Hankins prevails in anticipated showdown with Hampton, with Ciccolini eclipsing her own javelin meet record; Viveros, Duffin, Lemmon, Frank and Bender also earn victories in Idaho

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

For all the elite high school talent assembled Saturday at the fifth annual Iron Wood Classic, only one managed to produce a nation-leading mark at the Iron Wood Throwers Center in Rathdrum, Idaho.

Sam Hankins, a junior at Manhattan KS, prevailed in his first javelin showdown this year with North Bend OR senior Ty Hampton after the two standouts had traded the country’s top performance during the season.

Hankins produced a personal-best 224 feet, 6 inches (68.43m) in the fourth round to elevate to the No. 20 all-time prep performer and eclipse the 2017 meet record of Academic Magnet SC graduate Liam Christensen, now a freshman at Stanford, who threw 214-4 (65.33m).

Hankins, who entered the competition with a 220-2 (67.11m) mark from May 4, also had a 217-2 (66.20m) in the third round as part of his series to remain unbeaten in eight meets this season.

Hampton, who boasts a 221-4 (67.46m) personal-best effort from May 18, also had his best throw in the fourth round at 215-3 (65.61m) to surpass Christensen’s previous standard. It was the first javelin setback for Hampton in 10 competitions this season.

Mifflin County PA senior Skylar Ciccolini surpassed her own 2017 meet record in the girls javelin with a sixth-round throw of 170 feet (51.83m), improve on her effort of 164-10 (50.24m) from two years ago.

The final three throws all soared past 160 feet for Ciccolini, who elevated to the No. 2 all-time prep performer April 27 at the 125th Penn Relays with a 184-2 (56.13m).

Trinity Catholic MO sophomore Sydney Juszczyk finished second with a first-round mark of 158-5 (48.28m).

In a battle of the only two 70-foot shot put performers in the country this season, Bakersfield Liberty CA senior Daniel Viveros prevailed for the second time this year over St. Pius X Catholic GA senior Tanner Duffin.

Viveros, who surpassed the prestigious barrier for the first time May 8 with a 71-3 (21.72m), added two more marks past 70 feet Saturday. His sixth-round effort of 70-10.75 (21.61m) was well beyond Duffin’s fifth-round mark of 66-1.75 (20.16m).

Duffin is the only thrower in the country this season to surpass 200 feet in the discus and 70 feet in the shot put with his personal bests of 206-8 (62.99m) and 70-2.25 (21.39m).

Duffin prevailed in the discus in a showcase of three of the country’s top five performers with a third-round effort of 200-5 (61.09m).

Quincy IL senior Jordan Johnson took second with a third-round mark of 199-11 (60.93m), Fort Myers FL senior Jacob Lemmon placed third with a sixth-round effort of 195-4 (59.55m) and Viveros was fourth with a 180-7 (55.04m) on his opening throw. Viveros had thrown a personal-best 195-5 (59.56m) on April 11.

Lemmon secured a victory in the hammer throw with a sixth-round mark of 201-6 (61.43m), with Johnson placing second at 175-1 (53.36m).

Red River ND junior Shelby Frank delivered a personal-best 169-1 (51.55m) in the sixth round to win the girls discus over Seaside OR senior Gretchen Hoekstre, who threw 160-9 (49.00m) in the fourth round.

Bakersfield Liberty sophomore Faith Bender, who was third in the discus at 143-1 (43.63m), won the girls shot put over Hoekstre, the national leader and only female athlete to surpass 50 feet this season.

Bender produced a fifth-round mark of 47-1.75 (14.37m), with Hoekstre achieving a sixth-round mark of 44-4.75 (13.53m).