Saturday, June 2nd, Group 1A/2A State Championship Track & Field Meet @ Eastern Rockingham High School....
Parry McCluer Senior Thrower Joshua Fischer stepped up BIG today and followed through on his quest to take the Fighting Blues Track and Field Throwers to BACK TO BACK STATE TITLES IN the SHOT-PUT and DISCUS events!!!
It all started yesterday, Friday, June 1st with a 2 hour rain/wind/lightening/storm suspension of all activity and ultimately the postponing of all field events until today @ 9:00
The Group 1A Championships started Friday evening with the Men's Discus event and made it through the entire 1st Flight and making it through the first five throwers of the 2nd Flight where Fischer who was seeded 3rd from his best mark posted earlier in the year (151'-5") going into the competition BEHIND the two West Point throwers, senior, Marshall Gill who posted his best mark a little earlier in the year at 154'-7" and sophomore, Elijah Billups who posted his best mark also earlier in the year at 155'-3"..
Fischer was on deck and just about to step into the circle to throw as the severe weather rolled in and all activity was suspended due to lightening.. (**Fast forward two and a half hours later**), the decision was then made to postpone all field events until Saturday @ 9:00, picking up where they left off and shortening all throws events from the traditional 6 throws back to 4 with no finals to follow in both the Discus and the Shot-Put events.. Which basically means that Fischer and the remaining two throwers (Gill and Billups) of the 2nd Flight would have only four throws to "get it done" and the rest of the field would have three throws each left as the competition cycled back through...
Fischer looked comfortable, confident and strong yesterday afternoon during warm-ups before the weather delay, and this morning he picked right back up where he left off launching several impressive throws during the warm up period..
*On Fischer's 1st attempt of the morning he came out with a message and set the tone with a heave from the front of the circle (pop) falling in at 149'-5"..
*West Points Gill followed up by stepping in and chunked one that dropped in at 144'-2"..
*West Point sophomore, Billups then stepped in and landed a 107'-8"
**On Fischer's 2nd attempt he launched another impressive fling that fell in at 151'-3" upping the intensity just a bit..
**Gill's 2nd attempt was a foul.
**Billups then stepped back in the circle for his 2nd attempt and also fouled..
***Staying consistent, Fischer's 3rd attempt was another impressive heave of 150'-3" respectively..
***Gill's 3rd attempt was a nice heave that landed at the 144'-7" mark..
***Billups 3rd attempt still looked a little off and came in at 133'-9"..
****ON FISCHER'S 4TH AND FINAL ATTEMPT HE LOOKED CONFIDENT AND VERY COMFORTABLE AS HE STEPPED INTO THE CIRCLE WITH THE STATE TITLE ON THE LINE..
FISCHER CAME AROUND THE CIRCLE WITH GOOD SPEED AND APPEARED WELL BALANCED AS HE LET LOOSE A MONSTROUS HEAVE THAT SPUN JUST AS SMOOTHLY AS IT POSSIBLY COULD, SAILING EFFORTLESSLY TO IT'S FINAL LANDING SPOT OF 157'-7",
" A NEW PERSONAL BEST THROW OF THE DISCUS FOR FISCHER" AND IT COULDN'T HAVE CAME AT A BETTER TIME!!!
****Gill's final attempt wasn't much better and landed at the 140'-4" mark..
****Billups had one shot left to knock Fischer off and his final heave of the saucer was flat, it had no air under it and it landed just shy of the 130' mark sealing the victory for the Fighting Blues thrower and notching one of two BACK TO BACK TITLE QUESTS..
**Fast forward to the Men's Group 1A State Shot-Put competition**
Fischer (seeded #1) again looked confident, comfortable and determined as he stepped into the circle for what would be the first of several impressive warm ups in the Shot event..
Fischer popped his first two warm up throws from the front of the circle right around 51-52'
Fischer then used the "Glide Technique" to chunk the 12 pound hunk of steel to about 54' for his final warm up toss and that's about the time the skies started looking fiercely ugly once again!!!
The best mark landed of the first seven throwers prior to Fischer was Alfred Shean from Auburn with a heave of 46'-4"..
Fischer's 1st attempt in the Shot was from the front of the circle (a pop) which landed around the 53' mark.... HOWEVER, IT ALSO LANDED ABOUT TWO FEET OUT OF THE SECTOR.. FOUL!!
THE DOOR IS OPEN AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN....
Going into the 2nd throw it was Shean of Auburn, again with the best mark of the round at 48'-5 1/4"...
