One of the busiest weeks of the school year continues today with the start of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association state swim meet at the Sulphur Parks and Recreation Aquatic Center.

The week started with the beginning of the soccer season on Monday along with basketball for Class 5A-1A schools and the state cross country meet at Northwestern State in Natchitoches. Thursday marks the start of the regional round of the football playoffs.

Several Southwest Louisiana athletes will be medal contenders at the state swim meet, including Westlake sophomore Talen Garrard, who is back after narrowly missing out on a medal last season. Garrard was fourth in the Division III 100-yard freestyle and fifth in the 50 freestyle.

Garrard has switched events this season. He is the No. 2 seed in the 100 butterfly (55.17 seconds) and the fourth seed in the 200 individual medley (2:10.97).

Lake Arthur sophomore Slade Legros was another near-medalist last year. He is the three seed in the Division IV 100 backstroke (59.99) and ranked fifth in the 500 freestyle (5:24.16).

Other top-five seeds from the area include Jennings’ GraceAnne Patrick (fifth in the 500 freestyle, 5:58.02), Bell City’s Grant Granger (fourth in the 100 butterfly, 1:04.87 (fifth in the 100 backstroke, 1:05.05) plus the St. Louis Catholic girls 200 medley and boys 200 freestyle relay team.

Sulphur’s Connor Vidrine will look to medal again in the Division I 100 backstroke. He was the bronze medalist last year and enters the meet as the No. 8 seed (56.08).

The state swim meet starts today with the Division III (9 a.m.) and Division IV (4 p.m.) preliminaries. The finals for both divisions start at the same time on Thursday.

On Friday, Division I (9 a.m.) and Division II (4 p.m.) will hold their preliminary rounds and will follow the same time schedule for the finals on Saturday.