AAA Boys' Shot Put Preview
Another shot putter from western Pennsylvania looks to have the inside track on Class AAA gold heading into this weekend's PIAA finale at Shippensburg.
Bradford Area's John Eakin is the lone athlete to heave the 12-pound ball more than 60 feet this season and has continued to improve after a breakout performance indoors at the PFTCA finale.
Sixth a year ago, Eakin first topped 60 feet with his state-leading and US#23 performance of 62-6 in a dual meet against Punxsutawney earlier this month. He followed that up with a 61-6.75 victory in the District 9 meet for one of the biggest leads on paper in the PIAA field events.
Eakin's dominance thus far outdoors is on the heels of big improvement in the final two meets of his 2018 indoor season. The senior won the state indoor title with a toss of 57-5.75 and followed that up with another 57-plus effort at New Balance Nationals Indoor.
Close behind Eakin last year was Keith Dreese of Selinsgrove, who is No. 2 on the season list and third best in terms of best mark at the district level. Dreese, who was 7th in the 2017 PIAA meet, has been bested just once this season in the shot put, and that was in the Jack Roddick Invitational at Ship.
Finishing second in the state indoor meet was Bensalem's Yobani Moreno. He finished the undercover campaign with a string of 56-plus meets and hit his outdoor best thus far in March and looks to improve greatly on his 18th from a year ago.
A shot specialist, Bailey O'Malley of Baldwin is about 5 feet better than a year ago as he looks ahead to his first trip to the PIAA meet. The junior won at Mars before claiming the Baldwin Invitational and WPIAL crowns on his home circle.
Seneca Valley senior Zach Gehm was 15th a year ago and joins Somerset Area's Nick Hyde (17th) as the only other returnees from the '17 final. Gehm is shooting for top podium finishes in each of the throws, while Hyde has been one of the more consistent in the shot with at least four meets over 54-0.
Jeff Kline of Fleetwood Area was third at indoor states and comes in with a season best of 54-8.25, which should make him a contender.
In case you were wondering, the last time a thrower each of the state capital won the AAA shot was Luke Persichetti of LaSalle College in 2013 as Jordan Geist (3) and Max Adams won the last four state crowns.
ENTRIES:
Event 716 Boys Shot Put AAA (24)
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NFHS Record: 77-00 1979 Michael Carter, D JeffersonHS,TX
PIAA Record: 74-03.50 2016 Jordan Geist, Knoch 7
NFHS Hnr Rol: 61-06
52-00.00 SQS
Name Year School Seed Mark Finals
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1 Eakin, John 12 Bradford Area 09 61-06.75 SQS
2 Hyde, Nickolas 11 Somerset Area 05 55-11.00 SQS
3 Dreese, Keith 12 Selinsgrove 04 55-10.50 SQS
4 O'Malley, Bailey 11 Baldwin 07 54-04.00 SQS
5 Gehm, Zach 12 Seneca Valley 07 53-06.75 SQS
6 Kline, Jeff 10 Fleetwood 03 52-10.00 SQS
7 Moreno, Yobani 12 Bensalem 01 51-10.75
8 Adams, Justin 11 Pottsgrove 01 51-06.00
9 Bear, Brooks 12 Donegal 03 51-05.75
10 Harrington, Tucker 12 Corry Area 10 51-01.50
11 Elma, Cam 12 Penn Trafford 07 51-01.00
12 George, Brandon 11 Berks Cath 03 50-10.50
13 Frederick, Gabe 11 Lamp Strasbrg 03 50-08.50
14 Liggitt, Zachery 12 Northampton 11 50-03.50
15 Harmon, Brock 10 Chambersburg 03 50-01.25
16 Moore, Derek 12 Chambersburg 03 49-11.75
17 Munson, William 11 Jim Thorpe 11 49-06.00
18 Leinhauser, Sam 12 Perk Valley 01 49-01.75
19 Arndt, Matt 12 Penncrest 01 48-09.00
20 Robinson, Jamil 12 Abington 01 48-08.50
21 Briuch, Aiden 9 Connellsville 07 48-04.75
22 Mayer, Levi 10 Archbshp Wood 12 47-05.50
23 Cocco, Philip 12 Pittston Area 02 47-05.25
24 Mersky, Leland 11 La Salle Cllg 12 47-00.00