Destrehan senior Damien Richard II said the prospect of wrapping up his high school classes for early enrollment at Louisiana Tech, where he’s earned a football scholarship, might have been enticing – if not for his feeling that there was unfinished business to attend to.
“I had goals,” Richard said. “I wanted to win state championships. And that’s what I did.”
Richard captured the Class 5A state championship in the long jump on Saturday at the LHSAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet, recording a mark of 23-3.5 to cement the crown.
West Monroe’s Aiden Parker (22-03) and Warren Easton’s Miles Torres (21-11.50) earned second and third place, respectively.
It was the third state crown of the year for Richard, after he earned the state crown in both the long jump and the triple jump at the LHSAA Indoor Track and Field Championship. There, his mark of 22-6.5 earned him the long jump title, and 45-1.75 securing the triple jump.
Richard said he arrived at LSU with confidence – confidence earned from experience. He’s competed at both indoor and outdoor state meets several times in his Wildcats career.
His final time will be a forever memorable one.
“It was very exciting for me,” Richard said of the victory. “Because I’ve been at multiple state championships before, I knew what to expect. I’ve been to about six total, between indoor and outdoor, so it felt normal to go out there.”
He did, however, manage to surprise himself a bit – specifically on what would be his championship clinching leap.
“I didn’t really think that was going to be a good jump, until I went over and he called it out,” said Richard.
Last year, Richard earned third place at the state meet in the long jump, hitting a mark of 23-6.
Richard walked into the long jump event as the favorite in 5A, his mark of 23-04.50 at the Region 3-5A championship earning both the regional championship and the top seed in the field.
He said he didn’t perform his best early in the outdoor season.
“But as the season went on, I started to get better and better. And by the time we got to district, I was jumping a lot of 23s, I jumped to 24,” Richard said.
Track excellence is a tradition in the Richard family.
His sister Marley had a dominant track career at Destrehan that included multiple state crowns before moving on to LSU;s track and field team. Their sister Jala was likewise a gifted athlete and finished as state runner-up in 5A’s long jump and triple jump events at DHS before joining the Louisiana-Monroe track and field team.
Their parents, Damien and Bertina, were stellar prep athletes themselves. Bertina competed in the high jump, long jump, triple jump and javelin at UL-Monroe. Damien Sr. was an All-State performer in the long jump and triple jump during his days at Destrehan High and started at strong safety for the UL-Monroe football team.
The couple coach and train athletes for the St. Charles Striders track and field team.
Like his father, Richard is headed to play collegiate football in the secondary as he heads to Louisiana Tech to play cornerback.
“My sister gave me some big shoes to fill. She won some state championships. I just wanted to get some under my belt as well,” Richard said.
He was a standout for the DHS football team, playing both cornerback and running back for the Wildcats as a senior.
“They were the first school to offer me. I went on an official visit and I really loved it up there,” Richard said. “The team and the coaches, and the camaraderie they all had.”
