Connor Fanberg, Brennan Robin Shock and Awe in 5A 1600

Jesuit's Connor Fanberg was in line at the concession stand at Bernie Moore Stadium late last night toward the end of the 2026 LHSAA State Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

What did the fastest miler in LHSAA state meet history order to celebrate his first state outdoor championship? If you guessed candy or coke, you would be mistaken.

A bottled water is the correct answer.

If that comes as a surprise, then you are not alone. 

Fanberg was surprised when he crossed the line of the LHSAA Class 5A 1600 meters and looked up on the big board between the stadium and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center to find out that he had just run a 4:04.90.

"It was unbelievable for me," Fanberg said of the race, which quaifies as an instant classic. "I didn't know I could do that. It was like a nine second PR. I had a lot of help from Brennan Robin. He paced it perfectly and I just got him at the end there. It was a great race. I didn't know I could do that." 

When Fanberg passed Parkway's Robin with 300 meters to go, Robin thought that Fanberg might have made his move too early.

"I felt good," Robin said on the phone Sunday afternoon as he was driving back to North Louisiana.  "I felt strong and so I got on his heels. I made one final move to pass him, but he answered. It was a great race. It was really fun. Overall, I'm really happy with my time. We have been focused on breaking 4:10, so I was really happy with the outcome."

Robin's time was 4:05.84.

Both runners broke Rummel's Keith Iovine's composite state meet record which had stood since 1982.

Robin gave credit to his coach, Kent Falting, for having him prepared to run the second fastest time in LHSAA state meet time in history. 

"The last three weeks, the workouts have really started getting faster and those workouts helped me run the time I ran last night, " Robin said.

Both runners returned later in the meet. Fanberg, with little rest, competed in the 800 meters where he ran a 1:59.60. Robin ran a 9:07.40 to win the 3200 meters. It was his third state championship after winning the distance double at the 2026 LHSAA State Indoor Meet. At that state championship meet, Robin won the 1600 meters with a 4:14.97 before returning and winning the 3200 meters with a 9:16.77. 

Saturday night was another feather in the cap for the Jesuit program, Fanberg himself, who won his only other state championship indoors in 2025 (4:13), and Louisiana high school distance running as a whole.  

Fanberg, a senior, was asked what he will miss the most about being a part of the Jesuit program.

"Honestly, everything," Fanberg said. "Coach Nick is the best coach I've ever had. He has really gotten me into the sport and he has gotten me to love the process."

After one or two post season races, which includes RunningLane Track Championships in Huntsville, AL, Fanberg will be heading to Johns Hopkins University where he will be reconnected with former coach Jesuit head coach Cullen Doody, who is an assistant coach at Johns Hopkins. 

"It will be the same kind of training," Fanberg said. "That's really what I'm looking forward to."

Meanwhile, Brennan Robin, who will also compete at RunningLane later this month, will finish his senior year at Parkway with a sub 4:00 mile effort in his cross hairs.

Robin's resume includes an all-time No. 1 ranking for freshmen boys in the 1600 meters. He ran a 4:14.76 at the LHSAA State Outdoor Meet where he finished second to Jesuit's Michael Vocke. But, Saturday, Robin moved past another Jesuit legend--Brady Mullen--to take the Nol 1 1600 meter time for junior boys. Mullen ran a 4:06.51 at RunningLane at the end of his sophomore year.

Last year, after missing the entire indoor season due to a twisted ankle during a December training run, Robin finished with a No. 3 all-time ranking for Louisiana sophomores. The only two sophomores who ran faster than Robin are Catholic's William Decuir (4:12.62) and St. Paul's Eric Coston (4:15.33). 

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