Rosemount senior Payton Otterdahl still recalls the first time he picked up a shot six years ago. “I didn’t think anything of it,” he said. “I was in sixth grade and didn’t know what I was doing.”
Now, in his final year as a member of the Irish, Otterdahl has it figured out.
Otterdahl stepped into the circle Friday morning in the Minnesota Class 2A track and field meet at Hamline University and flung the 12-pound weight 61-00.50 feet — the only competitor to eclipse the 60-foot mark — to win Rosemount’s first shot put title.
“I was hoping to get a personal best and I did, so I’m happy with my performance,” he said. “I think this state-meet atmosphere, it helps me rise to the occasion.”
Otterdahl, who will throw for North Dakota State next year, has steadily improved in his final season at Rosemount. His first throw this season was 54 feet. His first throw in the discus was 147 feet.
Otterdahl said he’ll be aiming to hit 185 feet and win another state title in the discus finals Saturday.
“I’ve come a long way this year,” he said. “It was a slow start, but I really feel like I’ve started to come into my own toward the end of the season.”
Raiders advance two
Cretin-Derham Hall sophomore Brieasha Hunter ambled around the field that surrounds the track Friday after finishing her final race. “I’m tired,” she said as she slowly picked up her cleats and walked toward the bleachers.
She had reason to be drained.
Hunter and teammate Megan Linder took care of business Friday afternoon and qualified for the finals in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes.
“I think the biggest part of today was moving on,” Raiders coach Jerry Macken said. “They both did that in all three races, so that’s great.”
Linder, last year’s state champion in the 400-meter run, said she ran hard but noted that she wanted to save some energy for Saturday’s finals.
“It’s hard with a meet like this to stay focused and know that there is another meet coming up,” she said. “I feel like I did a good job with it.”
Hunter, on the other hand, said she wasn’t really thinking strategy. “I just wanted to run, and I knew I had to run hard,” she said.
Schow to defend
Rosemount junior Rachel Schow won state titles in the 100 and 300 hurdles last season. She has some work to do if she wants to repeat after finishing second in the 100 prelims and seventh in the 300.
She bested her state-winning time in the 100, finishing the race in 14.42 seconds, but Blaine junior Alexandra Williams — who finished third last year — set a state record with a time of 14.22.
“I felt really good,” Williams said, “but I hit some hurdles, so there’s room to improve for the finals.”
Schow said Williams’ record gives her extra motivation entering Saturday’s finals. “I know I have to bring it,” she said. “It’s going to be a really close race, and I’d guess the record is going to be broken again.”
Briefly
Stillwater sophomore Eli Krahn won the state title in the boys 3,200 with a time of 9:00.08, while Chanhassen senior Emily Castanias won the girls title in 10:53.46. … Hopkins leads the boys standings after the first day of competition with 17 points. Alexandria leads the girls standings with 21.5 points.
