Waldron freshman finishes runner-up in discus at state championship meet

There was a period of time Waldron freshman Maleah Williams was unsure her track and field postseason would continue.

Feeling completely out-of-sync after inclement weather forced the postponement of her sectional competition in the discus and shot put, Williams struggled to find distance at the Franklin Sectional.

The accomplished thrower finished a disappointing fifth in the discus with a best throw of 122 feet, seven inches and fourth in the shot put at 39-10. Neither distance guaranteed Williams a spot in the regional.

However, Williams’ distances were good enough to get her added to the regional competition where she fared well enough to qualify for the state championship meet.

On Friday at Indianapolis North Central High School, Williams finished runner-up in the discus and 25^th in the shot put. She was the only freshman to qualify for the state finals in both events.

Williams felt like she was ready to go for her first IHSAA girls track and field sectional on May 19. Mother Nature had other plans and the sectional was postponed one day.

“I was warming up (at the sectional) and we had a 30-minute delay. After that it was cancelled,” recalled Williams. The sectional was resumed one day later on what was the final day of school for Waldron. The weather was not ideal and Williams admits she got too consumed with the conditions.

Her best throw in the discus was more than 20 feet short of her typical range.

Williams was advanced to the Ben Davis Regional where she showed off with a runner-up finish in the discus (144-7) and a fourth-place finish in the shot put with a new school record of 42-5.

Just over two weeks from almost being eliminated from the state tournament, Williams arrived at the state championship meet with confidence.

“I knew I could throw … I knew I could be up there with (Franklin sophomore Maddison Judge, the Franklin Sectional and Ben Davis Regional champion),” said Williams. “I went up there (to North Central) before to test the (throwing) surface and got confidence. They already had the (discus distance) lines marked and I was right at 150 feet. I was gaining confidence. I knew I could be right there with her.”

Williams broke her own school record in the discus at 148-10 but could not reach 150 feet to truly challenge Judge, who won the state title with a best throw of 152-8.

The duo will continue their rivalry for two more seasons. Judge’s success now is the benchmark for what Williams is chasing.

“I will be training three days a week (this summer) in the weight room,” said Williams. “I am working on gaining strength. I don’t need to tear my form apart. I just need to grow strength and polish my form.”

Williams also will push to extend the distances on her two school records.

“If I stay consistent in the weight room, I think I can get the discus another 20-plus feet,” she estimated. “And the shot put another five or so feet.”

Also Friday, Shelbyville junior Sonora O’Connor placed 20^th in the 300-meter hurdles. She crossed the finish line in 46.3 seconds in her first state finals appearance.

IHSAA Boys State Championships

Morristown sophomore Colston Allford finished tied for 25^th Saturday in the high jump competition at the state championship meet at Indianapolis North Central High School.

Allford cleared six feet but could not clear 6-2 to stay in the competition that included 32 participants.

The Shelby County Post is a digital newspaper producing news, sports, obituaries and more without a pay wall or subscription needed.