News Post
Track Team Wins State Championship
The St. Joseph’s Academy track and field team won the Class 5A LHSAA Outdoor Track and Field meet on May 8, turning in a balanced, historic performance. The Redstickers scored 84 points, the most in program history at the state meet, to bring home the championship trophy from LSU’s Bernie Moore Track & Field Complex.
Twenty-eight teams competed for the state title. Rounding out the top five were Zachary High (73), John Curtis (69), Ruston (55) and Lafayette (28).
Coach Charlie Daigle said his Redstickers won the 2020-2021 “triple crown” of cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field. “We are the first Class 5A athletic program to do that since 2003-2004, when Baton Rouge High accomplished that feat,” he said. “We overcame a being a 20-plus point underdog to claim back-to-back-to-back-to-back state championships in indoor and outdoor track and field.”
Senior Sophie Martin captured the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter titles, becoming SJA’s all-time leader in track and field championships with six. Junior Maddie Kate Gardiner finished third in both events.
SJA turned in stellar performances in the field events, as well. Ava Riche (long jump and pole vault), Riley Wilson (high jump) and Rebecca Bordelon (javelin) each finished second in their events.
Eight out of 10 events medaled, and every event scored points towards the team total, Daigle said.
Complete results are as follows.
4x800m Relay: Lydia Poché, Amelia Cochran, Elise Jones (personal record split) and Alessandra Purnell, 2nd place, 9:37.99 (new school record)
1600m Run: Sophie Martin, 1st place, 5:08.30; Maddie Kate Gardiner, 3rd place, 5:19.93
400m Dash: Haley Jones, 6th place, 59.44
300m Hurdles: Isabella Lalonde, 6th place, 48.82
3200m Run: Sophie Martin, 1st place, 11:14.86; Maddie Kate Gardiner, 3rd place, 11.53.16
Long Jump: Ava Riche, 2nd place, 18-05.00; Simone Castelluccio, 4th place, 18-03.75
Triple Jump: Simone Castelluccio, 4th place, 38-00.25; Ava Riche, 5th place, 37-03.00 (personal record)
High Jump: Riley Wilson, 2nd place, 5-03.75
Pole Vault: Ava Riche, 2nd place, 11-05.50
Javelin: Rebecca Bordelon, 2nd place, 134-05.00
Mindy Brodhead Averitt
Communications Director
Photos courtesy of Nan Murtagh