State Champions: Dunham Athletes Claim 12 State Titles

After having their spring seasons cut short last year due to the pandemic, Tiger athletes came roaring back ready to compete and win, claiming 12 team or individual state titles—the most in school history!

BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONS

BOYS BASKETBALL In a comeback 52-48 victory, the boys basketball team overpowered Newman to claim the LHSAA Division III state title at Burton Coliseum on March 12. The Tigers, who finished the season 18-11, have played in five consecutive state championship games, grabbing the state title three times in last four years, including last year’s win over crosstown rival Episcopal. Prior to the championship game, senior Becket Pricer received the 2021 Horizon Award presented by the LHSAA to a student who displays outstanding citizenship, leadership, and academic achievement. Standout senior guard Carlos Stewart, who has committed to play for Santa Clara University next year, was named Division III Outstanding Player and garnered numerous post-season honors, including Gatorade Louisiana Player of the Year, Max Preps Louisiana High School Player of the Year, NAACP Player of the Year, Advocate Star of Stars, and USA Today High School Sports Award State Winner for Boys Basketball. Coach Jonathan Pixley, who announced his decision to retire at the end of the school year, was named District Coach of the Year and 2A State Coach of the Year. In addition, the boys team had players named to the Academic All-State, All-State, All-District, and All-Metro teams (see full list on page 29).

PATRICK MURPHY WINS TWO STATE SWIMMING TITLES

Two-event winner Patrick Murphy ’22 led the way as the Dunham Tigers finished fourth in the Division IV boys competition at the LHSAA State Swim Meet held November 18-19, at the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana in Shreveport. Patrick won the 100 breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley, setting a new pool record with his breaststroke time of 59.49.

The four-man Tiger relay team of Patrick Murphy, Reed Jantzi ’22, Baron Hingle ’21, and Hayden Hingle ’24 came in third in the 400 freestyle relay. With just four team members, the small but mighty team finished in fourth place overall out of 17 teams, all with much larger rosters. Other individual highlights from the meet included top ten finishes for Reed Jantzi who finished in second place in the 100 backstroke and fifth place in the 100 butterfly. In post-season, Baron Hingle was named to the Academic All-State Team, and Patrick Murphy was selected for the All-Metro 1st Team.

The 2021 Division IV State Champs. Pictured (from left) are Coach Chad Myers ’97, Jonathan Melara ’21, Daniel Petty ’21, Jordi Melara ’21, Michael Dudley ’22, Evan Gleason ’22, Cade Cloud ’22, Ashton DuPont ’24, Lethan Nguyen ’21, and Coach Ronnie Walters.

BOYS TENNIS SERVES UP THREE STATE TITLES

After having their 2020 season cut short due to Covid-19, the thrill of victory was extra sweet for the members of the Dunham boys tennis team who served up enough points to claim the 2021 Division IV State Championship, the team’s third state title since 2018 (there was no state championship in 2020). And, as if one state trophy wasn’t enough, the team Above: State Singles Champion returned to campus with two more in tow after Michael Dudley ’22 Michael Dudley ’22 won the state singles title, and Evan Gleason ’22 and Lethan Nguyen ’21 teamed up Left: State Doubles Champions Evan Gleason ’22 and Lethan to claim the doubles title. Dudley, Gleason, and Nguy- Nguyen ’21 en were named to the All-Metro Team, along with doubles partners Jordi Melara ’21 and Daniel Petty ’21. Jordi and brother Jonathan Melara ’21 were named to the Academic All-State Team. In an interview with The Advocate, Coach Chad Myers ’97 said, “It was a really great team effort. But the last two times, we won without winning either the singles or the doubles tournament. I challenged them to do that, and they got it done.”

RYAN DUPUY SETS RECORD AT STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT

Senior Ryan Dupuy posted a stellar eight-under-par 64 at the state golf tournament to claim the Division III boys individual state title while the boys team finished in third place after a fantastic two days at the tournament. Ryan’s 12-under-par 68-64—132 score is the lowest two-round total in any of the six boys’ and girls’ divisions at the state tournament in six years. Ryan, who has signed to play golf for the University of Southern Mississippi and was named Advocate Star of Stars for boys golf, claimed the Baton Rouge Metro Championship earlier in the season, won the American Junior Golf Association Tournament in September of 2020, and was named to the Academic All-State, All-State, and All-Metro teams as well as the prestigious 2020 Rolex All-American Team. District golf champion John Collier Thornton ’21 was also named to the Academic All-State, All-State, and All-Metro teams. Seth Redmond ’21 was named Academic All-State, and Brooks Thornton ’23 was named All-Metro.

Tigers Runners Go the Distance to Win Four State Titles

Far left: 3200m State Champion John

Walker McDonald ’22

Above: 4x800 Relay State Champs (from left) Reagan Courville ’21, Miles Pelton ’21, Reese Davis ’23, and

John Walker McDonald ’22

Left: 1600m and 3200m State Champion Riley

Ries ’23 Five runners. Five races. Four State Championships. One State Runner-Up.

Tiger distance runners made the most of their opportunities to bring home championship medals in four of five events at the 2021 2A State Track Meet, held May 7, at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium. The 4x800 relay team of Reagan Courville ’21, Reese Davis ’23, Miles Pelton ’21, and John Walker McDonald ’22 got the Tigers on the winning track as they captured Dunham’s first championship title of the day with a finish time of 8:30.57, setting a 2A state record for that race. Riley Ries ’23, the lone Tiger female runner, collected individual championships in both the 1600m and 3200m with her 1600m time of 5:27.99 and 3200m time of 11:36.51 setting a school record. John Walker McDonald took a huge early lead to win the 3200 m (10:02.52) after finishing second in the 1600 m (4:43.64). In postseason, Reagan Courville, Camden Holmes ’21, Parker King ’21, Miles Pelton, and Nicole Perkowski ’21 were named to the Academic All-State Team.

JOHN WALKER MCDONALD NAMED 2A STATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPION

It was a great day for our Tiger runners at the 2020 State Cross Country meet, held November 16, at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La. John Walker McDonald ’22 finished in first place as the 2020 2A State Cross Country Champion. John Walker, who clocked in with 16:13.0 run time (the fastest time of the day across all classifications), led the Dunham boys team to a second place finish, claiming the runner-up trophy just six points behind the winning team. Riley Ries ’23 placed fourth in the girls meet with a time of 19:40. Top ten performances by John Walker and Riley garnered 2020 All-State individual honors while the Dunham boys team received All-State team honors. In addition, Miles Pelton ’21 and Reagan Courville ’21 were honored as members of the 2020 2A Cross Country Academic All-State Team. Congratulations to our Tiger runners and coaches for a great end to a fantastic season!