Deines rallies with sixth-round throw to edge Knowles, with Lewis winning boys shot put; Notre Dame’s Fontenette and Johnson continue to achieve at same high level as last year

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. – Notre Dame demonstrated once again that it has one of the top female throwing tandems in the country and California showcased only a portion of its impressive depth in the boys discus Saturday at the third edition of the John Godina Throwers Invitational.

April Fontenette, a senior, and sophomore Aja Johnson helped host Notre Dame take the top two spots in both the girls discus and shot put competitions, with Redondo Union’s Kai Deines rebounding from an uncharacteristic shot put performance to rally for the discus victory.

INTERVIEWS | RESULTS

Fontenette, the California state runner-up last year in the discus, produced a personal-best 157 feet, 9 inches (48.09m), with Johnson securing runner-up at 137 feet (41.75m).

Johnson edged Fontenette in the shot put by a 42-9 (13.03m) to 42-4 (12.90m) margin. They are the top two returning competitors in the state in the event after taking second and third, respectively, last season.

Kiera Donovan of Golden Valley took third in the girls shot put at 39-5.50 (12.02m), with Siena Lambert from JSerra finishing third in the girls discus at 136-5 (41.58m).

Deines, who took third in the state last year, saved his best discus effort for last, producing a sixth-round performance of 170-10 (52.08m) to surpass Tyler Knowles of Rancho Buena Vista at 170-6.50 (51.98m).

McKay Madsen of Clovis North took third at 168-10.50 (51.47m), with Garden Grove Pacifica’s Zach Lewis finishing fourth at 156-2 (47.60m).

Lewis prevailed in the boys invitational shot put with a mark of 56-10 (17.32m), with Jaylon Wells of Warren placing second at 55-3 (16.84m) and Knowles earning third at 54-10 (16.71m) based on a better second mark following a tiebreaker with Clovis North’s Brayden Bitter.

Deines, who boasts a personal-best 63-5.25 (19.34m) and placed fifth at the state final last year, also finished fifth Saturday at 54-8 (16.66m).

Christopher Nora of Oak Hills triumphed in the boys open shot put at 45-6.50 (13.88m).