In The Circle: 2011 High School Throws Preview

It will be wise to bring a few extra towels and clean out the throwing circles this week as the outdoor season for track and field opens in Minnesota.

St. Francis sophomore Maggie Ewen is third all-time in Minnesota in the girls discus and has shown no signs of slowing down. After edging current Golden Gopher Kim Hovey (Red Wing) in the State discus last June, Ewen went on to finish 5th at USA Juniors. Ewen may not have much competition over the 160' line like she did last year, but she will see intense competition in the shot put.

Look for seniors Labraisha Michael (Bloomington Kennedy) and Jennifer Svobodny (Lakeville North) to contend in the shot put.

The boys side in 2011 should primarily be a three horse race. Senior Luke Johnson (Red Wing) looks to capture the state title that has eluded him the last two years. Johnson has been over 60-feet and 170-feet since his sophomore year, but has run into a fiercely competitive field the last two seasons.

The UW-River Falls-bound Johnson wasted no time by opening the season with a U of M Fieldhouse record last weekend with an indoor mark of 61-4" in the shot put.

It wouldn't be a throws preview if Owatonna didn't get their well deserved spot. Senior Jake Fensky takes center stage again in 2011. Fensky ranks 11th all-time in the boys shot put, but only third in school history. Fensky and Johnson are familiar foes having squared off in the same section and many big meets for several years.

If championship bloodlines defined track and field like they did horse racing then look no further than the Olympian roots of junior Tom Anderson of Andover. The son of Minnesota/Oregon greats Colin and Lynne Anderson will build on a third place in the boys shot put last June and a 5th place finish at USATF Junior Olympic Championships in Sacramento, California in late July.

Other names to watch in 2011:

Jordyn Thorton, 10, Lakeville South
Elly Reinke, 12, New Prague
Emma Erickson, 11, Lakeville North

Joe Bjorklund, 12, Rosemount
Brandt Berghuis, 12, Rosemount
Brian King, 11, White Bear Lake