Final event decides 5A

• By ROBIN FAMBROUGH
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: May 4, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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The Louisiana High School Athletic Association/State Farm Outdoor Track & Field Championships ended with the Class 5A titles being decided by two 1,600-meter relay races.

Barbe of Lake Charles and Catholic High won their respective races to claim team titles, closing out the three-day meet held at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium.

Barbe roared back from behind, scoring 36 points in the final three events to win its third straight 5A crown with 74 points, edging New Iberia at 71. Fontainebleau (59) and the top local finisher, Dutchtown (49), followed.

Catholic trailed by four points going into the 1,600 relay and the team of Jace Guerin, Julian Parker, Andrew Rhorer and Kevin Taylor ran Louisiana’s sixth-fastest time ever in the event, 3 minutes, 16.91 seconds to edge another local team, St. Amant, for the title.

The Bears finished with 58 points, while St. Amant had 52. Brother Martin of New Orleans (51) and West Monroe (44) were next. It was the ninth outdoor state title for Catholic.

“I’m just ecstatic,” Catholic coach Pete Boudreaux said. “We knew if we had a chance to lead in this meet, it would be late. Those guys (the 1,600) relay) were ready. We had some great performances today.”

Barbe coach Steven Richard expressed the same sentiments. The Bucs’ Deanna Alfred won the 200 in 25.10 seconds and teammate Quiana Griffin was third.

Laura Plummer then won the 3,200 in 10:59.46, becoming the fourth Louisiana girl in three days to crack the 11-minute carrier. Then the Bucs’ 1,600 relay team of Alfred, Amanda Roberts, Megan Smith and Griffin won in 3:53.43 providing the three-point margin of victory.

“It seemed like we were running uphill all day long,” Barbe’s Smith said. “When it got down to the end, we told them we couldn’t accept anything less than a first and they got it done.”

Alfred of Barbe and Fontainebleau’s Jamie Riles shared Outstanding Performer honors in the girls division. In addition to winning the 200, Alfred was second in the 100. Riles of Fontainebleau won the 400 and was second in the 200.

Kenneth Schiffman of Brother Martin and Justin Walker of Northshore shared Outstanding Performer honors on the boys side. Shiffman ran the second-fastest time ever in winning the 1,600 meters in 4:17.35. He also was third in the 3,200. Walker of Northshore won the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Though his team did not win, St. Amant coach Dwayne Thomassee was pleased with the team finish.

“We came in with seven competitors in six events and did what we were capable of,” Thomassee said. “We gave ourselves a chance to win it.”