By Pat Dailey For OzarkSportsZone.com
JEFFERSON CITY — Changes Nixa’s Jackson Cantwell made in his technique earlier this week resulted in him capturing a state championship in the discus for the first time at the Class 5 State Track Meet on Friday.
Cantwell unleashed a winning throw of 61.96 meters, or 203 feet and three inches on his third attempt.
“It felt good to finally have a good meet,” Cantwell said. “I had issues at districts and sectionals. I made major changes. I’d been meaning to make those for a long time. It was long overdue. I had a throw at sectionals that probably wouldn’t have got fourth today.
“I was scared for my life,” he added about making changes the week of the state meet. “But I knew something was way off. I didn’t know exactly what. Turned out it was where I was holding the disc, something as simple as that. I fixed that and it helped a lot. That’s how this game always is, you’ve got to keep working on things to get better.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE CLASS 5 MEET
Cantwell’s second throw of 196-8 also would have been good enough for him to finish first. He was a state runner-up in the discus last year.
Cantwell and his cohorts performed in front of an unusually large number of fans for the discus, beyond the south end zone of Adkins Stadium.
“They were getting into it,” Cantwell said of the fans. “It was a great opportunity to put on a show in front of a lot of people.”
Nixa’s Hayden Mays, also a sophomore, placed third with a 184-5 and Webb City’s Nathaniel Miller finished fourth with a 176-8.
Camdenton’s Wiethop claims long jump title
Camdenton sophomore Ty Wiethop won a state championship in the long jump in Class 4 while making it three generations from his family to compete at the state meet in the long jump.
Wiethop won a tie-breaker with Sikeston’s Christoper Artis. They both topped out at 22-10. Officials went to their second-best jump and Wiethop had a 22-7, while Artis had a 22-5 3/4.
“I’ve never had a tie or anything like that before,” Wiethop said. “There was a lot of pressure. But I feel pretty confident under pressure most of the time. We got it done today.”
The top seven finishers all jumped at least 22-1. West Plains’ Andrew Jacobs was fourth with a 22-6 1/4, while Marshfield’s Brayden Hicks was sixth with a 22-5 1/4 and Bolivar’s Jason Wilkinson was seventh with a 22-1 3/4.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE CLASS 4 MEET
Wiethop entered the meet seeded first, just as his grandfather was more than 40 years ago. Jerry Wiethop also graduated from Camdenton and was the favorite to win the long jump at state his senior year. But he scratched on his best jumps.
Ty scratched on his first jump.
“I didn’t feel too good on my steps,” he said. “I was so focused on the board, trying not to get a scratch that it threw me off.”
Not deterred, he went on to have four jumps of at least 22-0.
“I feel like I came up here and did it for him,” Ty said of his grandfather. “He’s been my number one supporter forever. He’s always been there for me. We’re always talking about jumping. We share a passion for it.”
Ty’s aunt, Kristen McGuire, is a Camdenton’ coach. She was fourth at state in the long jump as a prep.
“My aunt Kristen is the best coach I could ask for. We’ve got everybody behind me,” Ty said.
McDonald County’s Dowd clinches medals
McDonald County sprinter Samantha Dowd assured herself of two medals by qualifying for Saturday’s Class 4 100 and 200 finals.
The medals will be Dowd’s first at state. She was ninth in the 100 last year.
“I’m glad I finally got medals. It’s a good accomplishment,” Dowd said. “It’s been a big year. I’ve put in a lot of work.”
Dowd was fourth in the 100 prelims with a PR of 11.88 and fourth in the 200 prelims with a 24.43.
Area Day 1 All-State Finishers
1st – Jackson Cantwell (Nixa) – Discus (61.96)
1st – Ty Wiethop (Camdenton) – Long Jump (6.96)
3rd – Gracie Kimrey (Marshfield) – High Jump (1.60)
3rd – Ciaria Keeney (Lebanon) – Discus (40.90)
3rd – Maddux NeSmith (Bolivar) – Pole Vault (4.48)
3rd – Gracie Troester (Republic) – 1600 (4:57.51)
3rd – Hayden Mays (Nixa) – Discus (56.21)
4th – Nathaniel Miller (Webb City) – Discus (53.84)
4th – Andrew Jacobs (West Plains) – Long Jump (6.86)
4th – Eva Williams (Nixa) – Pole Vault (3.63)
5th – Tucker Liberatore (Webb City) – Javelin (51.67)
5th – Adyson Clark (Marshfield) – Shot Put (12.38)
6th – Brayden Hicks (Marshfield) – Long Jump (6.84)
6th – Jonathan Hedrick (Waynesville) – Triple Jump (13.78)
6th – Nixa – 4×800 (7:54.81)
6th – Brooke Hedger (Webb City) – 1600 (5:00.99)
6th – Jason Wilkinson (Bolivar) – High Jump (1.87)
6th – Jenna Belcher (Republic) – Long Jump (5.61)
6th – Abigail McBride (Marshfield) – Triple Jump (10.87)
7th – Jason Wilkisnon (Bolivar) – Long Jump (6.75)
7th – Neil Barstow (Joplin) – Discus (49.40)
7th – Payson Reisner (Bolivar) – 3200 (9:50.13)
7th – Evan Stevens (Webb City) – 3200 (9:18.91)
8th – Evangelia Woods (Willard) – Discus (36.51)
8th – Toby Moore (McDonald County) – Shot Put (16.11)
8th – Brooke Hedger (Webb City) – 800 (2:14.89)
