Nelson surprises coaches, herself at district meet
By Kory Carpenter,
Record Sports Editor
Posted 11/7/19
Battling the wind and the cold at Saturday’s Class 4, District 4 meet at Westminster, Warrenton sophomore Kayla Nelson stepped up to the shot put pit and delivered the best toss of her career. The …
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Nelson surprises coaches, herself at district meet
Posted
By Kory Carpenter,
Record Sports Editor
Battling the wind and the cold at Saturday’s Class 4, District 4 meet at Westminster, Warrenton sophomore Kayla Nelson stepped up to the shot put pit and delivered the best toss of her career.The 36-foot, 8-inch mark was nearly two feet further than her previous career high, and 23 inches further than any other competitor Saturday.“I have no idea where that came from,” she said with a laugh before practice Monday. “I shocked myself when I threw it.”Nelson had only one idea for her improved performance.Unlike most shot put rings that bump up directly with the pit, Westminster’s ring and pit were separated by a patch of grass.“I guess that was better for me,” she said. “It made me throw further because maybe I thought I really had to get it out there, I don’t know.”Whatever the reason, Nelson tossed herself into the Class 4, Sectional 2 meet at Mexico Saturday.She also put herself into the conversation for a potential state appearance the following week in Jefferson City.Saturday’s toss puts her sixth in the sectional, and the top four performers advance to the state meet.“Holy cow,” Warrenton Head Coach Steve Wurtzel said when asked about Nelson’s performance. “We knew she had a pretty good chance to qualify, but she popped that extra foot and a half out of nowhere.”To survive another elimination meet, Nelson will likely need another impressive performance.McCluer’s Jasmine Stewart, who ranks fourth in the sectional, sits at 37 feet, 7.5 inches.Nelson doesn’t believe Saturday’s toss was a fluke.“If I keep throwing like that, I should be good for state,” she said. “It was just a very good day. I hope I can do that again because I really want to go to state. Being a sophomore and going to state would be a pretty big deal, and it seems pretty fun.”Wurtzel has seen surprising performances in the past, and hopes Saturday’s meet was a sign of things to come for his sophomore thrower.“Kids have their mornings, and that was her morning,” he said. “If she can replicate that, or even replicate where she’s been lately, she’s got a pretty good chance.”
Kayla Nelson completes the best shot put toss of her career in Saturday's district meet at Westminster. Nelson advanced to Saturday's sectional at Mexico.
