Lafayette girls head coach Ron Baillargeon usually needs a cup of coffee before getting in the team bus and making the long trip back to Lafayette after the Region 1-5A Championships in Natchitoches. Not this year.
"It's going to be a fun ride back to Lafayette," Baillargeon said after his Lions had sealed the girls' team title after the girls' 200m.
Lafayette scored 103 points to win their first Region 1-5A title since 2018. Barbe was the runner-up with 91 points while Alexandria was third with 86.
Junior Khia Williams (24.89) won the 200m and her teammate, Brashanna Charles, finished fourth with a 25.87, which was unexpected in a loaded field.
After a slow start in the 100m, Williams finished strong to finish second in the girls 100m (12.20). With her work on Lafayette's sprint relays adding to her body of work, Williams won the Region 1 Track MVP award.
"I wish that it was faster because it wasn't my PR, but I'm satisfied," Williams said of her performance in the 200m."
While Lafayette finished strong on the track, it was their work in the field events which set them up for success.
And wouldn't you know it would be a pole vaulter-Scarlett Petticrew-to get the Lions going in the field events. Petticrew won with a jump of 11-0.
Destiny Hooper also gave the Lions 10 points with her runner-up finish in the long jump (17-1.75) and fifth place finish in the high jump (5-2).
Brea Bailey and Bethany Long both had runner-up finishes in the field events. Bailey (121-9) finished second in the discus while Long had jump of 34-7.5 to take second in the triple jump.
The 800m was Lafayette's best event on the day as the Lions went No. 1 and No. 2. Keelei Dorsey won with a time of 2:20.06. Shelby Burgin was the runner-up with a 2:20.55.