Football standouts to watch at 2023 track championships | 4A, 5A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Three days of state championships this week punctuate the LHSAA's outdoor track and field season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top athletes from around the state will compete Thursday, Friday and Saturday at LSU's Bernie Moore Stadium.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And many of the events include notable football standouts, including some college-bound signees in their final high school events.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>———————————— <strong>CLASS 5A</strong> ————————————<br>(<a href="https://www.lhsaa.org/siteuploads/editorimg/file/Outdoor%20Track/2023%20Lists/FINAL%20HEAT%20SHEETS/5a%20meet%20program.pdf">Complete Class 5A heat sheet</a>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SPRINTS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The sprints — including the relays — in higher classifications often tend to feature some high-level football talent, and this spring is no exception.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rising senior <strong>Edna Karr receiver [player_tooltip player_id='421614' first='Rahji' last='Dennis']</strong> enters with the best qualifying time (21.30) in the 200-meter dash by a razor-thin margin over rising senior <strong>Holy Cross receiver [player_tooltip player_id='421521' first='Krosse' last='Johnson']</strong> (21.31) in one of the most interesting events of the weekend for football folks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Joining those two Division-I prospects for the 2024 class will be graduating <strong>Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) senior J'Marcus Sewell </strong>(21.40), <strong>rising John Ehret senior [player_tooltip player_id='285621' first='Armani' last='Cargo']</strong> (21.52), <strong>graduating Airline senior Cameron Jefferson</strong> (21.61), <strong>Grambling State-signed Zachary senior [player_tooltip player_id='138458' first='Tylon' last='Williams']</strong> (21.65) and <strong>rising Scotlandville senior Broderick Davis</strong> (22.05).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cargo (10.64), <strong>rising Walker senior defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='710986' first='Jaden' last='Bardales']</strong> (10.65), Johnson (10.66), Dennis (10.67) and <strong>LSU-signed Liberty Magnet running back [player_tooltip player_id='138466' first='Kaleb' last='Jackson']</strong> (10.70) all enter the 100-meter with qualifying times within a tenth of a second of leader Koen Beavers (10.61) of Carencro, whose twin Kalen Beavers (10.66) is also in the top in that tightly packed mix. And Sewell (10.72) and Jefferson (10.88) aren't far off.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And many of those standouts join other football teammates on relay teams, such as Sewell with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='138446' first='Tramon' last='Douglas II']</strong> and <strong>Caleb Cooper</strong> in their Panthers' 4x100 team, with <strong>Jay'Veon Haynes</strong> and <strong>Dawaun Harris Jr.</strong> as alternates. Johnson and fellow <strong>Holy Cross star [player_tooltip player_id='421518' first='Koby' last='Young']</strong> will participate in their Tigers' 4x100 and 4x200 teams, and Dennis joins <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='138443' first='Kylen' last='Lampton']</strong> and <strong>Deantre' Jackson Jr.</strong> for Edna Karr's groups in those events. And Davis and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='138474' first='Covanta' last='Milligan']</strong> are among Scotlandville's 4x100-meter team members.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HURDLES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The aforementioned Davis of Scotlandville boasts a top 13.96-second qualifying time for the 110-meter hurdles — and takes a 21-04.75 distance into the long jump. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Texas Tech-signed John Curtis linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='275579' first='Justin' last='Horne']</strong> enters the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles with some of the state's best times at 14.07 seconds and 38.64 seconds, respectively, and will compete in the Patriots' 4x100-, 200- and 400-meter relays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Star Brother Martin running back [player_tooltip player_id='138282' first='Torey' last='Lambert']</strong> will compete in both hurdles events with 14.57-second and 39.35-second qualifying times.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And <strong>Ouachita Parish standout Chaunky Lewis</strong> takes a 14.86-second qualifying time into the 110-meter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THROWS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Big <strong>Denham Springs lineman [player_tooltip player_id='361381' first='Porter' last='Gibson']</strong> takes the best qualifying mark (50-06.00) into the shot put and <strong>Yellow Jackets tight end [player_tooltip player_id='138430' first='Andrew' last='Goodwin']</strong> with a top-five qualifying mark in the discus: 141-07 for Gibson and 146-03 for Goodwin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Southern-signed Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) lineman [player_tooltip player_id='138392' first='Mehki' last='Smith']</strong> (50-00.00) and <strong>Hahnville defensive lineman Sincere Simmons</strong> (46-00.75) will compete in the shot put.