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One thing Charlie Mahfouz wanted to do after becoming UL's track and field coach in June 2008 was make sure that recruiting Acadiana was a top priority. He had little time to make that happen last summer as a late hire.
Mahfouz's first full recruiting class is a direct reflection of that emphasis, with nine of the program's 17 signees for next season coming from the area. He was quick to give credit for this year's crop of newcomers to the effort behind the scenes by recruiting coordinator Paula Ogunbanjo.
"We want to start local and then move out," Mahfouz said. "That's what coach (Charles) Lancon did back in the '90s. They won 13 (actually 17) conference championships indoor and outdoor with kids mostly from around here, so we know it can be done."
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20090621/SPORTS/906210325/1006/UL-track--Cajuns-land-area-standouts" target="_blank">The rest of the story</a>
Joshua Parrott •
jparrott@theadvertiser.com • June 21, 2009
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The bulk of the recruiting class, 11 of 17, filled spots on the men's team. Six of those 11 recruits are from the area, notably throwers Myles Melancon (Teurlings Catholic) and Ryan Mitchell (Northside).
As a junior in 2008, Melancon won the Class 4A state title in the shot put with a throw of 55 feet, 8 inches. Melancon lost in regionals this year to a fellow signee in Mitchell
Mitchell, who won this year's District 5-4A title in the shot put, finished second at this year's Class 4A state meet with a throw of 52-10.5 behind teammate Dwayne Houston (53-3.75). Together, they helped Northside clinch the Class 4A team title.
"Myles and I have competed against each other since our freshman year," Mitchell said. "We get along good. We're definitely going to be pushing each other in practice to get even better."
For the men, the other four area signees are: pole vaulter Zachery Estes (Comeaux), jumper O'Daylon Thibeaux (Kaplan) and throwers Marc Malespin (STM) and Chris Jenkins (Northwest).
Estes was a regional runner-up in the pole vault and a Class 5A state finalist. Thibeaux was the Class 3A state runner-up in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump. Malespin finished as the Class 5A state runner-up in the javelin. Jenkins had the area's best throw in the javelin at 195 feet and was third at the 3A state meet.
Two of UL's other top signees came from outside the area. Wes Gonzales, a decathlete from Brother Martin in New Orleans, scored in four events at the Class 5A state meet and was recruited by LSU. Colombia native Juan Gonzales, a distance runner from North Iowa Community College, garnered serious attention from Tennessee and Georgia.
Decathlete/thrower William Christian (St. Louis Catholic in Lake Charles) and distance runners Zachery France (Slidell High) and Chase Menard (Terrebonne) round out the recruits for the men.
Christian is known for his athleticism and ability to compete in multiple events. France was the Class 5A state runner-up in the 3,200 and fifth at the Class 5A state cross country meet. Menard placed 10th in the Class 5A state cross country meet.
Mitchell's abilities might give him a chance as a multi-event athlete. Mitchell, a tight end on Northside's football team, also competed as a runner and jumper in AAU track. He has been timed at 11.3 seconds in the 100.
"We've got some people coming in who are committed to the program and have a good work ethic," Mitchell said of the incoming recruits. "We want to get better for the team and themselves."
Three of the six women's signees are from the Acadiana region. The recruit bringing the biggest accolades is Alexis Malone, a sprinter from St. Louis in Lake Charles who took first in the 100 and 200 at the Class 3A state meet. She received some late interest from LSU, Tulane and La. Tech.
"My main interest is school first, and UL has one of the best architecture programs out there," Malone said. "We have some good recruits coming in, and I think we can turn it around there. That's something I want to be part of."
The other five recruits for the women were sprinter Krystal Chevis (Rayne), pole vaulter Brittany Taylor (Beau Chene), distance runner Meghan Curley (Opelousas Catholic) and twins Amanda and Angela Roberts from Barbe High in Lake Charles.
Chevis placed third in the 400 at the Class 3A state meet. Taylor has cleared 10 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault. Curley was a district champion and Class 2A state finalist in the 3,200. Amanda Roberts is a sprinter with strong times in the 100, 200 and 400, while Angela Roberts is a sprinter and jumper who jumped 18 feet, 9 inches in the long jump at the regional meet.
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