Aiden Monistere, Lucy Cramer Win D3 State Titles...Again!

Parkview Baptist's Aiden Monistere and Lucy Cramer swept the individual titles at the 2024 LHSAA D3 State Cross Country Championship in Natchitoches on Monday. In the boys' division, Monistere defended his title from a year ago winning with a time of 15:04. Cramer (18:27) edged her younger sister, Molly Cramer (18:39), as the pair went 1-2 at the state meet for the second time in their career.

The Cramer sisters, who went 1-2 in 2022 when they competed for Episcopal, led the Eagles, under direction of first-year head coach Betsy Bernhard to the D3 team championship. The Parkview Baptist scored 26 points to beat an Episcopal (57 points) squad which placed three runners in the top ten.

Other scoring runners on the winning Parkview Baptist team included senior Macey Theriot (No. 5, 19:53), junior Georgia Theriot (No.6, 19:54), freshman Ansley Bernhard (No. 10, 21:18).

But Parkview Baptist's No. 6 and No. 7 made a big difference as well. The Eagles' freshmen Brynlie Monistere (No. 13, 21:18) and Laidyn Wilson (No. 17, 22:07 both finished ahead of Episcopal's No.4 and No. 5 runners. 

In the boys' race, Monistere was all alone, winning his second cross title by a full minute. Although Parkview was able to place two other runners in the top ten-sophomore Andrew Watts and senior Reed Boudreaux--they were not able to continue their championship streak alive after leaving Natchitoches for the last three years with the first place trophy.

In his last cross country race on Louisiana, Monistere was able to leave his mark on the record book. His 15:04 broke his own D3 course record of 15:25 set a year ago. 

Episcopal, led by sophomore Trace Macias, pulled off the closest battle in the D3 boys' team race. The Knights, who scored 67 points, defeated Newman, led by D3 runner-up Maslen L'Esperance, by two points.