Football standouts to watch at 2023 track championships | 4A, 5A
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Three days of state championships this week punctuate the LHSAA’s outdoor track and field season. Top athletes from around the state will compete Thursday, Friday and Saturday at LSU’s Bernie Moore Stadium. And many of the events include notable football…
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Continue ReadingThree days of state championships this week punctuate the LHSAA’s outdoor track and field season.
Top athletes from around the state will compete Thursday, Friday and Saturday at LSU’s Bernie Moore Stadium.
And many of the events include notable football standouts, including some college-bound signees in their final high school events.
———————————— CLASS 5A ————————————
(Complete Class 5A heat sheet)
SPRINTS
The sprints — including the relays — in higher classifications often tend to feature some high-level football talent, and this spring is no exception.
Rising senior Edna Karr receiver Rahji Dennis Rahji Dennis 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Edna Karr | 2024 State LA enters with the best qualifying time (21.30) in the 200-meter dash by a razor-thin margin over rising senior Holy Cross receiver Krosse Johnson Krosse Johnson 5'9" | 170 lbs | WR Holy Cross | 2024 State LA (21.31) in one of the most interesting events of the weekend for football folks.
Joining those two Division-I prospects for the 2024 class will be graduating Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) senior J’Marcus Sewell (21.40), rising John Ehret senior Armani Cargo Armani Cargo 5'11" | 160 lbs | DB John Ehret | 2024 State LA (21.52), graduating Airline senior Cameron Jefferson (21.61), Grambling State-signed Zachary senior Tylon Williams Tylon Williams 5'9" | 150 lbs | WR Zachary | 2023 State LA (21.65) and rising Scotlandville senior Broderick Davis (22.05).
Cargo (10.64), rising Walker senior defensive back Jaden Bardales Jaden Bardales 5'6" | 140 lbs | DB Walker | 2024 State LA (10.65), Johnson (10.66), Dennis (10.67) and LSU-signed Liberty Magnet running back Kaleb Jackson Kaleb Jackson 5'11" | 205 lbs | RB Liberty Magnet | 2023 State LA (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.
And many of those standouts join other football teammates on relay teams, such as Sewell with Tramon Douglas II Tramon Douglas II 5'10" | 170 lbs | WR Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) | 2023 State LA and Caleb Cooper in their Panthers’ 4×100 team, with Jay’Veon Haynes and Dawaun Harris Jr. as alternates. Johnson and fellow Holy Cross star Koby Young Koby Young 6'1" | 180 lbs | WR Holy Cross | 2024 State LA will participate in their Tigers’ 4×100 and 4×200 teams, and Dennis joins Kylen Lampton Kylen Lampton 5'11" | 170 lbs | WR Edna Karr | 2023 State LA and Deantre’ Jackson Jr. for Edna Karr’s groups in those events. And Davis and Covanta Milligan Covanta Milligan 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Scotlandville | 2023 State LA are among Scotlandville’s 4×100-meter team members.
HURDLES
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.
Texas Tech-signed John Curtis linebacker Justin Horne Justin Horne 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB John Curtis | 2023 State LA 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’ 4×100-, 200- and 400-meter relays.
Star Brother Martin running back Torey Lambert Torey Lambert 6'0" | 190 lbs | ATH Brother Martin | 2023 State LA will compete in both hurdles events with 14.57-second and 39.35-second qualifying times.
And Ouachita Parish standout Chaunky Lewis takes a 14.86-second qualifying time into the 110-meter.
THROWS
Big Denham Springs lineman Porter Gibson Porter Gibson 6'3" | 260 lbs | DL Denham Springs | 2023 State LA takes the best qualifying mark (50-06.00) into the shot put and Yellow Jackets tight end Andrew Goodwin Andrew Goodwin 6'2" | 210 lbs | TE Denham Springs | 2023 State LA with a top-five qualifying mark in the discus: 141-07 for Gibson and 146-03 for Goodwin.
Southern-signed Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) lineman Mehki Smith Mehki Smith 6'2" | 285 lbs | DL Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) | 2023 State LA (50-00.00) and Hahnville defensive lineman Sincere Simmons (46-00.75) will compete in the shot put.
And a pair of New Orleans area standouts in Jesuit defensive back Nick Jacobs Nick Jacobs 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Jesuit | 2023 State LA (155-07) and East Jefferson athlete Jalen Guillard Jalen Guillard 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB East Jefferson | 2023 State LA (142-04) will be among those to watch in the javelin.
JUMPS
John Curtis wide receiver Michael Turner Michael Turner 6'1" | 145 lbs | ATH John Curtis | 2024 State LA , a 2024 prospect exploding on the recruiting trail this spring, will join Horne for the 4×100-, 200- and 400-meter relay teams.
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.
———————————— CLASS 4A ————————————
(Complete Class 4A heat sheet)
HYPER-ACTIVE ATHLETES
Louisiana Tech-signed Westgate football star Dedrick Latulas Dedrick Latulas 5'7" | 175 lbs | ATH Westgate | 2023 State LA 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 4×200-meter relays.
And rising Evangel senior Tyreek Robinson Tyreek Robinson 5'9" | 150 lbs | ATH Evangel Christian | 2024 State LA , 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.
THROWS
A trio of college-bound trench standouts help headline the shot put group in Louisiana Tech signees Hayden Christman Hayden Christman 6'6" | 300 lbs | OL Tioga | 2023 State LA (50-05.75) of Tioga and Delvin Whitaker Delvin Whitaker 6'3" | 250 lbs | LB West Feliciana | 2023 State LA (48-07.50) of West Feliciana and leading qualifier Kendrick Alexander (54-02.00), the Coffeyville-signed Cecilia standout.
Christman takes a leading 170-04 qualifying mark into a discus competition that also includes 2024 Evangel offensive lineman Tristan Santoro Tristan Santoro 6'6" | 270 lbs | OL Evangel Christian | 2024 State LA (130-06) in the heat.
And Pearl River quarterback Austin Wadsworth Austin Wadsworth 6'3" | 150 lbs | QB Pearl River | 2023 State LA (136-10) will throw the javelin.
SPRINTS
Louisiana (Lafayette)-signed Westgate track star Mekhi Boutte Mekhi Boutte 6'0" | 170 lbs | ATH Westgate | 2023 State LA , 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.
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 4×200-meter relay.
Rising Vandebilt Catholic junior Jaylon Coleman Jaylon Coleman 5'9" | 160 lbs | ATH Vandebilt Catholic | 2025 State LA boasts strong marks in both the 100- and 200-meter at 10.65 and 21.52 seconds, respectively.
And Penn State-bound Archbishop Shaw running back David Kency Jr. takes 10.71- and 21.63-second qualifying times into the events. Kency also joins Southeastern Louisiana-signed receiver Mike Williams Mike Williams 5'11" | 165 lbs | WR Archbishop Shaw | 2023 State LA on their Eagles’ 4×100-meter team.
Rising McDonogh 35 junior defensive back Thai Brown Thai Brown 5'10" | 175 lbs | DB McDonogh 35 | 2024 State LA joins Boutte in the 400-meter field with a 51.80-second qualifying time.
JUMPS
A notable athlete to watch in the jumps is Helen Cox receiver Darnell O’Quinn Darnell O’Quinn 5'11" | 150 lbs | WR John Ehret | 2024 State LA , who is tied for the best qualifying mark in the high jump with a 6-04.00 after only recently picking up the event.
The rising 2024 prospect will also participate in his school’s 4×100-, 4×400- and 4×800-meter relay teams.