Blues Perform Well At Pioneer Meet
Senior Griffin Harlow won both the shot put and discus to lead the Parry McCluer High School boys indoor track and field team at the Pioneer District meet on Monday of last week at Narrows.
Harlow won the shot put title for the fourth year in a row. His season-best toss of 51 feet, 9.75 inches was comfortably ahead of the runner-up, Eastern Montgomery’s Marshall Tate, whose best throw went 45-8.75.
“Griffin had a great shot put day and is showing good signs of getting back to where he has been at this point in the season,” said PM throwing coach Danny Cole.
Cole noted that Harlow is still recovering from a back injury that he has battled all season, “but basically has decided to persevere through some pain and make a hard go at finishing his high school season in a very respectful way. Once he gets his speed in the circle better and better, I believe his throws will continue to approach his personal best from last year’s state meet.” Last year, Harlow placed third in the state meet in the shot put with a toss of 54-1.5.
In the discus, Harlow won the district title with a heave of 129-8, while EM’s Chase Bierman placed second with a throw of 123-5.
The top six finishers from the Pioneer District meet, along with those qualified by distance or time, advanced to the Region 1C meet.
Joining Harlow in advancing was senior Brenden Holdren, who placed fourth in both throwing events, with a seasonbest shot put toss of 41-8.75 in a heave of 101-3 in the discus.
Wrapping up his high school throwing career was senior Levi Hepler, placing seventh in the discus with a heave of 95-2 and finishing 13th in the shot put with a toss of 30-9.5.
The PM boys rested some of their top runners and did not compete in the 4 X 800-meter relay because they had already qualified for the Region 1C and Class 1 state meets.
Senior Logan Wheelock advanced in both of his individual races, placing second in the 3200-meter run in 10:22.98 and finishing fourth in the 1600-meter run in 4:59.93.
Junior teammate Sam Carpenter moved on in both of his races, placing fourth in the 800-meter run in 2:14.23 and coming in fifth in the 1600-meter run in 5:01.74.
Also advancing was freshman Matthew Cooper, finishing sixth in both of his races, the 800-meter run in 2:18.26 and the 1600-meter run in 5:21.94. PM freshman Victor Poluikis came in eighth in the 1600-meter run in 6:37.29.
Team scores were not available. The Blues were scheduled to compete in the Region 1C meet yesterday at Eastern Montgomery High School in Elliston. The top four individuals and top four relay teams, along with those qualifying by distance or time, advanced to the Class 1 state meet, which will take place next Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6, at the James Madison University Track and Field Complex in Harrisonburg.
