Chalmette’s Jordan Hartney and André Dorsey were selected the girls’ and boys’ Most Valuable Performer in the field events and the Lady Owls captured the team championship of the Chalmette Invitational track and field meet on a windy and cold Thursday at Bobby Nuss Stadium.

Battling back and forth with Belle Chasse from the start of the meet, the Lady Owls, who held a precarious two-point advantage after the completion of 12 of 18 events, catapulted into the lead when junior thrower Hartney won the discus (84-2) in her first ever competition in the event. Hartney then took to the track to anchor the Lady Owls’ winning 4×100-meter relay foursome of Keondra Lafrance, Breyion Williams and Ariane Bienemy, with their fastest clocking of the season at 53.97 seconds.

Earlier in the meet, Hartney won the javelin (104-9) for the third time this season and had a fifth in the high jump (4-4) to score a girls’ meet-high 22 points for the field honor.

Dorsey displayed his athletic skills as the junior field performer became the meet’s only athlete to win three events. He began his field MVP march by winning the javelin (147-0), tied his personal record in the high jump with a six foot leap on his first trial at the height for first and then won his specialty event – the triple jump – with a personal record of 44 feet, eight and one-half inch. In all he scored 24 points, more than any other athlete in the meet.

Despite winning all seven field events, the Owls who held a shaky one-point lead going into the meet’s final event couldn’t hold off a hard-charging Belle Chasse boys’ team in the 4×400-meter relay as the Cardinals won that event and the Owls finished third for the margin of victory, 137-134, as the guys from Plaquemines Parish won the boys‘ team championship. Holy Rosary scored 44, DeLaSalle 26 and Ben Franklin 24.

The Lady Owls’ margin of victory over the Lady Cardinals was a larger one, 139-118. Ursuline Academy scored 88, Dominican 84, DeLaSalle 64, Ben Franklin 46 and Holy Rosary 10.

Chalmette swept the boys’ throwing events as senior Chris Duplessis won two events with personal records – the shot put (46-3 3/4) and the discus (122-0) for the fourth and third times, respectively, this year.

Harley Straub won his second pole vault competition of the season as he vaulted 10-3 and Desmond Ceasar claimed his first long jump win at 19-10 to give CHS a sweep in the field.

Keondra Lafrance won the girls’ triple jump for the third time this season, leaping 31-3.50 and finishing second in the long jump (14-2.75). She also ran a leg on the each of the Lady Owls’ two winning relay quartets – the 4×200-meter (1:52.60) and 4×100-meter teams.

Giving the Lady Owls a boost was junior Melanie Benit, who finished second in the 300-meter hurdles (55.86) and a third in the pole vault (7-3).

Freshman Albert Brock finished second in both hurdle races – 110-meter (16.81) and 300-meter (45.34); sophomore sprinter/jumper Mason Rucker gave the Owls a second in the 100-meter dash (12.21); and junior Daniel Matherne was second in the 800 (2:15.04).

Lady Owl runner-up finishes came from Breyion Williams in the long jump (13-9.50); Melanie Fink in the 800 (2:49.48); Alex Schmaltz in the 300-meter hurdles (57.34); Gabby Major in the shot put (27-5); and Vershione Toney in the 100 (13.85).

Chalmette hosts its final home meet of the year on Friday by honoring the memory of the Owls’ legendary track and football head coach whose name adorns the football stadium and track complex as the site of the 44th annual Bobby Nuss Invitational track and field meet, the oldest high school track meet in metro New Orleans. Field events start at 3:30 p.m. and running at 6 p.m.