Throws
The Big Names
Alivia Bentley should be the toughest competitor in the entire state this season with the top returning mark in the shot put (42-11) and the second best mark among returners in the weight throw (45-5.75). Her 2018 indoor season ended with two runner-up finishes at state, but she was able to secure a gold medal in the outdoor shot put in a US No. 45 45-11.25. She also finished second in the discus.
Emma Kowalski - Hilliard Darby
The returning state champ in the weight throw, Emma Kowalski has already improved upon her state leading returning mark of 49-0 in the event. That's right: at the first Tiffin meet, she heaved the weight a US No. 3 50-4.25. That puts her over three feet ahead of Granville's Addison Hoover (47-3.75) who has already improved by almost five feet in her own right.
Kowalski only lost twice in eight attempts last winter, taking second at the Spire Showcase and twelfth in the championship section at New Balance Nationals. She could be on the verge of a national caliber season in the event if she continues to improve this winter. Watch for her to repeat at state this season, barring any other significant breakouts like Hoover's early season improvement.
Known around the state for chucking discs, Troy's Lenea Browder is hardly a slouch when it comes to the indoor events.
She enters the 2019 campaign tied for second among returners in the shot put with her 40-0 heave last winter. Outdoor, though, she bumped up to 48-6.5 mid-season and then finished second to Alivia Bentley at the state meet before securing gold in the discus.
Browder didn't compete much on the indoor circuit last winter, but if she shows up for the state meet this March, watch for her to go after the state title in the shot put, and possibly make some noise in the weight.
Tied for second among returners in the shot put at 40' even, Bedford's Alex Hunter is looking to improve upon her fourth place finish at the 2018 indoor state meet. She specialized in the event last winter and was able to improve in the spring, throwing 41-3.5 to finish fifth in June. Hunter consistently hangs out in the 38-41 foot range, but could really stir the pot if she can continue to improve upon her current personal best.
Springboro's Taylor Demoss enters the 2019 indoor season third among returners in the weight throw with her 44-11.25 throw from the third Tiffin meet last February. While she only placed 12th in the event at the state meet, she was able to head outside and make her presence felt in the similar hammer throw, taking third at the state hammer throw championships with a 126-3 mark. She's already thrown 43-0 in the early going and will be one to watch in the weight throw this winter.
The Up-and-Comers
Pickett was the top freshman last winter in the shot put with her 36-5 debut, but finished 12th at the state meet in her second attempt. She now returns with some outdoor seasoning under her belt, a slight improvement to 36-6.5, and is ranked sixth among all returners heading into this indoor season.
After capping off her freshman indoor campaign with a 20th place finish at the state meet and 34-3.5 indoor best, Radcliffe headed outdoor and improved to 38-6. She's among the top returning freshman and will absolutely be one to watch with that 38-6 from the outdoor season - a throw that would put her fourth among returning indoor marks.
Samaria Newton is just outside the top eight among returners in the weight throw with her 38-4 best. She was 11th at the state meet and finished out her freshman outdoor season with respectable bests in the hammer throw and discus of 99-5 and 111-9 respectively. Newton will be an up-and-comer to watch as she looks to make her way into the top eight in the weight throw and continue to improve in the shot put.
Event to Watch
Shot Put
The shot put will be highly competitive and interesting to watch as most of the big names from last year made significant improvements during the outdoor campaign.
All eyes are on Alivia Bentley as she is the top returner from state (2nd) and top returner by 2018 season best (42-11). Her 45-11.25 mark was enough to earn her the state title outdoor in the event, but there will be a few girls who challenge her indoors. Lenea Browder, Alex Hunter, and Emma Kowalski, all afore-mentioned, have thrown over 40-0 in their careers and girls like Tajiana Pickett, Emma Pesicka (Saint Joseph Academy), and Krista Okeafor (Brecksville-Broadview Heights) will also be looking to mix things up. Keep an eye on the shot put as we could see many more 40+ performances than the five we saw last winter.
Related Links/Videos
- D1 Girls Shot Put (OATCCC State 2018)