UNTIL FISCHER STEPPED INTO THE CIRCLE FOR HIS 2nd HEAVE, AND UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HIS COACH WAS TOLD TO "DO WHAT YOU DO, LET IT GO, IF YOU WANT IT GO GET IT"!! FISCHER'S 2nd ATTEMPT LANDED AT 52'-4 1/2", RESPECTIVELY!!
Going into the 3rd round it was Shean again with the best mark falling in at 47'-9", respectively...
FISCHER'S 3rd THROW LOOKED GOOD AS IT LEFT THE CIRCLE AND FELL IN AT 52'-11"!!
The final round of throws found Auburn's Alfred Shean again with the farthest throw of the 2nd Flight making a divot at the 46'-9 3/4" mark...
WITH ONE THROW LEFT FOR THE PM SENIOR, AND SHEANS' FINAL MARK FALLING WELL SHORT OF FISCHER'S PREVIOUS BEST 52'-11" THAT AWARDED FISCHER HIS 2ND STATE TITLE OF THE DAY AND HIS THIRD THIS YEAR. (FISCHER ALSO WON THE COMBINED 1/A, 2A INDOOR STATE SHOT-PUT TITLE (53'-5") THIS PAST FEBRUARY AT ROANOKE COLLEGE).
SO, FISCHER HAS BUT ONE THROW LEFT FOR THE DAY AND AGAIN UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HIS COACHES DANNY COLE AND MATTHEW DOUGLAS, HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE, AS THEY SAY, "GO BIG OR GO BUST"!! OH YEAH, DID I MENTION THAT THE RAIN HAD STARTED FALLING AGAIN JUST AT THE END OF THE THIRD ROUND OF THROWS??
FISCHER WIPED THE SHOT DRY WITH A TOWEL, DRIED HIS SHOES AS BEST HE COULD, THEN HE STEPPED INTO THE CIRCLE AND APPEARED TO "SIZE UP THE PIT" GLARING AT THE FAR END OF THE GRAVEL..
FISCHER WALKED TO THE REAR OF THE CIRCLE, PLACED THE 12 POUND SHOT UNDER HIS CHIN, STEADIED HIMSELF AND IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE HE CAME ACROSS THE CIRCLE AND UNLEASHED A STUNNING THROW FROM JUST BEHIND THE TOE BOARD THAT WAS NEAR PERFECTLY PLACED JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE CENTER OF THE PIT.. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS PAST THE 55' MARK BUT HOW FAR PAST? WAS IT ENOUGH TO SET A NEW MEET RECORD? THE SHOT WAS MARKED AND THE VHSL OFFICIAL WAS CALLED OVER TO VERIFY THE DISTANCE...
THE CURRENT STATE MEET MARK IN THE GROUP 1A MEN'S SHOT-PUT WAS SET IN 2014 BY MICHAEL HINKLEY RESTING AT 55'-4"......
FISCHER'S THROW WAS MARKED, THEN VERIFIED AND THEN CONFIRMED...... ON HIS FINAL ATTEMPT OF THE DAY THE PM SENIOR LAUNCHED A MISSILE THAT FOUND IT'S WAY TO A FINAL RESTING SPOT OF 56'-2 1/4"... ALTHOUGH RIGHT AT ONE FOOT OFF OF HIS FARTHEST MARK OF THE SEASON (57'-3") IT WAS STILL ENOUGH FOR A NEW GROUP 1A STATE MEET RECORD!!
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IT WAS ENOUGH TO CLAIM BACK TO BACK STATE TITLES FOR THE FIGHTING BLUES IN BOTH EVENTS!!! THE BLUES THROWERS NOW HAVE A COMBINED TOTAL OF 8 INDIVIDUAL STATE THROWING TITLES IN THE PAST 3 YEARS TO INCLUDE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COMPETITION..
RYHEEM DAWSON WITH 1... 2015 - (1) INDOOR
K J COOK WITH 4... 2016-2017 - (1) INDOOR, (3) OUTDOOR
JOSHUA FISCHER WITH 3... 2018 - (1) INDOOR, (2) OUTDOOR
WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE DISPLAY OF ATHLETIC ABILITY, DEDICATION, COMMITMENT AND YEAH, SOME PRETTY AWESOME COACHING!
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU JOSHUA FISCHER, COACH DANNY COLE, COACH MATTHEW DOUGLAS AND TO THE ENTIRE FIGHTING BLUES COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE BEEN WELL REPRESENTED AND FOR THAT YOU SHOULD BE DAMNED PROUD!! SAY IT WITH ME ONE MORE TIME,
.......................BACK...............TO..............BACK................BABY...................
BLUES ON THREE......... ONE, TWO, THREE.......... GO BLUES!!!!
