St. Scholastica Academy junior Angela LaBorde turned in an outstanding effort Tuesday, winning the individual Class 5A state title with a time of 17:48 at the state meet held in Natchitoches.

LaBorde defeated Airline’s Rebecca Blubaugh by 25 seconds. Mandeville freshman Elizabeth Manuel (18:36) was third.

LaBorde, who also won the District 7-5A individual title, capped off her season with six victories along with four-second place finishes. She won the Walker Shootout Invitational, St. Joseph’s Invitational, LSU Invitational and the Mount Carmel Academy Invitational.

Angela Laborde

LaBorde said the state three-mile race was run under really windy conditions.

“I started going out with Mandeville runner Elizabeth Manuel. I was wondering if she was going to stay up with me. After about 15 seconds I was able to get ahead,” LaBorde said.

“I wish toward the end of the race I could have picked it up a little more. Finishing going up a hill made it tough.”

LaBorde said she did her best to stay aggressive.

“There were big crowds along the course cheering for everyone,” she said. “That helped push me on. Once I got to the hill, I knew we were coming to the end and when I saw the track I wanted to push it.”

LaBorde’s winning performance helped lead the Doves to a second-place team finish.

St. Joseph’s won the team championship with 79 points, followed by SSA (85). Mt. Carmel (97) took third followed by Ruston (139) and Dominican (147) was fifth.

Lafayette (182) earned a sixth-place finish followed by Mandeville (185). St. Thomas More (262) took eighth, while Fontainebleau (327) came in ninth with Barbe (337) rounding out the top 10.

Northshore (438) finished in 16th place.

The other SSA runners who scored to help the Doves take second place include sophomore Catherine Pereira (19:27) in 11th place, sophomore Lauren Salles (19:50) 18th, junior Clare Ledoux (19:58) 24th and sophomore Mallory Stubbs (20.19) 37th.

SSA cross country coach Chris Pool said LaBorde ran a great race, essentially leading from start to finish.

“We had a plan for Angela and how we thought she should go about her race. She went out and executed the plan perfectly,” Pool said.

“She went out fast and was strong throughout the race. She picked up the pace as the race progressed. It was fun to watch her get out there in her first ever state race and do what she did.”

Pool commended his Doves’ team.

“Going into the race we knew that there were several schools that were just as good as us that we had been kind of yo-yoing back and forth with during the season. My kids had as a good a day as they could have. I’m extremely proud of what they have accomplished during the season,” Pool added.

Other local 5A girls’ finishers:

20. Derbins, MHS, 19:54; 25. Irwin, MHS, 19:58; 30. Thurber, FHS, 20:13; 42. Edwards, SSA, 20:33; 52. Simon, FHS, 20:50; 53. Smith, SHS, 20:54; 66. Gussoni, MHS, 21:22; 68. Thees, SSA, 21:27; 70. Folse, FHS, 21:28; 79. Brianna Thompson, SHS, 21:50; 80. Lorino, NHS, 21:50; 82. Brittni Thompson, SHS, 21:59; 85. Keyes, FHS, 22:03; 90. Martin, NHS, 22:14; 96. Scotty, NHS, 22:25; 101. Heussler, NHS, 22:40; 105. Knoblach, NHS, 22:49; 113. Kerry, FHS, 23:10; 115. Rask, FHS, 23:16; 121. Carter, MHS, 23:26; 126. Leblanc, FHS, 23:35; 132. Hebert, MHS, 23:44 .

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In Class 4A local girls’ competition:

77. Hodges, SAL, 24:19.

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In Class 2A girls’ competition, finishing for Pope John Paul II:

47. Ammond, 22:23; 51. Fereday, 22:42; 71. Becker, 23:47; 85. Baker, 24:58; 98. Furphy, 26:12; 99. Crochet, 26:15; 100. Prinz, 26:34. The team finished 12th with 316 points.

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Class 1A girls’ competition, Northlake Christian School finished in seventh place with 178 points, topped by Rachael Berberovich (22:13), who came in 14th. Other NCS finishers: 30. Ryan, 24:12; 43. Perez, 25:44; 56. Francois, 26:55; 64. Leahy, 27:59.