Berwick High will be represented at Class 3A meet

Berwick High will have three individual competitors and a relay team in action Saturday at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association/Allstate Sugar Bowl State Track and Field Meet.
Berwick’s Nicole Arceneaux, the lone Lady Panther headed to state will compete in the discus and javelin, while on the boys’ side, Berwick’s Kenan Jones will take part in the triple jump and Ian Valdez in the 3,200 meter run.
The Panthers also will send its 4x400 meter relay, which consists of Marquise Rogers, Zach Dupuy, Tyus Jones and Kenan Jones.
Arceneaux is seeded fourth in the discus with a toss of 101 feet, 6 inches at regionals and sixth in the javelin with a toss of 110 feet, 5 inches at regionals.
While she is seeded higher in the discus, Arceneaux is closer to the competition in the javelin as approximately 5 feet separates her from second place.
Arceneaux set personal records at district and regionals en route to state.
“She worked real hard to be able to go in discus and javelin,” Gilder said.
The top throw in the javelin among regional marks is 134 feet, 8 inches, which was recorded by St. Louis’ Alexis Rigmaiden.
In the discus, the state’s top seed belongs to Rhea Thompson of St. Louis, who had a regional toss of 133 feet, 7 inches.
Kenan Jones is seeded fifth in the triple jump with a leap of 43 feet, 5.25 inches at regionals.
Like Arceneaux in the javelin, though, he isn’t far behind some of the competition as he is less than two inches away from the third seed.
“He is not even tapped his potential in the triple jump yet,” Gilder said. “I’m hoping (for) some good things this week. We’re doing a little tweaking on some of his technique this week and see (if that helps).”
Michael Strong of Lusher Charter has the top seed with a leap of 44 feet, 3 inches at regionals.
Gilder said he was hoping that Jones could get in in the high jump, too, but he just didn’t have a good day.
In the 3,200 meter run, Valdez is seeded seventh with a time of 10:54.71.
At regionals, Valdez shaved his personal record by 27 seconds.
His regional time trails the fifth seeded competitor by less than two seconds.
Gilder said he was excited Valdez advanced to state.
“We talked about what he needed to do and then he went out and ran well,” Gilder said.
Devyn Keith of John Curtis is the top seed with a time of 9:47.07.
Berwick’s 4x400 meter relay enters state with a time of 3:31.77, which is eighth.
“I am excited about the 4x4,” Gilder said. “I got a couple little seniors that work really hard.”
Berwick’s district foe, Franklin, has the top seed with a time of 3:25.72.