Vermilion Parish got its first taste of track and field action on a windy Wednesday, as Erath High hosted the Lady Bobcat Relay.

The NV Lady Pats compiled 136 points to earn a first-place finish in their first meet of the young season.

Abbeville’s Lady Wildcats put together 108 points to garner second place.

The host Lady Bobcats earned fourth place with 71.5 points, trailing third-place Opelousas by 12.5 points.

The Lady Pats were led to victory by Outstanding Field Performer Chelcie Sonnier. The NV junior collected 20 points for her team thanks to first-place finishes in the javelin, with a throw of 116-05, and the high jump with a leap of 5-02.

“I wasn’t even expecting (to jump) five feet today,” said Sonnier, who set a personal record with her winning high jump. She said, too, that she feels her team is looking good for the upcoming season.

“Everybody’s feeling pretty good right now,” she said. “We’ve got all our softball players back. So, we should be pretty good.”

Lady Pats head coach Tommy Byler said the win was a nice way to start the track season for his squad.

“I think we had some decent performances for this early in the year,” said Byler. “(But) I think we still have some work left to do... I think we’re behind right now. But, I think with our times, we’re in pretty decent shape.”

The NV squad was also led to victory by wins in the 400 meter dash by Morgan Harrington (1:06); triple jump by Kate Faulk (32-07.5); the NV 4x400 relay team, consisting of Harrington, Miranda Martin, Lunden Graham and Elise Vincent (4:26.34); and the pole vault by Meg Simon (11-04).

Simon, who is on the heels of an indoor pole vault state championship, said that, since she has been working with a new pole vault coach, things are clicking.

“Things are sinking in,” she said. “I’m getting the technique better and just kind of understanding everything a little better... It’s all about technique. Once you get that, you’ll fly.”

Abbeville sophomore Shatara Small earned Outstanding Track Performer honors thanks a second-place finish in the 200 meter dash (28.05) and a third-place finish in the 100 meter dash (13.56).

Small was also a member of the Lady Wildcats’ 4x200 meter relay team that won that event with a time of 1:49.88, as well as the winning 4x100 meter relay team that took first with a 51.15 effort.

Small said she was happy to have earned her first-ever Outstanding Performer award.

“I’ve been running (a lot) in practice,” she said. “I’ve really been pushing it hard.”

Small also said that having Lady Wildcats head coach Erik Lege, who is on the road to recovery from a stroke, at the meet provided a spark.

“It’s great to have him back,” she said. “He’s a big inspiration to me.”

AHS’ Vonchelle Perry also earned a first-place finish in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 17.23.

Perry was also a member of the Lady Wildcats’ 4x100 meter relay team (with Derrian Nolan, Jayla Nolan and Small) that took first with a time of 51.15 and the 4x200 meter team (with Key’andra Mitchell, Small and Jayla Nolan) that took first with a time of 1:49.88.

Also earning first-place finishes and the 10 team points that go with them for their schools were Kaplan’s Ashton Hargrave and Delcambre’s Taylor Bourqe.

Hargrave won the 1600 meter run with a time of 6:05.04.

Bourque, who ran the 3200 meters in 13:59.64 to finish atop the podium, said the preparations she has been putting into her long-distance running paid off.

“Coach (Lisa) Richards has me run three miles. So, I’m prepared,” said Bourque. “I did indoor meets, too. So, I was ready to run.”

Erath is set to host the Snooks Relays (boys) on Friday. Field events are set to begin at 4 p.m., with running to follow at 6 p.m.