The high school track and field regular season is now complete, and the thinclads from Jonesboro-Hodge and Quitman High School look to be in prime shape to continue their ever-growing reputation of being the best in the state.
Last year, for the first time ever in local history, two Jackson Parish schools claimed state track and field championships in the same year with the Lady Tigers of Jonesboro-Hodge winning the LHSAA Division IV state championship and the Quitman boys team winning the Class B title.
During the regular season, both lived up to the challenge of being capable of putting up a defense of their crowns, with an added kicker. The Lady Wolverine track team also looks to be a strong contender for a state title. If accomplished, it would mark the first time in local history that a girls’ and boys’ program from the same school won a championship in the same year.
On Tuesday, April 21st, Jonesboro-Hodge will travel to Lakeside High School in Sibley, LA to take part in the District 1-1A track meet while both Quitman and Weston High Schools will compete in the District 1B championships on Tuesday, April 22nd.
Leading to the credence of the possibility of dominating district, regional and state competition in their various classifications is the performance turned in by a bevy of local athletes, many which enter the postseason ranked as #1 in their representative events.
Ciara Gray – JHHS: The defending female Most Valuable Performer in the 2025 Division IV state meet after winning four individual events to lead JHHS to their first-ever girls state title is the odds-on favorite to win the award again. The iconic star in both track and field events has won all four of her specialty events (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump, and triple jump) in every meet JHHS competed in this spring except one, and that was when she came in second in the hurdles against elite Class 5A competition. Gray holds the best marks in Class A in the 300 hurdles (46.75 seconds), the long jump (18’35”), and triple jump (41’95”). Her mark in the triple jump is not only the best in the state, regardless of competition this year, but also is the new ALL TIME LHSAA record.
Nathan Harvey – Quitman High School: The defending Class B male state track meet Most Valuable Performer after winning titles in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles and running a leg on the state championship 200 meter relay team once again looks to repeat as champion in both hurdle events, having posted top times in Class B with a 15.94 mark in the 110 hurdles and a 39.89 time in the 300 hurdles. Harvey also runs a leg on the 4×200 relay team that is ranked #1 in Class B with a time of 1:32.75
Gage Horton – Quitman High School: Last year, the middle/long distance runner finished second in the 400 meters, third in the 800 meters, and 5th in the 1600 meters. This season, Horton has the top times in Class B in all three events, 52.14 – 400 meters, 2:00.19 – 800 meters, 4:44.21 – 1600 meters, leading to the hope of a three-peat at the state track meet. He also runs the leg on the 4×400-meter relay team that has a Class B best state time of 3:32.00.
Kaleigh King – Quitman High School: Proving her incredible versatility, King is the second from Jackson Parish to lead the state with the best time in the 300-meter hurdles, having posted 48.9 seconds to rank #1 in Class B. She is also a threat in the 110-meter hurdles, and, not only that, King has the best mark in the pole vault at 8 feet 6 inches, giving Quitman a prime opportunity to win that events at the state meet as well.
Asher Shultz – Quitman High School: The McNeese State University commit shocked the state last year when he came out of nowhere to launch a 170-foot throw in the Javelin to win the Class B title in the event, which bettered his previous best by over 10 feet. This year, Shultz enters the postseason ranked #1 in the event after posting a throw of 175 feet, far better than anyone else in Class B.
Jayden Harts – Quitman High School: Yet another multi-talented track and field star, Harts has the best long jump in Class B at 21 feet 11 inches and is a top contender for honors in the triple jump. Not only does he bring top speed to the sprints and run legs in the 4×100 and 4×200 relays, which also promises to give Quitman much-needed points in all the events.
Additional team members expected to make major contributions are Carmon Livingston, Derryn Osborne, Zu’Wy’Nesha Johnson, Neesha Johnson, Brianna Willamson, Samone Mallard, Jalenya Jackson and Sa’tavia Qualls from Jonesboro-Hodge and Megan Kelley, Skyleigh Webb, Anna Pardue, Jana Potts, Maggie Guyotte, Kaleigh Webb, Josiah Ramsey, Mason Howard, and Elijah Jackson from Quitman.