SHIPPENSBURG — With the sun and oppressive heat baring down on Jordan Geist, the Knoch junior did the best he could to stay cool.

He dumped water over his head. He tried to stay out of the sun between discus throws. He even wrapped a wet towel around his head toward the end of the competition.

Geist threw 183 feet to win the Class AAA discus Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at sweltering Shippensburg University.

It was well below his season-best of 193 feet, 6 inches and short of the goal of 200 feet he had set for himself.

No matter. He’s a state champion in the event. Again.

Geist won both the shot put and discus state titles for the second consecutive year.

“It’s definitely a great experience defending both titles, especially with some very, very strong discus competition,” Geist said.

No one in the field threw near his best.

The stagnant, humid air seemed to knock the disc right out of the sky, said Knoch throwing coach and Jordan’s mother Judy Geist.

“I think the heat took a toll on all of them,” Coach Geist said. “They all threw much better throughout the season. I think that played a big factor.”

Jordan Geist, though, took it all in stride.

That’s something he admitted he may not have done in the past.

“I think the worst mistake I made last year was taking everything too seriously,” Jordan Geist said. “If I didn’t throw my PR every meet, I’d be bummed out.

“It was just one of those days where the weather wouldn’t allow anyone to throw their best,” he added. “My hands were so sweaty, it was hard to grip the disc.”

Geist will now prepare for the New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet June 17-19 in Greensboro, N.C.

A week later, Geist will compete in the USA Track and Field Junior Nationals in Clovis, Calif.

There, Geist will throw a shot put that is a pound heavier and a discus that is a half-pound heavier than what he throws in high school.

If he finishes in the top three, he will qualify for the U.S. team and compete in Poland.

Judy Geist said Jordan already throws a heavier shot during training and has hit 70 feet, which would be good enough for him to qualify.

“It would definitely be a great experience,” Jordan Geist said. “It will be an opportunity to compete for my first U.S. team and travel to a foreign country.”

Jordan Geist is taking time to enjoy himself through his whirlwind year.

He drew big crowds when he threw at the state meet and had coaches, athletes and fans from other schools approach him just to meet him.

“I’m just trying to soak it all in,” Jordan Geist said. “That’s been my goal this year, to take a step back and experience the ride.”

Judy Geist finds herself watching more as a mom that a coach at times.

“I love watching everyone watch him,” Coach Geist said. “I love seeing the reactions like, ‘Oh my gosh, he threw the shot into the grass.’ Or, ‘Oh my gosh, he threw the disc into the other shot sector.’ It’s a lot of fun.”

Some other notable Butler County Area performances Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships:

Freeport senior Dylan Hochbein came home with three Class AA medals around his neck.

Hochbein placed second in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 38.60 seconds. He was third in the 110 hurdles (14.71) and teammed with Brandon Hochbein, Kevin Lynch and Rob Reichenbaugh on Freeport’s third-place 1,600-meter relay team (3:26.22).

Butler senior Emily Horstman capped off her breakout season with a pair of state medals.

Horstman placed seventh in both the 100- and 200-meter dash with times of 12.38 and 25.22 respectively.

After winning the state title in the Class AA discus Friday, Moniteau senior Maura Kimmel placed fourth in the shot put Saturday morning with a toss of 42-7.

Her teammate, Brittany Lindsay, was fifth (39-1¼).

Seneca Valley senior Mike Kolor placed second in the Class AAA 1,600 with a time of 4:11.35.

Kolor, the valedictorian of his graduating class, decided to pass on giving his commencement speech to compete at the state track meet.

Grove City’s Catie Jaskowak was fifth in the Class AA 3,200 with a time of 11:13.23.

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic’s Rylee Kopchak was fifth in the Class AA 1,600 with a time of 5:06.73.

Geist’s teammate, Brennan McTighe, placed eighth in the discus with a mark of 158-10.