Berwick boys looking for high finish Saturday

Berwick High School’s boys’ track and field team enters Saturday’s Class 3A portion of the state track and field meet with high hopes for a solid finish in team scoring.
If the competition plays out according to the seedings, Berwick will finish second in the meet to West Feliciana for the 3A state championship during competition at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium, Berwick Coach Paul Gilder said Thursday, noting that West Feliciana is “too strong.”
“Catastrophe would happen for West Feliciana not to win it, but to be state runner-up, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Gilder said. “For us to go district runner-up, regional runner-up and now have a chance to be state runner-up.”
However, he said the Panthers will face stiff competition from E.D. White, Parkview and Wossman.
During the indoor season, Berwick finished third at the Division II state meet with 38 points, while West Feliciana was second with 40 points. West Feliciana is the defending Class 3A champions after finishing a year ago with 59.5 points, while Berwick finished sixth with 32 points.
Berwick’s contingent is led by Kenan Jones, who is the top seed in the long jump, triple jump and high jump.
“Just where you see it is not where you’re always going to come out, but I know he’s going to compete," Gilder said. "He’s been having a little injury just like last year. … I think he’s going to be OK, though, because he’s already been having it. He had it at district, he had it at regionals and he’s won all of those.”
Jones, who battled injury at last year’s state meet, excelled at the state meet after doing so previously as a freshman, too.
Jones enters state with a mark of 22 feet, 11.5 inches in the long jump. Lutcher’s Jontre Kirklin, an LSU football signee, is second with a leap of 22 feet, 9.5 inches.
Jones finished runner-up to Kirklin a year ago as Jones leapt 23 feet, 3.75 inches, while Kirklin’s winning leap was 23 feet, 7.25 inches. Jones’ personal record in the event was set this year at 23 feet, 5 inches.
Jones won the Division II indoor long jump state title in February with a leap of 22 feet, 2.5 inches.
The Class 3A long jump will be decided at noon on the east runway
He and Michael Williams of Port Allen are tied for the top jump in the high jump with leaps of 6 feet, 6 inches. Berwick High teammate Josh Carver is next with a leap of 6 feet, 4 inches
Kirklin is the defending high jump champion with a leap of 6 feet, 8 inches in 2016.
Jones finished fourth with a leap of 6 feet, 2 inches.
“He just needs to have a good day and hopefully be on the podium somewhere,” Gilder said of Carver, who’s personal record was set a year ago with a 6-foot, 8-inch mark.
“It’s exciting to have both of those guys (competing and) get points out of both of them,” Gilder said.
The best mark recorded by Jones was set at 6 feet, 8 inches a year ago, while Jones matched that mark multiple times this season.
Jones and Carver finished first and second, respectively, in the Division II indoor high jump at the state meet in February. Jones leaped 6 feet, 6 inches, which Carver finished with a 6 foot, 5-inch effort.
The 3A high jump will be decided at 1:15 p.m. in the south pit.
Jones has a mark of 45 feet, 7-inches in the triple jump, while Eunice’s Malik Poullard is second at 43 feet, 11 inches.
Jones was the runner-up in the triple jump a year ago with a leap of 47 feet, 11.5 inches. That mark is his personal record.
Jones finished runner-up in February in the Division II indoor triple jump competition at the state meet with a leap of 45 feet, 9.5 inches.
The 3A triple jump will be decided in the east runway at 3:45 p.m.
The Panthers’ Ian Valdez also will compete in the 3,200-meter run. He enters state with a time of 10:24.78, which is second behind district foe Lucas Marcello of E.D. White, who recently signed with the University of New Orleans. Marcello enters state with a time of 10:14.89.
Gilder said Valdez, who was suffering from an injury during the season, has bounced back.
“He’s peaking at the right time,” Gilder said. “He’s getting faster, and faster and faster.”
While his time may be slower, Valdez has an advantage against Marcello because Marcello is competing in the 800-meter run, the 1,600-meter run and the 3,200-meter run, while the 3,200-meter run is Valdez’s lone event.
Valdez was state runner-up a year ago with a time of 10:17.40, while Marcello was fourth with a time of 10:28.46.
Valdez’s personal record in the event was set a year ago at the regional meet with a time of 10:16.
Berwick’s 4x200-meter relay is seeded No. 9 with a time of 1:30.58. Team members include sophomore Barrett Hover, senior Orry Arcemont, senior Larenz Clark, sophomore Josh Jones, junior Kenan Jones and Donte Short.
“It’s been a while since we had 4x2 to go,” Gilder said.
The 4x200-meter relay’s best mark this season was set at regionals last week when the team ran 1:30.58.
Berwick also will be sending its 4x400-meter relay to state. The Panthers enter with a time of 3:31.40. The team consists of sophomore Alvin Jones, Clark, Hover, Josh Jones, Hector Plata and freshman Keyon Singleton.
“I think we can still run a little faster.” Gilder said of the relay, which set its season best last week at regionals with a time of 3:31.40.
Running events for Classes 3A-5A begin at 2:30 p.m. with a rolling start.