As soon as Connor Scott got off his first practice throw with the shot put in the Todd Stadium circle on Friday afternoon, he knew it was going to be a good day.
The Lee-Davis senior, whose previous best in the shot was a 56-6 effort at his team's conference meet this year, didn't recapture the momentum right away. His first attempt yielded a toss of just over 52 feet. But to hear the Confederate senior, that was part of the master plan.
"I just wanted a good enough throw to make it into the finals," said Scott, who eventually captured the 5A boys shot put title on Friday.
As it turned out, Scott was just getting warmed up. His next throw sailed 57 feet, and 8.5 inches to set a new state meet record, previously held by John Cline of Brooke Point, who threw the 12-pound ball 55 feet, seven and a quarter inches at the 2014 state meet.
A couple more throws of 56 and 55 feet validated Scott's ability to any doubting spectators surrounding the pit, which is tucked away next to the south side bleachers. But the best was yet to come.
With one more spin and push, Scott cemented his victory uncorking a new personal-best and new state meet record throw of 57-11.5. And perhaps his last throw of 57-6.25 might have qualified as "showing off." Regardless, Scott finished the day with his second state crown, matching his outdoor championship last spring.
However, the self-aware thrower was already thinking about Saturday. "This feels good, but I want to keep my energy up for the discus." On Saturday, Scott placed second in the discus with a toss of 162-11, in an event won by Connor Steggerda of Stone Bridge, who unleashed a winning throw of 174-9.
Scott's personal and athletic life have been on an upward trajectory since his disappointing third place finish at the 5A indoor meet just three months ago. Just two weeks after the indoor meet, Alex Heacock, the former throwing coach, and as of June 1, the new director of operations for cross-country and track and field at William and Mary, concluded his three-year recruitment of the Mechanicsville thrower in the form of a scholarship offer to join the Green and Gold in Williamsburg.
Scott couldn't be happier.
"They have some good throwers," said the future Tribesman who is about to be one of them. "Taylor Frenia (Kempsville High) just threw 192 feet in the discus, and Preston (Richardson) just hit 58 in the shot."
A move to the Historic Triangle could also be amicable with Scott's future plans. He aims to major in pre-law at W&M, a move that could allow him to continue his education at Marshall-Wythe Law School.
Michael Klusner of J.E.B. Stuart, the surprise winner of the state indoor shot title was second in 54-10, while Hermitage's Xavier Ivey placed third in 54-1.5.
Lee-Davis had another winner in the field events, as junior pole vaulter Alex Slinkman cleared 16 feet for the day's highest vault. On the track, senior Nicholas Corbin took the 110-meter hurdle championship, with a swift time of 14.27. In the end, the Confederates' effort fell painfully just short of a state championship, as Potomac finished fourth to Lee-Davis fifth in the final event of the day, the 1600-meter relay, to sneak ahead 65-63.5 and win the 5A boys crown.