Championship season is upon us. The PIAA state championship is this weekend and we're rolling out previews for all of the hotly contested jumps, throws, and races.

AAA Boys Shot Put

Berks Catholic's Brady Mider will look to put on a throwing clinic this weekend at the Ship. He comes in throwing 4 feet farther than the next closest competitor, his teammate Alex Witmer. Mider dominates the shot put and has done so all season long, with his worst finish being a fourth place at the historically competitive Penn Relays. He enters the meet with the farthest throw in the competition of 59-2.25. His teammate, Witmer, has the next closest throw of 55-3.25.

Odin Ferency of Easton Area will look to take the teammate duo down with his third-best throw of 54-7.75. He also has the fourth-best throw this season for the AAA in 55-7.

Ivan Tejada (Warwick) will be a name to watch out for trying to take the shot put crown. He is in at the fourth seed but has the second-best throw in the AA with 56-7.5. Tyler Klambara (Springfield Delco) can also challenge the top three with the third-best throw of 56-2 this season. 

AAA Boys Discus Throw

The discus throw will be a competitive match-up between the top five athletes. Peyton Murray (Hempfield) has a slight edge over the rest of his competition. He enters the meet as the number one seed after winning District VII with a throw of 169-05. Yet, he has shown the ability to throw farther with his personal best and PA #1 of 182-1.

Matthew Arnold (York Tech) will challenge Murray for gold with his seed of 168-04. Arnold has the second-best throw of the season with his PR of 173-4. 

Matthew Sarnowski (Penn Trafford) rounds out the top three. He was the District Seven runner-up after throwing 166-1 and will enter as the third seed. You can't count out Brady Mider, who can push for a top-three finish after throwing a new personal best last week of 161-1.

Other competitors who could make pushes for top finishes: Ridge Crispino, Jacob Tannenbaum, Joseph Sevison, and Josh Durika. 

AAA Boys Javelin Throw

Drew Mruk of Wyoming Area has led PA, and the entire nation in the javelin throw all season long. His season's best of 222-6 has stood atop the national rankings for the entirety outdoor season. He leads the way for the field with his District II winning throw of 208-7.

Two others with the best chances of challenging Mruk are Thomas Flud Jr (Upper Perkiomen) and Peter Bellomo (Jersey Shore Area). Flud Jr. enters the meet as the two seed after he won District I with a throw of 195-10. He was also the US #9 throw with 202-4. The third seed goes to Bellomo, who threw 193-0 and has a season's best of 208-2, a US #4. 

Nicholas Franceschelli (North Pocono) was second behind only Mruk at District 2 after throwing a new personal best of 193-10.