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And a pair of New Orleans area standouts in <strong>Jesuit defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='405721' first='Nick' last='Jacobs']</strong> (155-07) and <strong>East Jefferson athlete [player_tooltip player_id='405729' first='Jalen' last='Guillard']</strong> (142-04) will be among those to watch in the javelin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>JUMPS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>John Curtis wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='139627' first='Michael' last='Turner']</strong>, a 2024 prospect exploding on the recruiting trail this spring, will join Horne for the 4x100-, 200- and 400-meter relay teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With a 6-00.00 qualifying mark in the high jump, Turner is also among the group chasing teammate Kyron Sumler (6-06.00), the indoor champion in the event. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>———————————— <strong>CLASS 4A</strong> ————————————<br>(<a href="https://www.lhsaa.org/siteuploads/editorimg/file/Outdoor%20Track/2023%20Lists/FINAL%20HEAT%20SHEETS/4a%20meet%20program.pdf">Complete Class 4A heat sheet</a>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HYPER-ACTIVE ATHLETES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Louisiana Tech-signed Westgate football star [player_tooltip player_id='276326' first='Dedrick' last='Latulas']</strong> will be among the top boys' athletes to watch this weekend with his lead qualifying marks in both the long (22-11.00) and triple (46-01.50) jumps and strong times in the 110-meter hurdles (15.37 seconds) and 4x200-meter relays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And <strong>rising Evangel senior [player_tooltip player_id='421531' first='Tyreek' last='Robinson']</strong>, an interesting 2024 prospect to watch is slated to participate in the long jump (21-05.75) and the 100-meter (11.08 seconds) and 200-meter (22.35 seconds) dashes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THROWS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A trio of college-bound trench standouts help headline the shot put group in Louisiana Tech signees <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='276217' first='Hayden' last='Christman']</strong> (50-05.75) of Tioga and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='138354' first='Delvin' last='Whitaker']</strong> (48-07.50) of West Feliciana and leading qualifier <strong>Kendrick Alexander</strong> (54-02.00), the Coffeyville-signed Cecilia standout.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Christman takes a leading 170-04 qualifying mark into a discus competition that also includes 2024 Evangel offensive lineman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='675888' first='Tristan' last='Santoro']</strong> (130-06) in the heat.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And <strong>Pearl River quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='138497' first='Austin' last='Wadsworth']</strong> (136-10) will throw the javelin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SPRINTS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Louisiana (Lafayette)-signed Westgate track star [player_tooltip player_id='405740' first='Mekhi' last='Boutte']</strong>, the younger brother of now-former LSU receiver and New England Patriots draftee Kayshon Boutte, is among the top sprinters to watch on the weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The younger Boutte takes a top qualifying time of 10.63 seconds into the 100-meter, a 21.47-second time into the 200-meter that is a hundredth of a second off the lead and a best 47.82-second time into the 400-meter, as well as participating in the 4x200-meter relay.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rising Vandebilt Catholic junior [player_tooltip player_id='145332' first='Jaylon' last='Coleman']</strong> boasts strong marks in both the 100- and 200-meter at 10.65 and 21.52 seconds, respectively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And <strong>Penn State-bound Archbishop Shaw running back David Kency Jr.</strong> takes 10.71- and 21.63-second qualifying times into the events. Kency also joins <strong>Southeastern Louisiana-signed receiver [player_tooltip player_id='275586' first='Mike' last='Williams']</strong> on their Eagles' 4x100-meter team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rising McDonogh 35 junior defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='678292' first='Thai' last='Brown']</strong> joins Boutte in the 400-meter field with a 51.80-second qualifying time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>JUMPS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A notable athlete to watch in the jumps is <strong>Helen Cox receiver [player_tooltip player_id='421653' first='Darnell' last='O'Quinn']</strong>, who is tied for the best qualifying mark in the high jump with a 6-04.00 after only recently picking up the event.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The rising 2024 prospect will also participate in his school's 4x100-, 4x400- and 4x800-meter relay teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->