Devyn Keith wins 5A boys title

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Devyn Keith of John Curtis Christian won his second straight Louisiana state title on a wet and muddy track at Natchitoches. He outran challenger Eric Coston of St. Paul, 16:08.9 to 16:15.1. The course was impacted by the rain. Keith ran 10 seconds faster in 2014 and yet moved on three days later to secure second place at NXN South (where he finished 11^th in 2014).

Reclassification this year changed the divisions. Last year the biggest schools were 3A, this year they are 5A.

Keith also challenged himself early in the season by traveling to compete at the Woodbridge Invitational in California in September.

Jesuit’s boys scored 106 points to win a tight 5A team battle. John Curtis was second with 118. Catholic (Baton Rouge ) was third with 133 and St. Paul was fourth with 134.

Olivia Murphy and Claire Crosby, seniors from Mandeville, went 1-2 in the Class 5A girls race and ran 18:36.2 and 18:51.7, respectively. They were both a minute clear of third place. They were rewarded for their efforts. Mandeville won the team title with 48 points.

Jacob Daigle of Assumption defended his Class 4A title with 17:00.7. St. Michael put three runners in the top six and won the team championship with 49 points. In the girls race, St. Michael won with 44 points and put four in the top 10. Alexa Breaux from Vanderbilt Catholic ran 20:08.4 to win the race.

Mary Nusloch and Madeline Kling from Academy of the Sacred Heart went 1-2 in the girls 3A race on a wet second day at the state meet in Natchitoches. Nusloch ran 19:54.8 for the win. Lusher Charter edged Sacred Heart in the team race, 30 to 41. Austin Ballow from Jewel Sumner won the 3A boys race in 16:52.8 and Ed Douglas White Catholic won the team championship with 35 points.

Eric Greene of Lakeside broke up the Episcopal pack and won the Class 2A boys race in 16:13.3. Episcopal went 2-3-4-5-8 on the way to a 22-point romp for the team title. Alissa Landers of Lakeside won the girls race in 18:38.3. Episcopal’s Alicia Stamey was next in 18:55.5. St. Thomas Aquinas scored 52 points to secure the girls team title.

Antonio Imbornone led St. Martin’s Episcopal to the team title in Class 1A with his individual victory in 16:28.8. It was part of a 1-9-10-16-17 result for the team. Stephanie Breaux led Ascension Catholic to a dominant 26-point final score with her victory in the girls race (19:00.5). Ascension Catholic went 1-3-4-5-13.

In Class B, Episcopal of Acadiana swept the team championship and produced both of the race winners. Samantha Withers (19:43.6) and Aline Malek (19:47.6) went 1-2 for the girls, part of a 48-point effort. Pitkin was second with 52. Henry Schneider (16:47.2) led a 1-3-4-8-9 result for the Episcopal of Acadiana boys.

In Class C, Gabrielle Jennings of First Baptist Christian (Slidell) ran her amazing state championships win total to 38 with 18:27.7 – the fastest result across seven classes. She won by two minutes and 45 seconds. Jennings won her first Class C title in the fifth grade. Simpson’s girls edged Claiborne Christian 42-46 for the girls team title. Junior Alex Lewis of Holy Rosary won the boys race in 16:19.4 after building a margin of 46 seconds. Hackberry scored 63 points for the team championship and Holy Rosary was second with 74.