New Yorkers to duke it out in boys shot put

 
By Chris Lotsbom, ArmoryTrack.com and Dyestat.com

The boys shot put should be a classic duel between two New York natives competing in their final New Balance Nationals Indoor meet. Seniors Benjamin Bonhurst (Smithtown West, NY) and Devon Patterson (Williamsville South, NY) are the class of the field, ranked first and second nationally, the only throwers who have gone beyond 63 feet, 10 inches.

Bonhurst is very familiar with The Armory's ring, having competed here several times during the season. Among his many victories in 2014 are the Eastern States Championship (64-07.00), North Shore Invitational (64-01.00), and New York State Championships (63-07.25). However, the Florida State-bound Bonhurst's longest throw came at the Long Island Elite Meet in February, when he unleashed a 65-0 mark. He may have extra motivation coming into NBN, as last year he finished a spot shy of earning All American honors.

Patterson's best mark came the same day as Bonhurst's, though at the New York Section 6 State Qualifier. There he threw 63-10.75. Patterson is the top returner from last year's New Balance Nationals, where he was sixth just ahead of Bonhurst.

Other athletes to keep an eye on are Eric Favors NY (63-0.50), Amir Ali Patterson CA (62-10), and Nick Pulli NJ (62-05). Also having thrown over 62 feet are Ohio's Logan Bryer (62-03) and New York's Dennis Russel (62-01).

Girls Shot Put

The top four ranked girls shot putters in the nation will come together at The Armory, facing off on Saturday. Leading the charge are seniors Raven Saunders (Burke, SC) and Stamatia Scarvelis (Dos Pueblos, CA), tied with US#1 season bests of 53-08.25.

Scarvelis, who is bound for UCLA next fall, won gold at last year's US Junior Outdoor and Pan Am Junior Championships. This winter at the Simplot Games, Scarvelis claimed victory with a winning throw of 53-08.25. Just last week she threw 51-09.05 outdoors; she could ride that momentum to a big performance at NBN.

According to Dyestat's TFX results database, Saunders has only thrown the shot put twice this season. First was in December, when she uncorked the 53-08.25 mark to win the NCRunners Elite Holiday Invitational. In late January, she returned to the ring for a 46-03.25 Clemson Youth and Masters Invitational victory. With the high stakes competition, look for Saunders to regain the form she showed in December.

Scarvelis and Saunders have thrown more than a foot farther than US#3 ranked Ashlie Blake (Liberty, NV), whose best in 2014 is 52-03.50. Last summer she earned a bronze medal at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Ukraine, so she probably rates as a co-favorite.

Behind Blake, Lena Giger IL, Galissia Cause VA, and McKenzie Kuehlewind NY are all ranked in the top 10, vying for All American spots. The top returner from New Balance Nationals Indoor 2013 is Tara Belinsky of Massachusetts, who placed fourth.

Boys Weight Throw

The boys weight throw will crown a new champion this year, as Rudy Winkler -- the victor at each of the last three New Balance Nationals Indoor meets -- has graduated and moved on to Cornell University.

Adam Kelly of Barrington RI enters the meet as the favorite, having thrown 79-1 to win the New England Weight Throw Championships. Kelly is the national leader by nearly a foot over Daniel Haugh, who competes for the legendary Throw1Deep club based out of Georgia. Haugh's season best is 78-05, and he is the top returner from a year ago.

The only two other athletes to have thrown farther than 70 feet this year are Logan Bryer, a senior from Ohio and Bobby Colantonio, a sophomore teammate of Kelly's at Barrington High. Bryer notched a 76-6 mark to win the Oiler High School Invitational in Ohio last February, while Colantonio's best of 70-2 came at the New England Weight Throw Championships, where he finished second.

Girls Weight Throw

Seven of the top ten girls weight throwers in the nation will compete at The Armory, led by Ohio senior Gabby Figueroa. Committed to attend LSU in the fall, Figueroa has established herself as the best weight thrower on the prep level thanks to three marks beyond 60 feet. She is the only athlete in high school to have broken 60 feet this year, recording a US#1 of 64-11 at the Kent State High School Meet this month. At a pair of Youngstown State HS Meets, she threw 62-8 and 61-9. Figueroa was third overall at last year's New Balance Nationals Indoor.

While Figueroa looks to be the commanding favorite, never count out athletes from Throw1Deep and Georgia. Those entered include US#2 Kelli Thomas (Luella, GA), US#3 Kamryn Brinson (Marist, GA), US#8 Andrea Vahoua (Pope, GA), and US#10 Nyla Woods (Grady, GA). Thomas and Brinson have both gone beyond the 58-foot mark, recording bests of 58-11.50 and 58-8.75.