SPRINGFIELD – A late start to the track and field season hasn’t hurt Springfield junior Sailor Hall, who won the girls shot put and discus at the Midwestern League district meet on Saturday at Silke Field.
Hall is no stranger to the postseason as she will be back at state this weekend after finishing fifth in the shot put last year. She was also a sharpshooter for Springfield’s girls basketball team that reached the Class 5A final in March.
“I missed the first two weeks of track because of basketball, so you just have to get right into it,” she said. “I came out and had one practice and then a meet. You kind of feel like you are playing catch up all season and then at the end of the year, you finally feel like you are caught up and ready to throw your best marks. I definitely feel more caught up than I did a month ago.”
Hall won the shot put on Thursday with a mark of 37-2 1/4 and then returned Saturday to win the discus at 123-8.
“That was pretty good, good enough,” she said. “It wasn’t my best, but districts is all about qualifying for state.”
Hall will be a contender during the state meet at Hayward Field this weekend as she ranks second in 5A this year in both events with season bests of 37-4 in the shot put and 124-7 in the discus.
“My goal is to go compete and win both,” Hall said. “You just have to stay calm because people are going to throw big throws. It is going to happen, it’s track; but I can throw big throws too. Knowing I can compete with those girls and I belong there is helpful.”
Hall will be in the discus final at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday followed by the shot put at 2:30 p.m.
“I am feeling pretty good,” she said. “There are a couple things that I want to clean up before state, the same kind of things in both events. Once I get those fixed, I should be solid.”
Hall will be joined by teammate Leila Kammerzelt-Murphy in the discus after the senior placed fourth at districts with a toss of 106-9. She finished 10th at state last year.
Springfield swept the throws at districts with junior Violet Moran taking the javelin at 114-8.
“Honestly, I didn’t really expect it to go that far,” Moran said. “I had a tough week the week before, I was throwing in the 100s and then 114 happened, so it was crazy.”
Moran’s personal best is 117-1 as she heads to state this weekend. She stepped over the line on her first throw at districts, but estimates it would have been closer to 120.
“I try to keep a good rhythm and not make myself too worried,” she said. “I think if I stay calm and keep that rhythm I can throw a PR. The Hayward magic they always talk about.”
The Millers placed sixth in the girls standings with 58 points.
Jack Sayre led Springfield to a third-place finish on the boys side with 81 points. He placed second in the 300 hurdles and fourth in the 110 hurdles to qualify for state in both events.
“I felt like I could do a lot more all season and I just showed out today,” Sayre said. “The key was not stuttering over the hurdles. Now on to state where I will compete and try my best.”
Sayre was fourth in the 110 hurdles in 15.65 seconds. He returned to the track to finish second in the 300 hurdles at 40.22.
“In the first 100 meters, I just got out as hard as I could,” Sayre said.
Springfield’s Noah Solo heads to state in the shot put after finishing second at 50-8. Amar’e Viquelia will also be at state after finishing third in the long jump at 21-7 1/4.
