It was a banner day for Hahnville track and field on Friday as both the Tiger boys and girls teams reigned as champions, each winning first place at the annual Don Raymond Relays at HHS.
Both teams won their groups decisively. The Hahnville boys scored 163 points, outpacing second place Belle Chasse’s 110. The girls won by an even wider margin, doubling the score of second place Belle Chasse, 224-107.
Destrehan finished third among girls and fifth among boys.
Lutcher, St. Augustine, and Houma Christian also competed at the event.
Kevell Byrd earned girls’ track MVP honors while Mallory Whitaker earned girls’ field MVP honors, both of Hahnville. Destrehan’s Daniel Blood took field MVP honors on the boys side.
Whitaker has earned field MVP in several of the Tigers’ meets this season, while one of Byrd and Alexandra Johnson has earn the track honor each time out in 2021. It’s helped add up to a season thus far in which the Hahnville girls have won all but one meet they’ve participated in this season, with the lone outlier a second place finish.
“Especially for our seniors, I think having lost that junior year, where you really start getting noticed by coaches at the next level … people coming to track you and see you … they all came out with an attitude of ‘I have something to prove,’” said Hahnville track and field coach Brittany Bonnaffons. “All of their stats were effectively based off their sophomore year. So they’re trying to make up for it.”
Bonnaffons said the boys came through in a big way while dealing with some injury issues. A young team performed at a high level in spite of it.
“The boys are younger than our girls side … we lost a lot of seniors, so I was a bit nervous going into Don Raymond,” Bonnaffons said. “They put together a really strong overall meet. We had both upperclassmen and the younger ones holding it down alike.”
It was similarly a complete team effort on the girls side, with the difference coming in the number of first place wins. The track, in particular, has been a particular source of domination for Hahnville, where having both Byrd and Johnson to not only secure individual wins, but also to bolster the relay squads, has been a huge boon: the two combined to win three events outright and helped propel three relay teams to championship finishes.
“Kevell is a beast, and so is Alexandra,” said Bonnaffons. “Those two girls are probably, we believe, among the top three sprinters in the state. Not two of the top three in the district or region, but we think they’ll each place top 3 in the state this year. So you put those two on a relay together … you’re in great, great shape.”
She added the two bring a work ethic that’s set a fantastic example for the rest of the team, and it’s made a difference.
“The last time we had something like this was when we had Ashlyn Jack and Alexis Williams … they were similar in setting that tone where your freshmen and sophomores look at them and see, ‘well, they win,’ and this is how they practice. It brings a different attitude to your practice.”
HHS AND DHS RESULTS:
For Hahnville boys, Jerrick Lucas earned top honors in the 110 meter hurdles (15.61) and second place in the 300 meter hurdles (44.40). Billy Davis was the champion in the high jump (6’2). Matthew Rechen earned first place in the javelin (125’8).
Frank Chavelle took second in the 400 meters (54.93). Shemar Mitchell took second place in the high jump (5’10)and third place in the 400 (55.33) Zachary Waits took fourth in the 800 (2:08.76) and 1600 meters (5:07.83). Beau Melancon earned second in the 1600 (4:54.40), third in the 3200 (11:00.66) meters and third in the pole vault (10’0). The 4×100 relay team took second place (44.34). The 4×200 team took fourth (1:37.79), 4×400 team finished third (3:37.14) and likewise the 4×800 team finished in third place as well (8:49.96). Shawn Mixon was third place in the long jump (19’9) and fourth place in the high jump (5’6).
Cincere Simmons finished second in the shot put (42’0). Aurey Whitney was fourth in the high jump (7’0). Shyrus Collins took second place in the triple jump (40’7.50) and fourth in the long jump (18’2.50). Damian August was fourth in the triple jump (37’1). Logan Sampey finished second in the pole vault (10’6).
For Destrehan boys, Eli Taffi captured the crown in the discus (131’10) and placed third in the shot put (40’8.50). Jhase Gooden earned the title in the shot put (42’5.50). Daniel Blood was tops in the triple jump (41’10.50) and captured second in the long jump (21’6). Christopher Moore earned fourth in the 300 meter hurdles (46.07). The 4×100 relay team took third place (44.41) and the 4×200 team scored second place (1:34.41). Joshua Robinson finished fourth in the triple jump (37’1).
For Hahnville girls, Kevell Byrd took the top spot in both the 100 meters (12.69) and 200 meters (26.01). Alexandra Johnson was tops in the 400 (1:00.05). Shelby Miller was champion of the 800 (2:50.67). Na’Chaye Holmes was second in the 400 (1:04.47). Kayla Lavin took second in the 800 (2:53.75) and in the pole vault (9’6). Yasmin Tablas was third in the 800 (2:56.44) and fourth in the 1600 (6:57.52). Abi Aguilar was third in the 1600 (6:53.21). Monti Real was second in the javelin (75’10) and third in the 100 meter hurdles (19.72) and in the high jump (4’6). Genesis Lee was second in the 300 meter hurdles (50.38). The 4×200 team took the crown in that relay (1:48.04) as did the 4×400 team in its event (4:31.45) and the 4×800 team in its (10:59.24). The 4×100 team captured third (54.45).
Bayleigh Sevin was champion in the javelin (93’8). Jacquel Lawson captured first place in the discus (72’10). Mallory Whitaker was champion of the high jump (5’1) and pole vault (9’6), and second place in the triple jump (31’11). Niara Simmons was tops in the triple jump (32’6) and third in the long jump (15’4). Emily Schmill was third in the pole vault (8’0). Jaylynn Champagne was second in the shot put (26’7) and third in the discus (71’6). JaTyra Loyd was fourth in the shot put (26’0). Asia Williams took second in the discus (72’5.50).
For Destrehan girls,Anaya Kimble was champion of the shot put (33’3.50). Breion Richard took second place in the 20 meters (26.67) and in the high jump (4’10). Amiree Henderson captured third in the 100 meters (13.27). Ivie Mashia earned third in the 400 (1:07.62). Mia Burns was fourth in the 800 (2:57.94). Kaylee Keller was second in the 100 meter hurdles (17.15) and third in the 300 meter hurdles (53.65). The 4×100 team took first place (52.07). The 4×200 team took second place (1:51.10). Kali White was third place in the shot put (26’2). Merritt Thompkins was fourth in the discus (71’3.50).
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