Popenfoose owns discus; shot put’s a puzzle

Huntley's Marcus Popenfoose set a meet record in the discus Saturday at the Palatine Relays with a 189-foot, 4-inch throw. Huntley won the discus relay with a combined distance of 425-5. (Joe Cyganowski – For The Northwest Herald)

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PALATINE – After his second attempt in the shot put at Saturday’s 78th Palatine Relays, normally unflappable Huntley senior Marcus Popenfoose picked up his shot and chucked it on the ground in disgust.

With the discus, things were great. Popenfoose unleashed monster throws at Friday’s Crystal Lake Central Invitational, three of more than 198 feet, including a personal-best of 202 feet, 4 inches.

But the shot put ring has been an area of frustration for the Auburn-bound thrower most of the season. In his previous two meets he scratched seven consecutive times; he didn’t even win the shot at Central on Friday night.

Saturday’s first two throws brought the streak to nine before Popenfoose managed to stay in the ring and throw 57-1, easily the best throw of the meet, and one that lifted him and teammates Cody Cameron and Brandon Mabry to second place in the shot put relay.

Earlier, Popenfoose, Cameron and David Cieck won the discus with a combined distance of 425-5. Popenfoose’s 189-4 set the meet record for an individual throw. Belleville East finished with 128 points to win the meet. Jacobs (32), Prairie Ridge (30) and Huntley (25) finished 8-9-10 in the team standings at Chic Anderson Stadium.

“I wanted to keep building [after Friday],” Popenfoose said. “It makes me want to set the bar higher, I don’t want to disappoint anyone. Throwing 189 isn’t a bad drop. I felt good to come out here and without a great wind have a good throw.”

The shot put’s a different story. Popenfoose is the Class 3A state runner-up in the discus and shot put, but he’s struggled with the shot put and might have trouble catching Lake Park twins Jeremy and Jermaine Kline at the IHSA Boys State Track and Field Meet.

“We’re working on it,” Popenfoose said. “I know I have it in me. We just have to figure it out. It’s mainly balance.”

Popenfoose said when he doesn’t foul on throws, he slows down too much to get the extra distance needed. He was a bit relieved to get the 57-1, but admitted he had slowed down on that throw to stay in the ring.

“It’s a little bit of a work in progress,” said Huntley assistant coach Chris Maxedon, who works with Popenfoose on throws. “It’s amazing that he’s throwing discus so well because he spends 15 minutes in the discus ring, then goes for 45 minutes or an hour working on the shot. It’s just been a struggle.”

Jacobs’ Danny Trevor won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles and ran with Joey Cieniewicz, David Grady and Jason Ofodile to take second in the 4x200 relay.

Prairie Ridge’s Kerry Kohlbacher took second in the 400 and ran a leg of the freshman-sophomore 1,600-meter medley with Justin Lindahl, Nick Nissen and Mitch Wilkins. Belleville East’s Josh Gates ran 50.4 to beat Kohlbacher, who ran a personal-best 50.5, in the 400.

“We were very pleased with the way things went,” said Kohlbacher, a sophomore. “I would like to have beaten the Belleville East guy, but it was great competition. All I can do is practice harder and work on my finishes. I’ve beaten my times and I have a couple goals left. If I keep up a good pace, I think I’ll be able to accomplish those goals.”

Palatine’s girls won the meet with 154 points. Prairie Ridge was sixth with 37 points.

The Wolves’ discus relay team of Taylor and Mackenzie Humm and Lina Baker took second with a combined distance of 287-4. Jessica Ayers was third in the 400 and Shannon Calahan was fourth in the 200 for the Wolves, who also took third in the high jump relay.