AND AS ALWAYS,
GO BLUE!!!!!
Parry McCluer Senior Thrower Joshua Fischer stepped up BIG today and followed through on his quest to take the Fighting Blues Track and Field Throwers to BACK TO BACK STATE TITLES IN the SHOT-PUT and DISCUS events!!!
It all started yesterday, Friday, June 1st with a 2 hour rain/wind/lightening/storm suspension of all activity and ultimately the postponing of all field events until today @ 9:00
The Group 1A Championships started Friday evening with the Men's Discus event and made it through the entire 1st Flight and making it through the first five throwers of the 2nd Flight where Fischer who was seeded 3rd from his best mark posted earlier in the year (151'-5") going into the competition BEHIND the two West Point throwers, senior, Marshall Gill who posted his best mark a little earlier in the year at 154'-7" and sophomore, Elijah Billups who posted his best mark also earlier in the year at 155'-3"..
Fischer was on deck and just about to step into the circle to throw as the severe weather rolled in and all activity was suspended due to lightening.. (**Fast forward two and a half hours later**), the decision was then made to postpone all field events until Saturday @ 9:00, picking up where they left off and shortening all throws events from the traditional 6 throws back to 4 with no finals to follow in both the Discus and the Shot-Put events.. Which basically means that Fischer and the remaining two throwers (Gill and Billups) of the 2nd Flight would have only four throws to "get it done" and the rest of the field would have three throws each left as the competition cycled back through...
Fischer looked comfortable, confident and strong yesterday afternoon during warm-ups before the weather delay, and this morning he picked right back up where he left off launching several impressive throws during the warm up period..
*On Fischer's 1st attempt of the morning he came out with a message and set the tone with a heave from the front of the circle (pop) falling in at 149'-5"..
*West Points Gill followed up by stepping in and chunked one that dropped in at 144'-2"..
*West Point sophomore, Billups then stepped in and landed a 107'-8"
**On Fischer's 2nd attempt he launched another impressive fling that fell in at 151'-3" upping the intensity just a bit..
**Gill's 2nd attempt was a foul.
**Billups then stepped back in the circle for his 2nd attempt and also fouled..
***Staying consistent, Fischer's 3rd attempt was another impressive heave of 150'-3" respectively..
***Gill's 3rd attempt was a nice heave that landed at the 144'-7" mark..
***Billups 3rd attempt still looked a little off and came in at 133'-9"..
****ON FISCHER'S 4TH AND FINAL ATTEMPT HE LOOKED CONFIDENT AND VERY COMFORTABLE AS HE STEPPED INTO THE CIRCLE WITH THE STATE TITLE ON THE LINE..
FISCHER CAME AROUND THE CIRCLE WITH GOOD SPEED AND APPEARED WELL BALANCED AS HE LET LOOSE A MONSTROUS HEAVE THAT SPUN JUST AS SMOOTHLY AS IT POSSIBLY COULD, SAILING EFFORTLESSLY TO IT'S FINAL LANDING SPOT OF 157'-7",
" A NEW PERSONAL BEST THROW OF THE DISCUS FOR FISCHER" AND IT COULDN'T HAVE CAME AT A BETTER TIME!!!
****Gill's final attempt wasn't much better and landed at the 140'-4" mark..
****Billups had one shot left to knock Fischer off and his final heave of the saucer was flat, it had no air under it and it landed just shy of the 130' mark sealing the victory for the Fighting Blues thrower and notching one of two BACK TO BACK TITLE QUESTS..
**Fast forward to the Men's Group 1A State Shot-Put competition**
Fischer (seeded #1) again looked confident, comfortable and determined as he stepped into the circle for what would be the first of several impressive warm ups in the Shot event..
Fischer popped his first two warm up throws from the front of the circle right around 51-52'
Fischer then used the "Glide Technique" to chunk the 12 pound hunk of steel to about 54' for his final warm up toss and that's about the time the skies started looking fiercely ugly once again!!!
The best mark landed of the first seven throwers prior to Fischer was Alfred Shean from Auburn with a heave of 46'-4"..
Fischer's 1st attempt in the Shot was from the front of the circle (a pop) which landed around the 53' mark.... HOWEVER, IT ALSO LANDED ABOUT TWO FEET OUT OF THE SECTOR.. FOUL!!
THE DOOR IS OPEN AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN....
Going into the 2nd throw it was Shean of Auburn, again with the best mark of the round at 48'-5 1/4"...
