Blues Compete At Blue Demon Invitational
Parry McCluer High School senior thrower Griffin Harlow qualified for the Class 1 state track and field meet in the boys’ discus, as did the PM boys’ 4 X 800-meter relay team on Saturday at the Blue Demon Invitational in Christiansburg.
Harlow, who has been getting stronger after recovering from a back injury much of the season, placed 10th with a throw of 134 feet, 6.75 inches. Auburn’s Colton Honaker won the discus with a heave of 159-2.6.
“I was pleased at what I saw with Griffin on Saturday,” said PM throwing coach Danny Cole. “He’s starting to turn the corner again, I believe. He’s still hurting, but I think he understands his pain and knows when to stop training and rest. His speed is something he’s been working on during his injury, and he definitely got faster Saturday.”
Harlow also competed in the shot put, placing fourth with a toss of 49-1.25. Auburn’s Kobi Bonds won with a throw of 62 feet. Cole said that, although Harlow has room to improve, “I saw what I felt as a good sign at this stage, and if things continue the way they are going, he should be right there fighting for at least the state runnerup [behind Bonds] in the shot put.”
Also throwing for the Blues were seniors Brenden Holdren and Levi Hepler. Holdren placed 19th in the shot put with a toss of 41 feet and 36th in the discus with a heave of 101-8.75 Hepler, who had limited practice time last week due to a knee injury, came in 46th in the discus with a throw of 89-6 and 49th in the shot put with a toss of 32-1.75. Cole said both throwers “continue to try and improve on reaching their power position in both throws.”
“I’m confident our kids are approaching their peaks for the year, and it’s coming at the right time,” added Cole.
In the boys’ 4 X 800-meter relay, the Blues finished in a state-qualifying time of 8:16. The placing was not available in the results. Team members were seniors Josh Cooper and Logan Wheelock, junior Kebryl Chandler and sophomore Caleb Cooper.
Josh Cooper led PM in the 800-meter run, placing eighth in 2:03.82, and Caleb Cooper finished 13th in 2:05.44. Wheelock, competing for the first time since suffering a stress fracture in his foot in the Blues’ winning 4X 800-meter relay at the Class 1 state indoor meet in early March, finished 18th in 2:07.49.
In the boys’ 3200-meter run, PM junior Sam Carpenter placed 14th in 10:47.25, a personal record by about 10 seconds. Freshman teammate Matthew Cooper followed in 15th in 10:51.17, about four seconds shy of his personal record.
Chandler, who had broken the school record in the 3200-meter run in mid-April, only competed in the 4 X 800-meter relay on Saturday.
Cole is planning to take his throwers the Golden Eagle Invitational on Saturday at Staunton River High School in Moneta. The entire team will travel to Narrows on Monday for the Pioneer District meet, starting at 10 a.m.
