roemer moment was when he took Ruston's Bryar Madden to the line in the 800m finishing second with a 1:56.06. It took everything Madden had, including a little forearm action at the finish and a diving roll to be beat Roemer.

Roemer's time from that 800m earned him a No. 1 ranking in Class 2A. He is ranked No. 2 in both the 1600m and 3200m.

Will Roemer earn his first state championship on Friday? You will either need to be inside of Bernier Moore Stadium or watch live on MileSplit to find out.