LHSAA State Outdoor Meet: Class 4A Meet Preview!

Class 4A Boys

Saturday will mark the final time that Warren Easton's Germain Smith-Mata, currently Louisiana's fastest high school athlete, will put on a show at an LHSAA State Championship. Then, the Flying Eagle wil be off to the University of Houston where he will be coached by legendary sprinter Carl Lewis.

Smith-Mata lead comes into the LHSAA Class 4A State Outdoor Meet with the No. 1 ranking in all three of his individual events- the 100m (10.21), the 200m (21.19) and 400m (47.58).

Last year, Leesville's Keeton Johnson won the state championship in the 1600m (4:25.89) and finished as the runner-up in the 800m (1:56.82).

This year the Wampus Cat junior is looking to take two gold medals home to Vernon Parish. He comes into Saturday's meet with the No.1 ranking in both the 1600m and the 800m. 

It should be a good race in the 3200m where Archbishops Shaw's Enrico Tapia--who pulled off the distance double at the Region 3-4A Meet will battle Lafayette Christian's Matthew Edwards, who did the same at the Region 2-4A Meet. Edwards ran a 9:58.89 at his regional while Tapia ran a 9:58.60. 

But don't count out Belle Chasse's Drake Breland, who finished second to Tapia at regional. Breland ran a 10:04.02. Unlike Tapia and Edwards, Breland will run the race fresh as the 3200m is his only event. 

Westgate's Armidre Evans has the No.1 ranking in both the 110m hurdles (14.45) and the 300m hurdles (38.32). If Evans is to the win the 300m hurdles he will have to beat the defending champion in the event--Tioga's Maximus Kardrmas. 

Kardrmas will come into his final LHSAA Class 4A State Championship with revenge on his mind after he was upset last week at the Region 1-4A Meet by Northwood's James Hollingsworth.

Before winning the regional championship in the 300m hurdles, Hollingsworth ran legs on both of Northwood's winning sprint relay teams. The 4x100 team ran a 42.35. It's the fastest time in Class 4A this season. 

The Falcons time of 1:28.31 in the 4x200 ranks No. 2 behind Westgate (1:27.96). 

Northwood wasn't the only relay team to run a No. 1 ranked time at the Region 1-4A Meet. Leesville posted a time of 3:23.02 in the 4x400. 

The long jump will be one of the featured events in both the boys and girls divisions in Class 4A. Evangel's Roy Morris Jr. has the No.1 ranked jump in the state with his 24-4.75 jump at the District 1-4A Meet. 

If all goes according to plan for Morris in the long jump, the competition will not be close. The same is not true in the high jump where Huntington sophomore Landon Gibbs (6-8) and Istrouma Demond Tobin are tied at No.1 in 4A. 

Two of the best thrower in Class 4A are from Region 2. Breaux Bridges' Braxton Simon (51-9) comes in with the best shot put in the state while West Feliciana's Jamarian Jackson will be the thrower to beat in the boys discus. Jackson has a best mark of 172-8. 

Class 4A Girls

Have we mentioned that the long jump competition will be something to behold? Believe us when we tell you that you don't want to miss it. West Feliciana's Tristen Harris has jumped over 20 feet two weeks in a row so we are going to go ahead and put Huntington's Teresa Foster's composite state record of 20-5 on alert.

Besides the long jump, Tristen Harris also leads 4A in the 100m with a time of 11.74 although her times have been consistent for the last two weeks in the 11.9 range. 

Harris was the 2023 LHSAA State Outdoor Meet MVP last year. 

Of course, all eyes will be on Huntington's Demetria Harris, who was the MVP at the 2022 LHSAA State Outdoor Meet. Harris has jump over 39 feet the last two weeks in the triple jump-an event she started competing in only this year. No other triple jump in 4A has reached 37 feet. 

Demetria Harris is also the defending champion in the 100m hurdles after winning the championship in 2023 with 14.47.

Individual accolades are nice, but nothing would mean more than lead her Lady Raiders to a successful defense of their 2023 LHSAA State Championship. 

Yet another sprinter to keep an eye on during Saturday's meet is Aaryona Kinchen, who has a season best of 54.

In the distance events, Teurlings Catholic's Angelle Dupuis has the No.1 ranking in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m. While she has finished second on a couple of occasions, including last year's 1600m (5:13.93), she has never won a state championship and would love nothing more than putting the exclamation point on a tremendous high school career with a gold medal around her neck on the top of the podium at Bernie Moore Stadium. 

Dupuis' teammate Addison Richey looks to defend her title in the girls' pole vault. Cabrini's Bailee Villavasow ill make her earn at the two battle one more time for a state championship. Richey comes in with a season best of 13-6. Villavaso is ranked No.2 with a jump of 13-6.