UNTIL FISCHER STEPPED INTO THE CIRCLE FOR HIS 2nd HEAVE, AND UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HIS COACH WAS TOLD TO "DO WHAT YOU DO, LET IT GO, IF YOU WANT IT GO GET IT"!! FISCHER'S 2nd ATTEMPT LANDED AT 52'-4 1/2", RESPECTIVELY!!
Going into the 3rd round it was Shean again with the best mark falling in at 47'-9", respectively...
FISCHER'S 3rd THROW LOOKED GOOD AS IT LEFT THE CIRCLE AND FELL IN AT 52'-11"!!
The final round of throws found Auburn's Alfred Shean again with the farthest throw of the 2nd Flight making a divot at the 46'-9 3/4" mark...
WITH ONE THROW LEFT FOR THE PM SENIOR, AND SHEANS' FINAL MARK FALLING WELL SHORT OF FISCHER'S PREVIOUS BEST 52'-11" THAT AWARDED FISCHER HIS 2ND STATE TITLE OF THE DAY AND HIS THIRD THIS YEAR. (FISCHER ALSO WON THE COMBINED 1/A, 2A INDOOR STATE SHOT-PUT TITLE (53'-5") THIS PAST FEBRUARY AT ROANOKE COLLEGE).
SO, FISCHER HAS BUT ONE THROW LEFT FOR THE DAY AND AGAIN UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HIS COACHES DANNY COLE AND MATTHEW DOUGLAS, HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE, AS THEY SAY, "GO BIG OR GO BUST"!! OH YEAH, DID I MENTION THAT THE RAIN HAD STARTED FALLING AGAIN JUST AT THE END OF THE THIRD ROUND OF THROWS??
FISCHER WIPED THE SHOT DRY WITH A TOWEL, DRIED HIS SHOES AS BEST HE COULD, THEN HE STEPPED INTO THE CIRCLE AND APPEARED TO "SIZE UP THE PIT" GLARING AT THE FAR END OF THE GRAVEL..
FISCHER WALKED TO THE REAR OF THE CIRCLE, PLACED THE 12 POUND SHOT UNDER HIS CHIN, STEADIED HIMSELF AND IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE HE CAME ACROSS THE CIRCLE AND UNLEASHED A STUNNING THROW FROM JUST BEHIND THE TOE BOARD THAT WAS NEAR PERFECTLY PLACED JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE CENTER OF THE PIT.. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS PAST THE 55' MARK BUT HOW FAR PAST? WAS IT ENOUGH TO SET A NEW MEET RECORD? THE SHOT WAS MARKED AND THE VHSL OFFICIAL WAS CALLED OVER TO VERIFY THE DISTANCE...
THE CURRENT STATE MEET MARK IN THE GROUP 1A MEN'S SHOT-PUT WAS SET IN 2014 BY MICHAEL HINKLEY RESTING AT 55'-4"......
FISCHER'S THROW WAS MARKED, THEN VERIFIED AND THEN CONFIRMED...... ON HIS FINAL ATTEMPT OF THE DAY THE PM SENIOR LAUNCHED A MISSILE THAT FOUND IT'S WAY TO A FINAL RESTING SPOT OF 56'-2 1/4"... ALTHOUGH RIGHT AT ONE FOOT OFF OF HIS FARTHEST MARK OF THE SEASON (57'-3") IT WAS STILL ENOUGH FOR A NEW GROUP 1A STATE MEET RECORD!!
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IT WAS ENOUGH TO CLAIM BACK TO BACK STATE TITLES FOR THE FIGHTING BLUES IN BOTH EVENTS!!! THE BLUES THROWERS NOW HAVE A COMBINED TOTAL OF 8 INDIVIDUAL STATE THROWING TITLES IN THE PAST 3 YEARS TO INCLUDE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COMPETITION..
RYHEEM DAWSON WITH 1... 2015 - (1) INDOOR
K J COOK WITH 4... 2016-2017 - (1) INDOOR, (3) OUTDOOR
JOSHUA FISCHER WITH 3... 2018 - (1) INDOOR, (2) OUTDOOR
WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE DISPLAY OF ATHLETIC ABILITY, DEDICATION, COMMITMENT AND YEAH, SOME PRETTY AWESOME COACHING!
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU JOSHUA FISCHER, COACH DANNY COLE, COACH MATTHEW DOUGLAS AND TO THE ENTIRE FIGHTING BLUES COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE BEEN WELL REPRESENTED AND FOR THAT YOU SHOULD BE DAMNED PROUD!! SAY IT WITH ME ONE MORE TIME,
.......................BACK...............TO..............BACK................BABY...................
BLUES ON THREE......... ONE, TWO, THREE.......... GO BLUES!!!!
AND AS ALWAYS,
GO BLUE!!!!!
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