Every year, the LSU Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks get together toward the end of the season and play for The Boot--a trophy with both states shaped like a boot. That got us thinking...what if there was a track meet which the top athletes from both states competed for a similar prize. Well, let's take a look at.
In the sprints, Louisiana has the upper hand, but what is notable here is that the fastest high school athlete in both states are underclassmen. Arkansas' Chase Hancock, who has the fastest 100m time in the Natural State, is only a sophomore. Brother Martin's Easton Royal is a junior. What both have in common is that they have been offered by the powerhouse football programs in their state.
Hancock, a wide receiver at Pulaski Academy, was offered by the University of Arkansas last week. Royal was one of the first visits that new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin made when he was named head coach.
In the 200m, both of the top sprinters from Louisiana and Arkansas are seniors, which is what you would expect to find. Van Buren's Micah Henderickson leads the state with a No. 1 time of 21.72. Catholic's Henry Mensman, who has been one of the top quarter milers in the Louisiana since his freshman year, is showing that he has the leg speed to run with the short sprinters. He is one of only two sprinters in Louisiana this year to break 21.0.
The gap widens a bit in the 400m where Hamilton Christian's Kaleb Bigwood has posted a 46.95. He did that in week No. 1 at the Texas A&M Bluebonnet Meet. Marion's Chris Hardin leads Arkansas with a 48.48.
Catholic senior William Decuir has the fastest time in the 800m between the two the states, but in the 1600m, where he has a Louisiana best of 4:17, it doesn't quite reach the standard that Alan Gallardo-Lopez achieved at Texas Distance Festival.
Decuir's teammate, Catholic sophomore Augustin Juneau, gives the advantage back to Louisiana in the 3200m where his time of 9:13 from the Bronco Relays still stands. Like the 100m, both Juneau and Fayetteville's Lucas Brady are underclassmen. Good things are coming to both states--especially in the distance events.
Louisiana hurdlers, as you can see in the chart below, have the nod over Arkansas. In the jumps, it's a mixed bag.
The throws are intriguing
Every year, the LSU Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks get together toward the end of the season and play for The Boot--a trophy with both states shaped like a boot. That got us thinking...what if there was a track meet which the top athletes from both states competed for a similar prize. Well, let's take a look at.
In the sprints, Louisiana has the upper hand, but what is notable here is that the fastest high school athlete in both states are underclassmen. Arkansas' Chase Hancock, who has the fastest 100m time in the Natural State, is only a sophomore. Brother Martin's Easton Royal is a junior. What both have in common is that they have been offered by the powerhouse football programs in their state.
Hancock, a wide receiver at Pulaski Academy, was offered by the University of Arkansas last week. Royal was one of the first visits that new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin made when he was named head coach.