Pencils and erasers were made with athletes like Jordan Geist and Domenic Peretta in mind.
Meet in and meet out, the sophomore throws sensation and the junior distance standout have the potential to wipe away records and force their coaches to reassess season and career goals.
The pair did it again Friday in the 42nd Baldwin Invitational, with each setting a pair of PRs and a total of three meet records in awe-inspiring fashion.
Geist closes in on shot put history
Fresh off a lifetime best to win a gold watch at the Penn Relays, Knoch's Geist wasn't expected by his coaches to have another breakout day. After all, the 16-year-old had just added almost a foot to his PR after tacking on more than 2 feet the previous Friday.
Well, the right-hander offered up a glimpse of the future by jumping back into the No. 2 spot nationally with a massive put of 69 feet, 1 inch.
“We kind of worried about a plateau there," said Mike Hambrick, Geist's club coach and longtime family friend. “I would have been fine with a 65- to 66-foot throw today. No pressure, nobody pushing him like it was at Penn.
“For him to really reach down inside of himself and make that own pressure, I think he really wanted to throw far with the former (stadium) record holder present. I think that gave him a little more extra motivation to go far."
As has become the norm this year for the state's top shot putter, Geist was the last to throw in the finals after reaching 64-10 in his flight. An uncharacteristic blast to around 67 feet on his final practice throw let all know that some really long throws were ahead.
“It was going to be special," said Judy Geist, Jordan's mom and throws coach at Knoch. “Usually in the finals is when he throws his best because he's loose. He's ready to go. … I knew. It was awesome."
The sophomore didn't waste any time in getting the large crowd excited about the final three rounds. Geist's fourth throw pounded to the earth after flying 67-11.25, moving within a half-inch of the facility record by Baldwin's Ron Semkiw in 1972 and adding almost a foot to his Penn Relays winner.
With most of the spectators now on their feet and moving closer to action, Geist gave meet officials a reason to have the crowd step back. His fifth-round 69-1 landed inches short of the wood beams bordering the back of the sector.
“I can't complain," Geist said of the put that moved him closer to being the third member of Pennsylvania's 70-foot club with Semkiw (70-1.75) and two-time world indoor champion Ryan Whiting (70-0). “It's definitely a great throw."
A foul on his final throw did little to temper the job that his coaches have ahead of them - to re-create goals for an athlete who keeps surpassing expectations.
"I was (surprised) because I didn't think he would throw that far this year," Judy Geist said of the latest high-water mark for her son, who also won the discus in a PR and PA#3 174-11. "We thought maybe 68, but he's almost at 70 feet. We are like, 'Man, is there anything this kid can't do?' When there are a lot of people watching him, that's when he does (his best).
"It makes us rethink what (his goal is) gonna be. I don't even want to guesstimate what he can throw now. It would be great if he could throw 70 feet, but I don't want to put that pressure on him. Not now. Maybe next year."
Peretta double doubly impressive
Almost a year ago on the same track, Peretta almost pulled off the distance triple en route to claiming the Class AA 800- and 1,600-meter titles in Shippensburg. He didn't attempt the 3,200 on Friday, but his performances in the shorter distance races bode well for a possible repeat in this year's WPIAL and PIAA meets.
The junior waited until late in the race to make his move in the featured mile but didn't hesitate to claim the front spot in the 800. Both events concluded with the Beaver Falls standout crossing the line in meet record times.
"I knew there was really good completion here," Peretta said. "I was really nervous coming in so I knew if I didn't take those last two laps really hard, then they were going to get me. I knew they had a lot left too, so I had to go out and try something."
After a fairly physical start with plenty of bumping and elbowing, Mike Kolor of Seneca Valley slipped into the lead for a 64-second opening 440 yards. Peretta and Central Catholic's Jeff Van Kooten were several meters behind Kolor after the first and second laps as the rest of the 14-runner field tried to stay close.
