All week, Plainville High School junior Jameson Klein told his mother that his goal for the shot put in Tuesday's season-opening meet at Ellis was 52 feet. Then, Klein, a returning state medalist in the shot put and discus, delivered and set a new personal best by four feet. Klein threw 52-8 1/2, a mark that would have won last year's state championship by nearly three feet.
"It was really stunning," he said.
Klein also won the discus with a throw of 141-9. He was one of several Cardinals that had terrific performances as Plainville won both titles at the eight-team meet. The boys finished with 141 points, eight more than Victoria. The girls scored 132 points, 28 more than the field.
Senior Dani Winters, the defending Class 2A state champion in the discus and a Kansas State University signee, won the shot put (44-2 1/4) and discus (125-2). She broke the meet record in the shot put and was two inches short of the meet mark in the discus. Junior Brady Johnson, one of the area's top distance runners for the last several years, took home titles in the 1,600-meter run (4:33.79) and 3,200-meter run (10:17.68).
Plainville also had big showings from a new Cardinal -- sophomore Nolan Weiser -- and one of the area's top athletes -- junior Andrew Casey -- competing in his first high school track and field meet.
Weiser was a state qualifier in the triple jump and 3,200-meter relay for Stockton last season. Weiser decided to transfer to Plainville for personal reasons. On Tuesday, he won the triple jump, his favorite event, with a leap of 38-0 1/2.
"Better situation," Weiser said of Plainville. "I really like it. I don't want to go anywhere else. They have a good athletic program and people that support you."
That includes Casey, a three-year starter for the Cardinal football and basketball teams.
"He gets out there and supports everyone and he is a real good asset to the team," Weiser said.
Casey had been the top pitcher on the Plainville baseball team the last two seasons, but decided to compete in track this spring. He made the choice before the Cardinals decided to cancel the baseball season due to lack of numbers.
"Basically to get more in shape for football," Casey said. "Baseball wasn't doing me any good, but getting me more in shape for football was my main goal."
Casey jumped for the first time since eighth grade and finished in second place in the long jump (19-6 1/2) and triple jump (37-8 1/2).
"Feels pretty good to get back on the runway," Casey said.
In the long jump, he finished behind sophomore teammate Dalton Werner, who won the event in 21-5 1/2. Casey would like to leap 21 to 22 feet in the long jump and eventually place at state.
"I need to get better," Casey said. "Catch Dalton over there. He pushes me in practice and I push him, so it's good for both of us. It's challenging. It's fun to see him jump farther than me and push me more and just try to beat his mark every time I go out there."
No one had an improvement like Klein's. Last year, he finished third in the shot put at state with a throw of 47-9 1/2 and was fifth in the discus (142-0). Klein and Joe Simon, Plainville's football coach and weight room instructor, believed he could break 50 feet this spring.
"He is a lot stronger than he was last year and more explosive and a hard worker," Simon said. "I think he is going to do great things this year in track. He has developed a lot more this year."
In the past, Klein had always glided in the shot put ring. He had worked on spinning in the preseason, but hadn't gotten the results he wanted.
"Just kept gliding," he said.
On his final throw, Klein uncorked his big throw, a toss that won the event by more than 10 feet. After the toss, Simon looked over at his mom and Simon.
"My eyes got real big and I threw my arm up," Klein said. "Not expecting that."