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She took all the drama out of it when she did so with her first throw Friday at the Class 1A state high school track and field meet at Hamline University.
Apparently, she wasn’t nervous, despite it being the Lanesboro/ Fillmore Central junior’s first state appearance.
Oh, the 129-foot, 1-inch throw also nabbed her a fourth place finish.
“I was really nervous,” she admitted. “Getting (the record on my first throw) kind of helped, but then I thought, ‘I have to beat that.’ After that, I just tried too hard.”
So, her first throw was her best and she knocked Jodi Haugen’s 125-7 distance to second in the record books and now holds both the shot put and discus record.
She could best her shot record today, because she’s at state in that, too. The Class 1A meet concludes today, beginning at 3 p.m.
Lewiston-Altura’s Tanner Ties was also going for a school record — trying to pass his brother Tyler in the pole vault — but when it was all said and done, he was just happy getting over the bar, let alone getting onto the podium.
Ties finished seventh in the pole vault with a height of 13 feet, 3 inches.
This was Ties’ third and final trip to state. His first two trips — his freshman and sophomore years — he got to state, but never got over the bar.
So, clearing that first height, though it seems easy enough, was a big relief.
“It definitely took a lot of pressure off getting that first height,” he said.
Wabasha-Kellogg’s Andrew Taubel had a different kind of pressure in his first and last state meet.
Like Ties, the only one from his school, and a senior, but he’s in three events, and he’s never witnessed a state meet.
Taubel took sixth in the triple jump (43-7¾) and finished the 200-meter in 22.68, but did not qualify for finals. Today, he’ll be competing in the long jump.
“It’s been an amazing experience, that’s for sure,” said Taubel. “But it’s been kind of lonely being the only one here from (W-K).“
Plainview-Elgin-Millville had a pair at state. Zach Flies is in two events, and finished the shot put with a 10th-place finish — though only the top nine medal. Flies, who will throw the discus today, tossed the shot 49-4¾, which didn’t get him into finals, but was still less than two inches from medaling.
Meanwhile, Pesch, who holds four school records, finished fourth overall in the 3,200 (9:46.71).
Rushford-Peterson/Houston also had a pair at state. Senior Kristen Ostrem qualified for finals in the 800 with a 2:24.84 — the eighth-best time.
Teammate Nicole Brown threw a 105-9 in the discus, which did not qualify for her finals.
Caledonia/Spring Grove’s Samantha Wermager also did not qualify for finals. Wermager, who competes in the triple jump today, finished the 300 hurdles in 48.78.
As for the relays, all four area teams qualified for finals, including a pair of boys teams from L/FC and C/SG.
Both of those schools will be represented in the 800 relay. L/FC had the best qualifying time (1:31.33). C/SG finished in 1:32.88.
L/FC will also compete in the 1,600 relay — trying to defend its state title — after qualifying in 3:28.57. C/SG made it in the 400 relay (44.47), and on the girls side, La Crescent’s 400 relay qualified in 51.15.