The next time by the finish line, Peretta turned from follower to leader as Van Kooten worked to keep contact as the pace quickened. Running powerfully through the line, Peretta was credited with a PA#2 clocking of 4 minutes, 11.53 seconds and a meet record, chopping more than 2 seconds off Sam Harko's run in 2009.
Van Kooten was next in a PA#3 4:13.69, while Kolor is now PA#4 at 4:14.69. Mercyhurst Prep's Sebastian Curtin (PA#5 4:18.46) and Fox Chapel's Elias Graca (PA#8 4:20.08) closed out the top five.
Hours later, Peretta, Kolor and Graca were back in the 800. Peretta was out well again, and no one was able to stay close.
Leading by 15 meters after an opening lap in 54.5 seconds, the Beaver Falls standout maintained his form, cruising through the line in a PA#3 1:52.44 that is also a PR and meet record. Graca, who ran 1:50.86 this winter, was closest in 1:54.49, and Kolor claimed another third in 1:55.03.
"It felt really good, but then the mile started kicking into my legs," Peretta said of his opening pace in the two-lapper. "I started dying down a little bit, but I still tried to give it all I had."
When asked about the double PR day, Peretta was mixed on his self-evaluation.
"In the mile I was (surprised), but for the 800 I was thinking I would go faster," he said. "For the mile, I didn't even know I had that in me."
Another strong distance performance was turned in by North Allegheny ace Matt McGoey, who led the 3,200 from wire to wire for a PR victory of 9:07.11.
"That was just an exercise in discipline," Tiger coach John Neff said of McGoey's PA#8 performance. "Trying to hit pace and even managing pain. He's motivated and driven right now."
Junior Kelsey Potts opened her day with a strong leg on Mt. Lebanon's winning 3,200 relay (PA#4 9:21.58) and then came back to win the girls' featured mile in a PA#1 4:56.19. Hannah Bablak of Quaker Valley was the runner-up in a PA#4 5:05.00, while Lauren Finikiotis of Oakland Catholic (PA#7 5:07.48), Vincentian Academy's Marianne Abdalah (PA#8 5:08.07), Villa Maria's Alison Carson (PA#9 5:11.52) and Seneca Valley's Rachel Hensler (PA#10 5:12.09) were pulled to solid times.
Another PA#1 was recorded by Elena Marchand of Hickory in the shot put. Her heave of 48-5.5 is the only one over 48 thus far this season and leads the rankings by a foot.
Other top winning efforts came from Valley's Ameriah Walters (200 in 25.32 and 300 hurdles in 45.19), freshman Rachel Helbling of South Fayette (400 in 57.94) and Bablak (PA#7 2:14.44) in the 800. Norwin's 4x100 relay ran 49.27, while Villa Maria churned four laps in 4:00.80, Abdalah won the 3,200 in 10:57.25 and NA freshman Clara Savchick was next at PA#9 10:59.96.
Hempfield Area's Lauren George spanned 18-2 to win the long jump, while Chandler Killins of West Mifflin won the triple at 37-2.5 and Madison Wiltrout of Connellsville ruled the javelin with a throw of 160-10.
For the boys, sophomore Isaac Elliott of Ambridge claimed the 100 and 200 in 11.13 and 22.12, while Todd Gunzenhauser of Mt. Lebanon ran a PA#9 9:16.33 for second in the 3,200, Upper St. Clair's Lyle Banton won both hurdle races in a PA#10 14.76 and 39.53 and Penn Hills won the 4x800 in a PA#10 8:03.54.
NA's Bobby Upton won on misses in the pole vault at a T-PA#4 14-6 over Riverview's Evan Lesnick, while Tiger teammate Andrew Manz is PA#10 on a 187-8 win in the javelin. Hickory's Evan Blaire is now PA#6 after his 53-11.25 for second in the shot, and Hempfield's Dominic Marshall is PA#7 after getting silver in the discus at 164-9.