Isn't it great to have Louisiana high school track and field back in our lives?
For me, it's the most wonderful time of the year. The reason? It's the only time of the year when all of the athletes and coaches are under the same roof. And every week is a big meet--whether it is at the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse or at the Recreation Complex on the campus of McNeese State University.
This is Year No. 5 that I have had the good fortune to cover Louisiana high school track and field for MileSplit Louisiana. And every year the indoor season seems to get us all started on the right foot. The storylines are endless.
In years' past, I have gotten chills watching historic performances. Zachary's Rhen Langley's 9:16 in the 3200m at the LSU High School Qualifier comes to mind. You think performances like that will stay on the books for a long time and then Parkview Baptist's Aiden Monistere goes and runs an 8:58 at the VA Showcase last year.
This year, I got chills listening to the answers I received from Woodlawn-Baton Rouge junior Jaleyia Woods when she said "this feels like the beginning."
This answer came after she talked about her "downfall" last year. I told her not to be so hard on herself after running Louisiana's all-time No. 1 in the 400m with a 55.44. Woods ran that time at the LHSAA State Indoor Championships when she was chasing former Barbe superstar Kennedi Burks, who is now running for LSU.
Burks ran the fastest time ever run by a Louisiana high school sprinter-54.36 at the LHSAA State Indoor Meet in 2025. After talking to Woods after her season opener, it seems like that record is living on borrowed time.
Of the five girls who have broken 56 seconds in the 400m, I have had the opportunity to cover four (Burks, Hannah Boullion, Woods, and Kali Magana). What a time to be alive and following high school track and field!
But Woods isn't the only early storyline in 2026.
What about Teurlings Catholic's Abigail Leger? In my opinion, she has been the biggest surprise after the first two weeks of the 2026 season. That is not to say that the young lady from Lafayette has come out of nowhere. She was the runner-up at the LHSAA State Cross Country Championships in Division 2 in November. Leger ran a 18:57 in the three-mile race.
She took home the Outstanding Track Performer at the LSU High School Classic after winning the 1600m with a time of 5:07 and finishing as the runner-up in the 800m with a then personal record of 2:21.
Yesterday, at the McNeese Indoor No. 1, Leger continued her winning ways by winning both events. Her 2:17 in the 800m broke the meet record in the.
Alexandria's Carter Rivet only surpassed the 59-0 barrier one time during his freshman season. That performance came at the District 2-5A Championships. His next best throw was 58-1 at the AAU National Junior Olympics where he won the national championship in the 15-16 boys division.
Rivet popped a throw way out to 59-8.25 at the LSU High School Classic. That throw is almost four feet better than the next best throw in Louisiana during the first two weeks of the Louisiana high school season. It's also the best throw in the nation by any sophomore.
Other storylines will emerge in the weeks to come. Parkview Baptist's Cramer sisters- Lucy and Molly have yet to compete in open races. The same is true for Highland Baptist's Tyler Blissett, who will begin his senior track season at Saturday's LSU High School Qualifier.