Date set for 2020 Iron Wood Throws Classic!
Nov. 2019 update -- The NSAF is grateful to be returning to the Iron Wood Throwers Center for the fifth time in 2020, where we will be hosting the Iron Wood Throws Classic on May 29-30! The Classic was originally the Chicagoland Throws and was moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in 2016. We have been very thankful to have worked with Camp founder Bart Templeman and the late meet/camp director Jarred Rome (2008-2012 Olympian in the discus) for this special opportunity for a select team of our top U.S. preps to compete alongside a big group of USATF elites in the shot put, discus, javelin and hammer throw. We were very saddened in September when we learned that Coach Rome had passed away and will honor his contributions to this event as we continue to compete here in the future. Jarred Rome tribute.
This event was founded by the NSAF to give the throwing events a special spotlight and to give outstanding prep athletes a chance to not only compete with Olympic-level elites, but to learn from them in a weekend of mentorship and competition. In 2016 here, we were able to contest three of the four throws, but the following winter and spring Mr. Templeman had a javelin runway constructed. At the 2017 Classic, the runway was dedicated to NSAF Board Member Paul Limmer, who made a huge financial contribution to the effort. The first Iron Wood Classic javelin competition was a rousing success with Team USA standouts Riley Dolezal and Ariana Ince capturing elite titles and Project Javelin Gold’s Liam Christensen and Skylar Ciccolini claiming prep titles.
The beautiful lakeside community of Coeur d'Alene is 30 miles east of Spokane, WA. Dozens of the nation's top throwers have trained or competed at Iron Wood. The NSAF will invite and fund athletes in each event, as it has done in the past here and when we were located in the Chicago area.
2019 Highlights: Stellar leaders from Andersen (world) and Hankins (HS)
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Womens Hammer: The highlight of the 2-day meet, Iron Wood thrower Brooke Andersen launched a world-leading stunner of 251-9 PR to become history’s #3 American ever. The stellar series also included 250-5 and 246-10. Janee Kassanavold was 2nd at 235-0.
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Boys Javelin: In a battle of top Project Javelin standouts, Sam Hankins (Manhattan KS jr) nailed a national leader and PR 224-6 to outduel teammate Ty Hampton (North Bend OR sr) at 215-6. Fellow Project throwers Zech Blake (IMG Academy FL jr) at 204-2 and Joe Nizich (Central Catholic OR jr) at 198-11 took the next two spots.
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Girls/Womens Javelin: US leader and Project senior Skylar Ciccolini (Mifflin County PA) overcame some early struggles to land a 170-0 on her final attempt for the victory. Teammate Sydney Juszczyk (Trinity Catholic MO soph) took the runner-up spot at 158-5, followed by Kaitlyn Fairchild (Andale KS soph) at 146-0 and Taylor Ciccolini (Mifflin County HS soph) at 145-9. NSAF alum Avione Allgood captured the women’s title at 175-10, ahead of Bethany Drake 171-1 and Maggie Malone 170-9.
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Boys/Mens Discus: Tanner Duffin (St. Pius X/Throw 1 Deep GA sr) surpassed 200 ft. with his 200-5 to claim the boys’ win over Jordan Johnson (Quincy IL sr) at 199-11 and Jacob Lemmon (Ft. Myers FL sr) with 195-4. Brian Williams claimed the men’s title with 198-11.
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Girls/Womens Discus: Shelby Frank (Red River ND jr) landed a big PR 169-3 to prevail over the 160-9 – also a PR – from Gretchen Hoekstre (Seaside OR sr). In the women’s event, Whitney Ashley hit 203-8 to win over ’18 champ Gia Lewis-Smallwood 202-8 and Alex Collatz-Sellens 194-0.
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Boys/Mens Shot Put: Daniel Viveros (Liberty CA sr) confirmed his 70-plus talent with a big 70-10.75 to claim the title over Duffin’s 66-1.75. Blake had a PR 58-3.75 in 3rd. Jon Jones topped the men’s field with a big 69-0.5, followed by Josh Owatunde’s 68-7.
