What Might Have Been: Girls Shot Put
AA
There was a good deal of young talent that was set to compete for state titles in the AA shot put. While the top two from the state meet last year have graduated the next three places were sophomores or freshman.
That list is led by United's Maizee Fry. She threw 40-7.5 to take third in the state last season. That was just two inches ahead of Schulykill Valley's Ashlyn Giles. Giles holds the best returning put out of the AA girls, a 42-4 from New Balance Nationals Outdoor that came after states last spring. Both girls, in their junior years, were set for what could have been big seasons.
But each may have been chasing Emma Callahan of Shenango, who emerged onto the throws scene in a big way last year as a freshman. Now a sophomore, Callahan is coming off a big indoor season that saw her put a best of 47-11. Callahan would have likely been the favorite here.
Union Area's Madison Wynn, who threw her best of 37-6 last year to take seventh at states, would have been another contender in this field.
AAA
Few were more motivated that Maria Deaviz during the winter and it showed. After an injury last spring forced Deaviz to miss the district and state meets last spring, the senior came back on a mission during the indoor season, posting the third best shot put performance (51-10.75) in state history indoors. It was also the 16th best indoor put in U.S. prep history.
She showed no signs of slowing down after rather easily winning the indoor state crown. But COVID-19 had other plans and Deaviz' high school career ended prematurely. It surely would have been one to watch for and she would have been among the state's premiere athletes to keep an eye on at Ship this weekend.
Deaviz would have been the big favorite here. But Council Rock South's Siniru Iheoma would look to give her a run. Iheoma was second last season at outdoor states and also second in the shot at indoor states. She comes in with a SB of 45-11.75 from last season. Upper Darby's Kayla Thorpe was fourth at states, the only other returning medalist. She was fifth at indoor states and would have been right there, gunning for a high finish.
Hempfield Area's Isabella Gera had a strong indoor season -- she took fourth in the state -- and would have been a contender, as well. The same goes for Bethel Park's Sarah Gilliam, who was eighth at indoor states in the winter. Kamryn Snyder of Milton Area was right on the cusp of the 40-foot mark and that would have made her a solid threat in this really, really good field of shot putters.