Jordan Geist (Knoch) / Photo by Phil Grove
Boys' Shot Put Preview
This is, as they say, the main event.
Knoch's Jordan Geist will go for his seventh career Pennsylvania state championship and his third straight indoor state crown in the shot put. Only disaster will prevent the Arizona recruit from accomplishing that. Geist is the nation's top thrower and he's sure to remind us of that in the circle this weekend.
Saturday is Geist vs. the tape measure. He's thrown 11 feet farther than his next closest competition (who happens to be third in the nation). He's thrown 76-10.5, the second best throw of any high schooler ever. With another good day, we could be seeing a new state record, and who knows, maybe even that national record.
And about that US#3. That is Hickory's Evan Blaire, who is frequently in the shadow of Geist. But Blaire is, in his own right, a beast. The Auburn signee is one of the best of the state of Pennsylvania has ever seen(and plenty of amazing shot putters have competed in the Keystone State. Blaire has thrown a best of 65-6.25 and he will be chasing a PR of his own in what is a crazy competitive boys' shot.
The cutoff for making the state meet this year was 54-10. A throw like that would have placed you fifth in the state at last year's meet. Geist is the main attraction, but each and every thrower in this field is great. We have three guys in the state that have thrown over 58 feet.
Photo by Don Rich
Saint Marys Area's Tom Bojalad had a monster effort at TSTCAs, throwing a PA#3 and PR of 59-1.5, where he took second to Geist. Bojalad took fifth at states last year and the senior will look to improve upon that. Chambersburg's Kelton Chastulik tossed a huge throw of 58-4.25 at the Carnival. He currently sits at PA#4. Another big effort will land Chastulik high up on the podium at the end of Saturday. Hempfield Area's Alex Murray is PA#5 entering the state meet. He threw 58-3.75 earlier this season and has been over 55 feet since. That consistency is a good sign as we look to Saturday.
Cathedral Prep's Cameron Landis (PA#6), Selinsgrove's Keith Dreese (PA#7), North Pocono's Matt Slagus (PA#8), Southern Lehigh's Andrew Rochon (PA#9), and Greencastle-Antrim's Campbell Parker (PA#10) are the others in the field that have thrown over 56 feet. But realistically, any of the 15 entries have a shot at medaling on Saturday.
Geist will grab headlines, but even without him, the shot put is one of the day's premiere events.
Boys' Shot Put Entries:
Event 24 Boys Shot Put (15)
===============================================================================
9 to the finals
State Meet: 71-03.25 2/28/2016 Jordan Geist, Knoch
Name Year School
===============================================================================
1 Bishop, Tyler 12 Hickory
2 Blaire, Evan 12 Hickory
3 Bojalad, Tom 12 Saint Marys
4 Chastulik, Kelton 12 Chambersburg
5 Cummings, Connor 12 W C Rustin
6 Dreese, Keith 11 Selinsgrove
7 Geist, Jordan 12 Knoch
8 Gibson, Quadir 11 Glen Mills
9 Landis, Cameron 12 Cathedral Prep
10 Mastro, Sam 11 South Fayette
11 Murray, Alex 12 Hempfield
12 Parker, Campbell 12 G-Castle-Antrim
13 Rochon, Andrew 12 Sthrn Lehigh
14 Slagus, Matt 12 North Pocono
15 Viau, Ben 12 Manheim Twp