The Benton Tigers went into the 4X400 relay, the final event, with a one-point lead over the Airline Vikings in the District 1-5A meet Thursday at Tiger Stadium.
Airline finished third, one spot ahead of Benton, in the 4X400. The six points were enough to give the Vikings 113 points and the district championship. Benton finished with 112.
Of course, a change in the order of finish in any one of the preceding 18 events could have changed the outcome.
Regardless, Airline won the title for the second time in the last three years. The Vikings finished two points behind winner Parkway last year.
Huntington finished third with 93, Parkway fourth with 79, Captain Shreve fifth with 56 and Haughton sixth with 61.
While winning is great, finishing in the top four in an individual event or relay was a big goal for parish athletes. That’s what it took to qualify for next Wednesday’s Region I-5A meet at Northwestern State.
Parkway’s Brennan Robin, the reigning Division I indoor state champion in the 1,600 and 3,200, took a step toward adding outdoor titles to his resume with victories in both events.
He and teammate Ben Ruliffson finished 1-2 in the 1,600 in 4:23.61 and 4:32.26, respectively.
Robin ran a 9:40.52 in the 3,200. Airline’s Jayden Williams was second in 10:21.35. Ruliffson was a close third in 10:21.56.
Williams is another athlete who could contend for a state title at LSU next month. He won the 800 in 1:57.03. Parkway’s Javaria Flournoy was second in 1:59.52.
Airline’s Lathan Woodland took the 400 in 48.73. Byrd’s Wyatt Ditt was second in 49.17.
Airline’s Preston Hughes and Huntington’s Adrian Payne dueled in the hurdles. Hughes won the 110 in 14.59 and Payne finished second in 15.20. Payne took the 300 in 39.85 and Hughes was second in 41.16, just three-hundredths of a second ahead of Haughton’s Jamarion Gray.
The Airline foursome of Jordan Williams, John Austin Bonney, Tyler Bartels and Michael Daigle won the 4X800 relay in 8:15.87. The Parkway foursome of Flournoy, Aiden O’Nishea, Pierce Dees and Noah Lafitte was second in 8:33.48.
The Airline foursome of Brian Taylor, Braylon Bryant, Jayden Singleton and Woodland finished second in the 4X200 relay in 1:28.05. Huntington won in 1:27.60.
The Haughton foursome of Jay’lon Abney, Kyron Turner, Michael Lollar and Kendell Hargrove was second in the 4X100 in 42.02, just .03 behind Huntington.
Benton’s Jordan Johnson and Turner both cleared 6-6 in the high jump. Johnson was first on fewer misses.
Haughton’s Gray took the triple jump with a 43-11. Evangel Christian’s Ryan Morris was second with a 43-5.
Benton’s Caden Austin continued his dominance in the pole vault, winning with a height of 13-6. Parkway’s Alijah Burnside was second with an 11-6.
Benton’s Ryder Dodson has also had an outstanding season. He won the discus with a 166-5. Airline’s Maxwell Moore was second with a 152-8.5.
Malachi Zeiglar continued his dominance in his specialty, easily winning the javelin with a 188-10. Captain Shreve’s Jayden Green was a distant second with a 143-6.
Zeigler also finished second in the shot put with a 47-3.25. Captain Shreve’s Andre Campbell won with a 49-5.
Other third-place finishers from parish schools in individual events were Airline’s Bryant (100, 10.75), Benton’s Brody Hutchison (1,600, 4:36.27), Benton’s Antonio Wright (110 hurdles, 15.77), Benton’s Kameron Fuller (high jump, 6-2), Airline’s Terrence Hayes (long jump, 21-10.75; triple jump, 43-3.75), Benton’s Bennett Hamby (pole vault, 10-6), Parkway’s Ravion Poland (149-1) and Benton’s Jack Jayroe (javelin, 137-5).
As mentioned earlier, Airline finished third in the 4X400 relay in 3:22.70 and Benton was fourth in 3:29.54.
The Airline team was comprised of Woodland, Jayden Singleton, Jordan Williams and Jayden Williams. The Benton team was comprised of Nicholas Gray, Hutchison, Hunter Crosby and Tre’C Dunson.
The Parkway and Airline 4X100 teams will also be headed to Natchitoches. The Parkway team of Nathaniel Candley, Jadarrian Clark, Gary Burney and Alijah Burnside was third in 42.59. The Airline team of Bryant, Taylor, Nathan White and Chase Williams was fourth in 42.76.
The Benton foursome of Carlos Rubalcava, Dalton Bliss, Cooper Sims and Brice Warner finished fourth in the 4X800 in 8:41.12.
The Haughton team of Lollar, Giovanni Musgrove, Daemon Burroughs and Hargrove finished fourth in the 4X200 in 1:28.93.
Fourth-place regional qualifiers in individual events from parish schools were Haughton’s Turner (100), Haughton’s Musgrove (400), Parkway’s Braxton Thomas (800), Benton’s Samuel Ivins (3,200), Benton’s Coliln Nelson (110 hurdles), Benton’s Gavin Ellison (long jump), Airline’s Woodland (triple jump), Airline’s James Mickelson (pole vault) and Airline’s Joseph Thrash (shot put).