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Girls/Womens Shot Put: Faith Bender (Liberty CA soph) hit a near-PR 47-1.75 to defeat 50-footer Hoekstre at 44-4.75. For the women, Dani Hill was the only thrower over 60 at 61-2.75, with Jeneva Stevens 2nd with 59-11.
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Boys/Mens Hammer: Throwing the implement for the first time in a year, Lemmon reached 201-6 to finish more than 20 feet ahead of Johnson’s 175-1.
2018: Price’s hammer AR inspires Team NSAF at Iron Wood
More than a dozen of the finest U.S. prep throwers came together as Team NSAF this past weekend in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for the Iron Wood Throws Classic – not only competing well and enjoying mentoring from many top USATF throwers, but also witnessing a spectacular American record by USATF standout Deanna Price.
Iron Wood RESULTS (full series will be added) | Runnerspace.com Video Coverage
Price threw the hammer 254 feet, 9 inches (77.65m) Saturday to break Gwen Berry’s previous mark by almost three feet and move to #5 all-time globally. She graciously posed for photos with our prep admirers (including Veronica Fraley, Makayla Kelby and Faith Ette – see photo).
Meanwhile, Team NSAF athletes were outstanding:
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Javelin: The boys were led by Project Jav’s Zech Blake, who just nearly PR’d with his 206-9, followed by teammates Roman Mitchell (203-6) and Joe Nizich (185-0) – with Zach Annanie finishing 3rd with 200-9. For the girls, Project Javelin’s Lillian Hill had a seasonal best 143-9, while teammate Dana Baker had to miss the meet with an injury. Ariana Ince (194-11) defended her title for the USATF women, while Michael Shuey was the men’s champ at 243-7.
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Discus: US leader Shelby Moran threw 167-11 to edge Makayla Kelby (167-7) and Veronica Fraley (165-7) for Team NSAF’s girls. Joshua Sobota threw a US#4 PR 200-9 on his final attempt to beat US#2 Patrick Larrison (197-1) on the boys’ side. Andrew Evans (216-8) and Rachel Dincoff (200-2) were the USATF winners.
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Shot Put: Tyson Jones matched his US-leading PR with a 71-8.25 heave, ahead of Sobota’s US#3 68-10 PR. Then getting a big US#3 PR 49-5.5 for Team NSAF girls was Fraley, who improved her best by two feet. She was followed by Kelby at 46-0.5. The USATF winners were Curt Jensen (69-4) and Daniella Hill (59-1.5)
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Hammer: US#4 Ian Frost topped Team NSAF boys with his 207-3, followed by Larrison at 196-7. US#2 Shelby Moran hit 185-1 for Team NSAF girls. Sean Donnelly (243-5) joined Price in the winner’s circle for USATF athletes.
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2017 in Review
PREPS
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Turner Washington (Canyon del Oro HS, AZ senior) throws US#1 and #2 all-time 212-0 with men's JUNIOR weight (1.75kg) discus, 2nd only to Mason Finley's 2009 mark.
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Skylar Ciccolini (Mifflin Co. HS, PA soph) of Project Javelin Gold fires a US#1 164-9 girls' javelin (#20 all-time), beating previous national leader Dana Baker, (Olathe North HS, KS junior) who threw 161-8.
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KD Young (Warrensburg-Latham HS, IL sr) hits three at 51-8 or better in the girls' shot, including a US#2 53-5 PR that makes her #12 all-time.
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Three reach beyond 200 feet in the boys' javelin, with Project Javelin Gold throwers Liam Christensen (Academic Magnet, SC senior) at 214-5, ahead of Gavin Darcy (Dunmore HS, PA jr) 207-5 and Ty Hampton (North Bend HS, OR soph) 202-3. In 4th, Zech Blake (John Curtis HS, LA) hit a big PR 193-1, improving on his status as the #2 freshman in the country.
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Shelby Moran (Sherwood HS, OR jr) hit a US#4 177-11 PR for the victory, with Young at 172-4 and Makenli Forrest (Woodward Academy/Throw 1 Deep, GA junior) at 169-10 also throwing career bests in 2nd and 3rd.
