LSU LAST CHANCE QUALIFIER: Meet Preview--Distance Events!

It's the most competitive meet of the indoor season. Of course we are talking about Saturday's LSU Last Chance Qualifier. What makes it more competitive than the LHSAA State Indoor Meet is the fact that all athletes are competing against one another and not divided into divisions. It's the best against the best.

In this article, we will take a look at the distance events.

800m

It appears the 800m will come down to Madison Prep's Dynasty Wilfred, Warren Easton's Aaliyah Lane, and Parkview Baptist's Georgia Theriot.  All three have gone under 2:20 during the indoor season and are ranked in Louisiana's top four.  But don't count out St. Joseph's Baton Rouge Michelle Daigle, who is ranked No. 5 in the state with a 2:20 at the LSU HS Classic. 

Parkview Baptist's Molly Cramer, Dutchtown's Keira Melan, and Lafayette's Shelby Burgin are three we expect to be with the lead pack. And who knows? Any of these are capable of making their way to the top of the podium.

At the LSU HS Qualifier, there were six runners who broke 2:00 in the boys' 800m. Calvary's Jackson Burney (1:58.45) held on for the win with Central Lafourche's Trevin Lebouef (1:5.72)and Mandeville's Brayden Berglund (1:58.75) close behind. It has proven to be one of the best races during the entire indoor season. 

Those are the top three times in Louisiana this year. All three return this Saturday, but there are a few additions to the field which could make things very interesting. 

Jesuit's Brandt Blanchard won the LSU HS Qualifier 1600m with a time of 4:26.74. That time has him ranked No. 3 in Louisiana, but Saturday he will run in the 800m--a distance he is very familiar--and comfortable-- with. Blanchard is ranked No. 3 in Louisiana outdoors among returners in the 800m. He trails only Burney and former St. Augustine half-miler Kyzar Dunbar, who is now in Florida at IMG Academy. 

In an article discussing distance runners who are opening their season at the Last Chance Qualifier, we missed one--Leesville's Keeton Johnson, who has won the last three LHSAA Class 4A state championships in the 1600m for the Wampus Cats during his stellar high school career. Johnson is a fierce competitor who will be up near the front in this one. How well will he be able to keep up with the lead pack after running in the 1600m earlier in the meet? We will soon find out.

Johnson didn't run in the indoor season during the 2024 season. In 2023 he finished second in the LSU Last Chance Qualifier with a time of 2:02. That time will probably not make the Top ten on Saturday. 

David Thibodaux's Jackson Jarrett put on a show in the 3200m at the LHSAA HS Qualifier. The two-time LHSAA D2 State cross country champion won with a time of 9:28.12. That time ranks No. 2 in Louisiana.  He drops down in distance this week and will be in a fast 800m field. It's a distance that Jarrett has not run indoors since he was a freshman. Even though he has little experience at the distance, you can bet that he will give the field a run for their money. 

1600m

Have your popcorn ready for the boys 1600m! It should be a fun one. On the one hand, we have Parkview Baptist's Aiden Monistere who has more than proven himself as not only one of the best in Louisiana high school distance runners of all-time, but he is also one of the best in the nation. He is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation in the 1600m with his 4:06.56 at the VA Showcase. 

On the other hand, you have a couple of talented young men who will be opening their season for the first time on Saturday. Parkway's Brennan Robin was the runner-up to Jesuit's Michael Vocke, who is now running for LSU, in both the LHSAA State Indoor and Outdoor 1600m. Heady stuff for a freshman. With a year of high school experience under his belt, the sky is limit for this super sophomore from South Bossier. 

Speaking of Jesuit. Leland Crawford will compete for the first time in the indoor season after only a couple of races during cross country. 

Other names to watch; Jesuit's Connor Fanberg, Brother Martin's Jack Collins, Parkway's Ben Ruliffson, and Catholic High Baton Rouge's Jonathan Thompson. Both Thompson (No. 4, 4:27) and Ruliffson (No. 7, 4:29.19) are ranked among the top 10 in Louisiana in the 1600m. 

Parkview Baptist's Lucy Cramer (5:02) and Molly Cramer (5:07) are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in Louisiana in the girls 1600m. Both are scheduled to battle it out on Saturday. Joining in on the fray will be St. Joseph's Michelle Daigle and Teurlings Catholic's Abigail Leger. 

The wildcard in the race will be Baton Rouge's Lucy Thomas, who is coming off of a LHSAA D1 State cross country championship in November. This will be Thomas's first race of 2025. 

3200m

If you want to catch this race on MileSplit LA's livestream on Saturday, you might want to make sure to get in a good nap. The girls' race is scheduled for a 7:30pm start time. 

The Cramer sisters aren't the only fast sister combination in the state. Metairie Park Country Day has the Goldenberg sisters, who have had a great year of running. It started with helping the Lady Cajuns win a LHSAA D4 State Championship. Raine Goldenberg and Coco Goldenberg have continued the momentum during the indoor season, where they helped the Cajuns win 4x800 at the LSU HS Qualifier with a time of 9:56. That time ranks No. 2 in Louisiana. Both of the Goldenberg sisters are entered in Saturday's 3200m and are two to keep an eye on.

The Cramer sisters are entered in the 3200m as well. And they have experience in doubling back in the 3200m. They did it two weeks ago at the LSU HS Qualifier when the younger of the two--Molly Cramer turned in one of the most impressive indoor doubles ever seen by a Louisiana high school freshman. She won the 1600m with a personal record 5:07 and then came back at the end of the meet to win the 3200m with a time of 11:11. The latter time ranks No. 1 in Louisiana and No. 11 in the nation for freshmen girls. 

Others to watch include Mt. Carmel's Catalina Reichard, who is running competitively for the first time since the 2023 cross country season when she was the LHSAA D1 girls state champion and later won Gatorade's Louisiana Player of the Year.  St. Amant's Ella Willoughby, University Lab's Cate Williamson, and C.E. Byrd sophomore Anna Lake Watts are three other runners you can expect to run with the lead pack in this one. 

Like the 1600m, the boys' 3200m field is loaded. It will be fun to see Jesuit's Brady Monahan in action--although other contestants in the race may disagree with this assessment. Monahan is the two-time LHSAA D1 State cross country runner-up and is making a rare indoor appearance. 

Monahan's competition will come from fellow junior ---Highland Baptist's Tyler Blissett and Mandeville senior Max Jacketti, who is ranked No. 4 in Louisiana with a time of 9:38. 

A couple of other runners to keep an eye on include Episcopal School of Acadiana's Anderson Frank and Catholic High Baton Rouge's Augustin Juneau, who is currently the best freshman in Louisiana in the 3200m with a season best of 9:46. 

READ MORE: LSU LAST CHANCE QUALIFIER MEET PREVIEW: The Sprint Events!