Koch frustrated no more after title

Dayton High’s Joshua Koch summed up his season up until this week as frustrating.

That frustration was wiped out when he threw a career-best 55-2 on his last shot put attempt of the day to win the Division 1A championship on the first day of the NIAA State Track & Field Championships at the Jim Frank Track Complex at Carson High School.

Koch led a 1-2 sweep in the event, as sophomore Zach Hawley recorded a PR of 52-0 ½ to finish second.

“It was real frustrating in both the shot put and discus,” Koch said. “The shot put because I hurt my right hand, and the discus because I couldn’t keep it in bounds. I was out for a while in the shot put. I went to the doctor, but I still don’t have a definitive answer to what is wrong. It could be a tendon.

“This helps (with the frustration). It was a good way to end my senior year. I still have (the discus today).”

Dayton coach Mike Paul said he plays the “what if” game when it comes to Koch.

“He hasn’t had a normal,” Paul said. “It’s been a tough year.

“He injured his hand before the season. The first time he competed he had tape which isn’t technically legal. He threw 52 feet. He missed three weeks and then I brought him back for our meet and he aggravated it. He threw left-handed a couple of times.

“I’ve never had a kid with that kind of talent. I always wonder what if he’d been able to throw the whole year.”

Koch thinks 60-feet would have been a possibility. The Dayton senior, who set a stadium record, said that was his goal at the start of the season.

Hawley had three fouls in his first five throws.

“I was scared to death,” Hawley said. “I think I scared myself into a good throw. I couldn’t find the middle early on. I need to get power out of the back. That will be my focus for next year.”

Dayton’s 1600-meter relay team of Benji Ply, Skyler Berntson, Andrew Goodman and Dallon Mendoz finished second in 3:26.19, while the 400-meter quartet of Goodman, Mendoza, Berntson and Tobias Tapley was third in the 400 relay at 44.18.

Division I

Carson’s Corey Reid ran a PR of 39.24 to grab the fourth and final medal spot in the 300-meter hurdles.

Again, it was a strong finish that netted Reid a medal. Canyon Springs’ Demarcus Walker ran a stadium-record 37.94-second race to win it.

“It was OK,” Reid said. “I PR’d by almost a second so I can’t be too upset. I stuttered over every hurdle. My steps were off a little bit. I wasn’t expecting to get anything.”

Asa Carter had a tough go in the triple jump, posting a best of 43-6 to finish sixth. Carter blamed his problems on his approach.

The event was won by Silverado’s Dominic Smallwood, who went 48-1 to win the event. Smallwood hoped to repeat his 50-foot regional jump.

“I was hoping to get the state record of 51-1,” Smallwood said. “Aarik Wilson (former Fallon star) set that and he was here. It was a lot of pressure to get it.”

Division IV

Sierra Lutheran’s Chase Johnson won the shot with a throw of 51-2. Virginia City’s Sam McCain won the triple jump at 40-4, while Price Poston won the pole vault at 11-6. Jusdan Mondragon of Sierra Lutheran won the 300 hurdles in 43.21.

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In Division I, a state record and stadium record was set by Canyon Springs in the boys’ 400 (41.46), and Liberty’s Reno Tuufuli tied a state record and broke a stadium record in the shot put (63-6). Stadium records were set in the 800 by McQueen’s Connor Ross (1:52.41), the 100 by Bonanza’s Jayveon Taylor (10.51), the 3200 by McQueen’s Kai Benedict (9:29.71), and McQueen’s 1600-meter relay (3:17.94). Ross and Sebastian Feyersinger ran impresive splits.