Hosanna’s Watson turns in record-setting state meet

When you come in with the chance to score 60 points and end up with 52, you have to be happy. I’m extremely proud of these girls. ” Pat doise, Hosanna track coach

Many athletes go into the Louisiana High School Athletic Association/State Farm State Track and Field Meet with the idea of setting some kind of record.

Few are able to do it the way Hosanna Christian Academy’s Laticia Watson did on Friday at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium.

The HCA senior set a total of four records — breaking the record twice in the triple jump competition and winning four events to help highlight the meet for teams in Classes B and C.

“At first, I felt like there might be something holding me back,” Watson said. “But I just had to push through it, and I did. I wanted to score as many points for my team as I could, and it worked out.”

With Watson leading the way, Hosanna finished second in the Class B girls competition to lead the contingent of Baton Rouge teams. Family Christian Academy placed third and Maurepas was fifth in the Class C competition.

First Baptist Christian-Slidell (girls) and Hackberry (boys) won the Class C titles on the second day of the annual three-day meet. Bell City (girls) and Choudrant (boys) were the Class B champions. Competition concludes on Saturday with teams in Classes 3A, 4A and 5A competing.

Bell City had 67 points and finished ahead of Hosanna (52) and Simsboro (49) in the Class B girls race. Choudrant (59 ½), Anacoco (47) and Weston (46) were the top three Class B boys teams.

Hackberry won the C boys title with 83 points, ahead of Holy Rosary-New Orleans (66) and Family Christian (64). Holy Rosary won the final event to finish ahead of FCA. First Baptist had 101 points in the C girls race, ahead of Epps (94) and Hackberry (88).

“When you come in with the chance to score 60 points and end up with 52, you have to be happy,” Hosanna coach Pat Doise said. “I’m extremely proud of these girls. We had a seventh-grader running the anchor leg on a third-place relay. They gave it everything they had.”

Watson was voted the Outstanding Performer for Class B girls. She started with a win in the long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 6 inches. Watson moved on to the triple jump, where she broke the previous record set 13 years ago twice. She eventually finished with an effort of 37-3 ½ that was a foot better than her previous best.

Next, Watson tied the existing record in the 100 hurdles in 15.94 seconds. She concluded her day by breaking her own record set in 2009 in the 300 hurdles, winning in 46.64.

Watson was not the only local competitor to claim Outstanding Performer honors. Her Hosanna teammate, Dedrick Jones, was the voted the top boys performer in Class B. Jones won the 400 in 52.05. He also was second in the 200 (23.18) and third in the 100 (11.40).

Maurepas’ Micah Thornton was voted the Outstanding Performer among Class C boys. Thornton won the pole vault (14-0) and placed second in the 110 hurdles (17.14) and the javelin (145-0), along with a fourth in the 300 hurdles.

The Class C girls Outstanding Performer was Gibsland-Coleman’s Tameryal Pearson. She won 100 (17.17 seconds) and 300 (48.53) hurdles, along with the 100 (12.43) and 200 (27.39).

Watson wasn’t the only girls record-setter.

First Baptist set three records in the Class C girls competition with distance runner Gabrielle Jennings and field events specialist Sarah Petty leading the way.

Jennings was a triple winner, setting record while winning the 1,600 meters in 5 minutes, 14.15 and the 800 (2:25.69). She also won the 3,200 (12:21.18). Petty set a javelin record with a toss of 134-0.

Harry Wiggins swept the distance events in the Class C boys competition to pace third-place Family Christian. He won the 1,600 (4:36.32), the 800 (2:00.97) and the 3,200 (10:53.01).

Jehovah-Jireh’s Joshua Clark was a double winner in the field, taking top honors in the triple jump (42-0) and the high jump (6-0). JJCA’s Kewayne Dyson won the 100 meters (11.24) and was second in the 200 (23.50). Louisiana School for the Deaf won the boys 4x100 relay (46.61).

Other local competitors with top-three finishes in Class C included Family Christian Khalid Alaywan (second, shot put, 42-0), LSD’s Kendell Charles (third, 300 hurdles, 44.85; and 110 hurdles, 18,26) and Family Christian’s Quinten Jones (third, high jump, 5-8), LSD’s Anthony Johnson (third, 100, 11.59). LSD was second in the 4x200 relay (1:36.51). FCA was second in the 4x400 relay (3:52.05).

LSD’s Malakia Gowan was the only local girls winner in Class C, taking first in the discus (107-5). She also was third in the shot put.

Local girls with top three finishes in Class C included Maurepas’ McKenna Lessard (third, 1,600, 6:29.81; and 3,200, 14:48.76), Courtney Adkins (second, javelin, 114-5), and Ivyleigh Garland (second, pole vault, 6-6) and LSD’s Alexia Powell (third, 300 hurdles, 50.78) ,

The Hosanna girls also picked up top-three finishes from Kiana Ridley (third, 100, 12.76) and its 4x100 relay (third, 53.03).

Holden’s Clarissa Smith (third, 1,600, 5:35.18; and 3,200, 12:34.46) also was a top three girls finisher in Class B. The Madison Prep boys garnered a second-place finish in the 4x100 relay (45.11).