Stelly claims third straight state title in javelin

BATON ROUGE – A sore elbow might have thwarted Hunter Stelly’s hopes of breaking a state record, but it didn’t stand in the way of him winning his third straight title in the javelin Saturday at the LHSAA State Track and Field Championships.
Stelly, a University of Louisiana at Lafayette commitment, had a toss of 188-5 to win the Class 3A javelin for the third straight year.
“My elbow was pretty sore,” said Stelly afterward. “It’s just a little bit of tendonitis that has built up throughout the season.
“I was still tying to get a little farther (distance) with it even with my arm being sore, but once I started throwing and realized the conditions, I was just trying to get up there and keep the No. 1 spot. We had a slight wind, but once it (javelin) would get out there, it would just die at the end and kind of nosedive.”
Stelly just missed out on the state record as a junior when he won the event with a throw of 201-6. The Class 3A record is 202-3, set by Rayville’s Derek Hampton back in 2011.
“I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t break the record,” said Stelly. “But it definitely felt great to win it. Not many people get there (state meet) and have a chance to win one; so to be able to win three, I feel very grateful.”
Stelly wasn’t the only local athlete to claim top honors on Saturday.
Notre Dame’s Erin Trahan put together a stellar performance in the girls’ 1600-meter run and outran Baker’s Dynasty Williams down the stretch to claim the state title in a time of 5:28.22. The time was Trahan’s best of the season.
“At the end of the race, when I was catching up to her (Williams), I thought I could push it and I could make it,” said Trahan. “I always push myself, but I didn’t know I had that much of a kick.”
Trahan led the first lap, but she fell behind Williams and Sacred Heart’s Madeline Kling after that. The sophomore, however, kept up and then broke away the last 50 meters to claim the victory.
“Erin ran a very smart race,” said ND distance coach Lew Cook. “There was actually a little bit of wind on the 100 coming out of the first curve so she actually drafted off of her (Williams), stayed tight to the rail in the curve and overtook her on the final straight away.
“It was a brilliant race. She ran a 1:19 first lap, which was the goal pace, and she allowed the girl from Baker to take the lead in the second lap and just draft off of her. She stuck to her plan and ran a 1:18 on the final lap. She ran where she had enough gas left in the tank and she had a good kick.”
Trahan also placed fifth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:31.94.
Also scoring for the Lady Pios were Grace Morgan with a third-place showing in the high jump (5-0) and Aline Gossen with a fourth-place finish in the 3200-meter run (12:52.40).
Rayne’s Tristan Mouton also had a spectacular day after placing third in the 100-meter hurdles (15.91). She returned later and grabbed the top spot on the podium with a winning 300-meter hurdle time of 45.72.
“I’ve been working all year for this,” said Mouton. “I had been working hard to get to 45 and I got there. I felt I could do it, I just had to push myself.”
Rayne’s Taylor Arceneaux also scored a sixth-place finish doing so in the discus with a throw of 102-8.
Kirk Poullard led the Crowley High contingent by placing second in the 800-meter run (2:01.01) while Thomas Cavell was seventh in the 400-meter dash (51.96). Cavell and Poullard then teamed with Jacq’co Price and Terrell Thomas for a fourth-place showing in the 4 x 400 relay (3:24.21). Damon Guidry scored with a fourth-place in the high jump (6-4).
Jalasia Hebert, the CHS Ladies’ lone participant, was fourth in the 100 hurdles (16.38).
Iota standout Madison Meche earned a spot on the podium with a third-place throw of 125-8 in the javelin.
Jillian Boone scored with a sixth-place finish in the 1600 (5:49.14) and she was eighth in the 800 (2:35.67). Cambri St. Andre was eighth in the 100 hurdles (17.40).
Jarrette Fontenot, the lone Iota Bulldog competing in the Class 3A division, was sixth in the shot put (47-4).