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Geist claims state's shot put crown

Butler girls set 3 school records

STATE COLLEGE — Add another title to Jordan Geist’s resume.

Knoch’s senior managed a throw of 75 feet, 3.75 inches to capture first place in the boys shot put at Saturday’s indoor track and field state championship meet at Penn State University.

It is Geist’s third consecutive indoor title in the shot put. He was runner-up his freshman year.

Dominating high school competition has become commonplace for Geist and his latest effort was no different. Hickory’s Evan Blaire finished in second place with a throw of 64-9.75, or 10½ feet shorter than Geist.

Geist has become known on both the national and international stage. He placed third at the Junior National 20-under Track and Field Championships in California last year.

He owns the high-school age world record by tossing a 16-pound shot put 68 feet, four inches.

“It’s still nice to accomplish,” Geist said of his state title Saturday. “Seventy-five feet is a great throw, especially for not wanting to peak at this time of the year.

“But obviously, competing in national competitions means more.”

Geist had six throws at Penn State, all of them covering more than 72 feet. His best effort was his second attempt.

“I like indoor a little more (than the spring outdoor season),” he said. “With indoor, it’s going to be perfect weather every time and it’s (Class) AA and AAA combined.”

Butler’s girls came away from the state championships with numerous school records.

Alexis Leech broke her own school standard in the 400-meter dash with a sixth-place time of 56.72 seconds.

Leech was also part of a relay record, teaming with Maddie Tonini, Liz Simms and Shana Hoy in the 1,600 event. The quartet finished with a sixth-place time of 3:58.76, breaking the previous school record by over six seconds.

Simms ran a 2:19.46 in the 800 meters for a 13th-place finish and another school record.

Taylor Weaver earned a medal in the pole vault, taking eighth with an effort of 11 feet.

Slippery Rock’s Brady Dalton competed in the girls 60 hurdles. After posting a school-record time of 9.13 in the preliminaries, she ran a 9.14 in the semifinals to finish 13th.

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