SIOUX FALLS – Aberdeen Central received a big contribution from one of its smallest members at the State Track and Field Meet at Howard Wood Field Friday afternoon.

Sophomore Paige Ewalt set a personal record on the way to a sixth place finish in the Class AA discus. Ewalt came into the competition sitting in 22nd place.

“That’s the one thing about our kids, they don’t worry about there they come in, they just want to come in and compete,” said Central girls’ coach Jim Appl. “We have kids always moving up, moving up, moving up, PRing. In my 30-some years as a track coach here, you get 24 to the state meet, that’s the biggest move I’ve seen on a kid, from that far down.”

Ewalt threw the discus 115 feet, far better than her previous best.

“Throughout this whole season I’ve been trying to break 105,” Ewalt said. “I first broke 106 and my mind was shocked, then I broke 106 with 112, and then I did 115, and I was just shocked, I guess.”

Ewalt has been working with throw coach Jill Hermansen and that extra effort paid off in a big way.

“Jill and I, we just worked over and over and over again at practice just perfecting the throw,” Ewalt said, “and it finally clicked for me this week, which was the perfect week to do it.”

Ewalt said the adrenaline just kicked in and she was able to keep advancing her personal record.

“A lot of my adrenaline was pumping also and it was like I just did that,” Ewalt said. “It was a good feeling. It was a great feeling, actually.”

While Ewalt’s lack of height could be considered a disadvantage in an event like the discus, the thrower was unfazed by that element.

“Appl gave me some great advice before this,” Ewalt said. “He said don’t worry about the height, don’t think about that, and I didn’t.”

Central also scored in the boys’ discus as well as Joran Foss finished eighth.

The throwing pit is set up in a fashion where spectators can watch from three different angles around the ring. Foss said he tried to block out that unique setting.

“It’s just got to be another meet,” Foss said. “You can’t think too much, because you think too many things at once, it’s all just going to come collapsing down.”

Foss already has a few things on his mind like the Aberdeen Smittys, who have already started their season. Foss is a key member of that squad as well, but is finishing up his track and field season first.

“It’s tough not being able to be there with them, because the seasons overlapped way more this year because the state track meet’s a week later,” Foss said, “but it’s all done and we’ll be back next week for the rest of the summer.”

Foss will be competing in the shot put event today. He said he enjoys both events, but they are very different.

“The discus, with the ring being bigger, the steps are adjusted like (about three inches) with everything,” Foss said. “Overall they’re pretty similar, but discus is definitely a little more technical than shot.”

While Foss is wrapping up his career as a senior, Allie Novstrup is just getting hers underway. The eighth-grader, competing in her first state meet, ran in the 3,200-meter run.

“It was hard to get out there, because I got boxed in a little bit,” Novstrup said. “I had to work up from that spot and keep passing.”

Novstrup has been lowering her times all season and just qualified for the state meet last week.

“I’ve been picking up in training a little bit and really starting out faster, so I can move up easier,” Novstrup said.

The distance runner also ran in the state cross country meet last fall. She said the two state tournaments provide a much different atmosphere.

“There’s a lot of more people (running) at cross country, but there’s a lot more spectators here,” Novstrup said, “and also there’s a lot more people on the track at once, so there’s not much room to run.”

While distance running requires plenty of physical conditioning, it also takes a strong mental component, especially when fatigue sets in.

“After the fourth lap probably is when I start slowing down,” Novstrup said. “I try to stay positive when I’m running and just remember the goal.”

Appl said that Novstrup has made major strides this season, noting the race today.

“She finished in front of girls who she hadn’t finished in front of all year,” Appl said.

The Central boys also received a strong showing the 3,200-meter run as Carson Urlacher grabbed a seventh-place finish.

The sophomore was surprised by the initial pace of the race.

“It was definitely a different style of racing than I was expecting,” Urlacher said. “I expected it to go out pretty fast and just see who could hold on for the place, but it went out pretty slow and it was just see who can move the hardest when the move gets made.”

Urlacher ran among the top five runners in the early part of the race which turned out to be to his advantage.

“That was definitely really important because when the move got made, if I was a couple of places back, I would not have been able to react or anything,” Urlacher said, “so it was very important.”

Urlacher said the state meet setting is much different than the regular season.

“The energy level is just different here. So many people are in here,” he said. “The competition’s here. It’s just a good place to run fast.”

The Central boys will have 10 individuals competing today, including senior Jack Podoll who qualified for the finals in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles.

“Jack Podoll is a great story,” said Central coach Gregg Murley. “A kid that just worked his butt off to become good and get himself a state meet medal. I’m so happy for that kid.”

The state meet will wrap today, but Friday turned out to be a memorable day for several young Golden Eagles who had career best performances.

“This is just fun,” Appl said. “When kids are PRing and doing their best and surprising themselves and just seeing what they can do, that’s the greatest joy a coach can have.”

To see state meet results, click on the following link:

https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/601974/results