Matt Vines

BATON ROUGE – North DeSoto scored two points in a total of four events at the LHSAA State Indoor Track and Field Meet on Saturday at LSU’s Carl Maddox Fieldhouse.

Javonte Taylor scored both points with sixth-place finishes in the triple jump and high jump.

Taylor’s leaps in both events were season-bests, jumping 43-7.25 in the triple and 6-2 in the high jump.

The junior competed in three different jump events Saturday, placing 14th in the long jump with an 18-7.5.

North DeSoto also shipped its 4×800 relay team to the state championship, finishing 10th.

The foursome of Macaylah Tingle, Ellie Simmons, D’Anna Robinson and Addison Robinson ran as high as seventh place following Simmons’ second leg, ultimately finishing at 11:32.45.

“Being able to see what the best in the state looks like gives us a better understanding of what we need to do at practice and during the outdoor season to get back down to LSUS for the outdoor state championships and hopefully bring home a medal,” said North DeSoto track coach Robert Madison. “To qualify for events at the indoor state meet is difficult (just two divisions).

“It’s especially impressive that Javonte qualified for three events and competed in all three on the same day.”

The North DeSoto boys finished 30th as a team in Division I with the two points from Taylor.

Four of the five track student-athletes also play basketball, meaning each individual practiced on their own for the most part.

All five North DeSoto track athletes qualified for indoor state with just one indoor meet, and one chance, to get their qualifying marks and times.

That’ll change when outdoor season ramps up in March with area meets, then district and regional contests and ultimately the state meet in May.