DESTREHAN'S MARLEY RICHARD COMPETES IN A MEET DURING THE 2024 INDOOR SEASON
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With the turning of the calendar year, it can only mean one thing! The LSU High School Classic is close. In fact, the LSU High School Classic will be held in nine days at LSU's Carl Maddox Fieldhouse.
As we get closer to the first "Meet Day" of the 2025 season, we will be taking a look at some of the athletes who will be competing, and letting you know about some athletes who will not.
Destrehan's Marley Richard, who signed with LSU last month, will be jumping in what will be her new home for the next few years. She opened her final season of high school track and field last month in Denton, Texas at the North Texas Showcase jumping a personal record 19-2.
READ MORE: SIGNING DAY 2025! LSU SIGNS THREE OF LOUISIANA'S BEST!
That opener is almost a foot better than any of Richard's jumps during the 2024 indoor season.
This will be the first time in her career that Richard, who will be competing in both the 60 meters and long jump, has competed in the meet.
Last year, Sky Townsend, representing the North Texas Jackrabbits, broke the 25-year meet record in the girls' long jump with a leap of 19-11.75.
According to our sources, Richard's fellow Wildcat, Phillip Wright, will not be competing in the LSU High School Classic, but the LSU football signee does plan to compete later in the indoor season. Wright is tied for No. 6 among top returning sprinters in the nation. His season best last season came at the New Balance Indoor Nationals, where he ran a time of 6.76 in the semifinal round.
Another one of the nation's best returning horizontal jumpers, Scotlandville's Ferzell Shepard will also be competing at the LSU HS Classic, according to Scotlandville boys' head coach Allen Whitaker. Shepard is Louisiana's top returner in both the long jump (24-0.25) and triple jump (47-5). Nationally, Shepard is ranked as the No. 5 among all returners in both jumps.
READ MORE: LONG JUMPERS STEAL THE SHOW AT LSU HS QUALIFIER!
Besides the girls and boys long jump, fans will be keeping an eye on the distance events where Parkview Baptist's Aiden Monistere is scheduled to open his indoor season. Monistere is coming off a magical senior cross country season highlighted by a Highland Park Course Record and qualifying for NXN, both of which made MileSplit LA's Top Stories of 2024.
READ MORE: MONISTERE BREAKS RECORD AT HRP COURSE!
While we are not sure what Monistere will run, if he sticks with the same plan as a year ago, Monistere will attempt to defend his place on top of the podium in the 3200m. In 2024, he won the Classic with a time of 9:36. The meet record in the event is 9:26 set by St. Paul's (Alabama) John Brigham in 2004.