Girls' Shot Put Preview
One girl has stood above the rest in the shot put this season. On Sunday, she'll go for her first career indoor state championship to add to her outdoor AAA title from last spring. Berwick's Payden Montana has been unstoppable this season consistently launching the implement well beyond the marks put up by the rest of the state. Montana is ranked second in the nation. After a third place finish last season, she's poised to move up to the top spot at her future home, Penn State, this weekend.
Montana's season best and PR is 47-4.75 from a Germantown Academy meet earlier this season. But she's also thrown past 47 feet on two other occasions and over 45 feet two other times, and even those throws are over two feet better than the next best.
After that it's crowded, and the competition for those other state medals will be fierce. 11 other girls have thrown over 40 feet. At the top of that list is Sam Dyson of Punxsutawney Area, who sits at PA#2 after a big throw in Ohio of 43-4. Reading's Keeley Suzenski (PA#3) is having a great season. Her best is 41-7.75 and has throw over 40 three other times. Lillia Allen of Penn Hills has also been strong this season. Her best is a PA#4 of 41-6.
But beating Allen for the TSTCA title was Hempfield Area's Mackenna Orie, who topped a deep TSTCA field for the win. She enters at PA#9. Others from the TSTCA to watch for include T-PA#6 Michaela Burkhauser (Hickory), T-PA#6 Laurel Bristow (Baldwin), PA#11 Maura Huwalt (South Park), and PA#12 Jena Reinheimer (Butler).
Greenwood's Mallory Kauffmann (PA#5) is having a big season that included a best throw of 40-10 from Kevin Dare. Piper Klinger of Selinsgrove (PA#8) should also be in the mix for a high place. The fight for the top eight will be a good one to keep an eye on.
Girls' Shot Put Entries:
Event 23 Girls Shot Put (17)
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Meet Record: 49-01.50 2/21/1998 Heather Colyer, East Juniata
Name Year School
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1 Allen, Lillia 11 Penn Hills
2 Bristow, Laurel 12 Baldwin
3 Burkhauser, Michaela 12 Hickory
4 Campbell, Cambrie 12 Moniteau
5 Dyson, Sam 12 Punxsutawney
6 Hutchinson, Rachel 12 Hempfield (7)
7 Huwalt, Maura 11 South Park
8 Katcavage, Cecilia 12 Haverford Twp
9 Kauffman, Mallory 11 Greenwood
10 Klinger, Piper 12 Selinsgrove
11 McCaskill, Airika 12 Spring Grove
12 Montana, Payden 12 Berwick
13 Orie, Mackenna 11 Hempfield (7)
14 Raezer, Jenna 12 Ephrata
15 Reinheimer, Jena 12 Butler
16 Suzenski, Keeley 11 Reading
17 Toscano, Meaghan 10 Germantown Acad