By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
INDEPENDENCE, Ore.– Dylan Vancil was the lone Salem Academy Track and Field athlete at the John Oliver Invitational on Saturday at Central High School.
The junior, in his first season with the Crusaders after transferring from Crosshill Christian, opened with a 19th-place finish in the discus (97-6) before rebounding to place fifth in the shot put with a personal-record throw of 45-10. Close to that personal goal of his to hit 46-feet.
“A little bit short of the 46 that I wanted, but I’m right there. To get to that 46, there’s a lot I can do. I can focus on my heel back on my shot put and my glide. Making sure that I lean back on top of that and follow through too,” start Vancil. “I’m hoping to get to State, it’s my first year in 3A, I’m definitely hoping that I can go to State.”
He’s making progress towards that end goal of State. After going to State in the Shot Put last year with the Eagles in 2A, finishing fifth in the event, his numbers are slowly going up in the event. Going from 40-feet at the start of the year to currently 45-feet now. Javelin, he’s been sidelined with an arm injury that’s limited him in the event. Discus, this is his first year picking up the event and recently cracked 100-feet twice in just five meet’s he’s participated in.
And the main thing is simple: Just keeping up the hard work in practice.
“Just keeping up in practice. Drills. Drills, that’s pretty much it,” said Vancil.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