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Washington gets his 2nd victory in as many days with a last-throw boys' shot put win at 64-8.75, holding off local standout Grady Leonard (Coeur d'Alene HS, ID sr) at 64-5.75. Leonard was also 2nd in the discus.
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Forrest wins girls' discus with a PR 169-8, good for US#9.
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Evan Hardin (Harrison HS/Throw 1 Deep, GA sr) claims the boys' hammer at 193-7.
ELITES
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American record-holder Gia Lewis-Smallwood (Nike) takes over national lead in the women's discus with 215-10, winning a great battle with the current US top six all present. Previous leader Valarie Allman takes 2nd with 210-9 and Whitney Ashley (Nike) 3rd at 207-8.
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Riley Dolezal (Nike) improves on his own national leader in the men's javelin with 260-4.
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Rodney Brown (Nike) throws 214-6 in the men's discus, beating US leader (218-4) Andrew Evans (Nike) at 211-7 and moving to #3 on current U.S. list.
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Current US#2 Ariana Ince (198-10) wins women's javelin at 186-0.
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Jonathan Jones (Nike) wins an exciting battle in the men's shot at 68-3.75, just off his 68-8 PR (US#4) and holding off the US#8 67-10.75 PR of Curtis Jensen (unatt.).
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Jeneva Stevens (NYAC) improves her seasonal best to 234-9 (US#6) to triumph over Jessica Ramsey (Unatt.) at 222-5.
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Brittany Smith (Nike) moves up to US#7 with her 60-7.75 victory, ahead of Stevens at 59-9.
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Will Lohman (Iron Wood TC) takes the men's hammer at 215-0.
2016 in Review
The preps who competed with us last year at Iron Wood delivered some outstanding results, highlighted a mighty 74-4.5 shot put by NBNI champ Jordan Geist that stood as the national leader for the entire season. He won a great battle with Adrian Piperi (71-0), the NBNI runner-up who would later go on to win NBNO and represent Team USA at World Juniors. The Geist-Piperi rivalry has continued in '17 as both were juniors.
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Girls' Shot Put: Kathleen Young, a multiple NBN All-American who also triumphed in Cuba, scored the victory with one of her best marks of the year: 51-3.25. Her CSI teammate Khayla Dawson was 2nd at 47-10.75.
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Boys' Discus: US leader Terrell Adams backed up his status with a 204-9 triumph, his 2nd best mark of the year. Turner Washington, the NSAF's CSI Cuba champ, was 2nd with 196-3 as 4 exceeded 186 feet.
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Girls' Discus: Kiana Phelps, a 2-time Chicagoland Throws winner, made it a career three-peat in these NSAF events with her 167-9 triumph. She went on to win her first NBNO title and then made the World Junior final for Team USA.
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Boys' Hammer: The victory went to Kirk Unland from nearby Spokane, as he threw 210-7 to top the PR 206-0 from Matt Slagus.
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Girls' Hammer: Kamryn Brinson edged Maddie Rabing, 169-9 to 166-5.
Pro/Elite Highlights
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Men's Discus: Three-time NON disc/shot champ Mason Finley prefaced his Team USA Olympic berth with a PR 215-4. Andrew Evans was 2nd at 207-4.
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Women's Discus: 2008 Olympic champ Stephanie Brown Trafton triumphed with her 202-4, beating former Chicagoland champ Liz Podominick.
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Men's Shot Put: An upset, as Darien Moore scored a 66-8.5 PR to beat 70-footers Ryan Whiting, Jordan Clark and Darrell Hill.
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Women's Shot Put: Becky O'Brien, the 2008 NON champ, triumphed with a 57-4.25 -- ahead of CSI alum Jill Rushin at 55-11.25.
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Men's Hammer: Conor McCullough, who won NSAF titles and All-American honors while smashing records as a prep, topped 3-time Olympian A.G. Kruger, 237-9 to 235-5. McCullough would go on to become an Olympian himself a month later.
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Women's Hammer: Britney Henry ruled with a 221-0 performance, ahead of Taylor Bush's 211-7.