LHS Shows Off On Home Track With Standout Performances at Area Meet

La Grange hosted the 21/22-4A Area track meet Wednesday, and on their home track the Leps and Lady Leps turned in some blazing times.

Senior Austen Diggs, in what was his final home meet, advanced to regionals in three events, winning the 100 meter dash in a time of 10.41, winning the 200 meter dash in 21.35 and anchoring the La Grange 4x400 relay to an area title, by passing five runners on his leg of the race. That relay team of Issac Odem, Graham Youens, Jordyn Murray and Diggs had a time of 3:31.06.

“People don’t understand the power of prayer,” Murray said after the race. “I love my teammates.”

Diggs’ ran his best-ever time in the 100 Wednesday and won both sprint titles with room to spare.

Longtime La Grange track coach Rusty Cauthern said Diggs (the school record holder in the 200 meters and the 400 meters and the defending state champ in the 200) continues to amaze him.

“God blessed him with a lot of talent, but his work ethic is what makes it happen,” Cauthern said of Diggs.

“It was a good meet overall,” Diggs said. “There was a bit of wind, but I still ran well. I’m excited but I still have some things to work on.”

Also winning an area title was La Grange’s Cordale Knapik, who won the pole vault by clearing 13-feet, 6-inches.

On the girls side, La Grange freshman Macie Collier is headed to regionals in four events. She broke her own school records in a pair of races, winning the 300 hurdles in a time of 45.32 and placing third in the 100 meter hurdles in a time of 15.90. She also anchored the Lady Leps 4x400 team of Avery Griffin, Diamond McKenzie, Landri Hernandez to a third place finish and was fourth in the pole vault.

“Our kids rose up and competed,” La Grange head girls track coach Leslie Coltrain said. “Our young ones are a lot of fun to watch ... I was very pleased with how our 4x400 ran tonight – kids running like they know they can.”

The top four finishers in each event advance to this week’s regional meet in Bullard. The top two finishers at regionals earns a trip to the state track meet.

21/21-4AArea Meet Boys 100 meters 1. Austen Diggs, LG 10.41 200 meters

1. Austen Diggs, LG 21.35 400 Meters

5. Jordyn Murray, LG 52.19 6. Issac Odem, LG 52.88 110 Meter Hurdles

2. Julian Sherman, LG 15.60 4. Chris Supak, LG 16.97

300 Meter Hurdles

3. Clayton Cooper, LG 42.97 4x200 Relay

6. La Grange ( 1:34.57 4x400 Relay

1. La Grange 3:31.06 Triple Jump

4. Tre Supak, LG 40-0.5 Pole Vault

1. Cordale Knapik, LG 13-6 3. Quade Brothers, LG 10-6 Discus

2. Dalton Landis, LG 128-06 Girls 100 Meters

5. Carley Ulrich, LG 13.18 3200 Meters

3. Eleanor Carey, LG 13:11.9 100 Meter Hurdles 3. Macie Collier, LG 15.90 300 Meter Hurdles 1. Macie Collier, LG 45.32 4x200 Relay 6. La Grange 1:50.06 4x400 Relay 3. La Grange 4:13.79 Pole Vault

2. Campbell Cooper, LG 9-0

4. Macie Collier, LG 8-6 Discus

2. Riley Youens, LG 101-08 Shot put

5. Riley Youens, LG 31-11.5