Iowa 2A boys’ state track and field: Waukon’s Brady Sullivan recovers for runner-up in shot put

DES MOINES - Waukon senior Brady Sullivan had two disappointing throws to start the Class 2A shot put Thursday at the state track and field meet.

He fouled on his first throw and his second only went 49 feet, 4 inches, well short of his standard.

He was on the outside looking in of the finals.

'You just have to calm yourself down and treat it like any other throw and don't think of the big stage you're on,” Sullivan said. 'Focus on the fundamentals.”

Sullivan uncorked a 54-6 1/4 throw on his third and final preliminary throw to make it to the finals.

'Right away I was a little shaky with the nerves and I couldn't really get a throw out there, but my last one of prelims, I was able to get one out there and get into the finals and that relaxed me a lot,” Sullivan said.

Once he was in the finals, he was cool, calm and collected, rattling off three straight throws of at least 55 feet. His best throw of the day was 56-5 1/2 inches, good enough for second place. New Hampton's Noah Fenske - an Iowa football signee - won with a throw of 60-0 1/4.

'He's tough to beat, but he makes you throw better,” Sullivan said. 'Knowing someone is out there for you to shoot for and try to get out there a little bit farther is good.”

Iowa City Regina's Luke Stein finished third with a throw of 52 feet, 8 3/4 inches, which came on his first attempt. West Liberty's Spencer Daufeldt took fourth with 52 feet, 4 inches.

In the boys' 400-meter dash, Dyersville Beckman junior Evan Wulfekuhle finished second with a time of 49.72. The winning time came from Mediapolis senior Jagger Gourley (48.75). Derek Weitzenkamp of Jesup came in fourth with a time of 49.95.

Bellevue and Madrid were the team leaders in 2A after the first four events with 11 points each. South Hamilton, New Hampton, Dike-New Hartford and Garner-Hayfield-Ventura were next with 10. Waukon has seven points, Iowa City Regina 6.

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