Tucker Smith was a little disappointed he didn’t get to compete for a state title in the shot put last season.
Smith, who had finished second in the state as a freshman, was poised to make a run at a championship as a sophomore, but spring sports were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This spring, the Columbus North junior made up for lost time. He broke multiple state records, won the state shot put title earlier this month in Indianapolis and is The Republic Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year for the second time.
“It means something special for Tucker because he had last year taken away from him, and we thought he had a legitimate shot last year, too,” North coach Rick Sluder said. “That has a little special meaning that I think Tucker will look back on. With his talent and his work ethic, I was ecstatic to see him take advantage of that.”
Smith left few opportunities go to waste. In the season opener at Bloomington South, he threw 65 feet, 5 inches, a mark that stood as the best high school throw in the nation for a few days.
The second meet of the season, Smith threw 66-9 1/2. Then on April 30, he uncorked a 69-4 1/2 toss in the Conference Indiana meet at Bloomington North, breaking the all-time state record.
“We knew the big numbers were coming because we did get to see a little bit of his sophomore year before it was canceled,” Sluder said. “To get to 69 feet, I don’t know if it was surprising, but it was great to see it come together.”
But Smith wasn’t finished. He bettered his all-time state mark with a throw of 69-7 in the regular-season finale at home against Franklin.
“That’s generally how it goes in the season as you progress along,” Smith said. “As you get more used to it, it just naturally happens.”
Although Smith didn’t reset his all-time state mark in the postseason, no other shot putter came close to him. He rolled through the sectional and regional before putting on a clinic at the state finals.
With the a state record of 66-8 1/2 that had stood since 1997 all but a sitting duck, Smith threw in the 67s on each of his first five throws. His best was a 67-11 1/4, which was nearly seven feet clear of the second-place competitor.
“It was a pretty consistent series, so I wasn’t overly upset, but I would have liked to end the season on a (personal record),” Smith said.
“To throw 67 five times was something that I didn’t see coming, that high level of consistency,” Sluder added. “You just don’t see that in many athletes. To throw the all-time state record and then to have five throws better than the state-meet record at the state meet, it’s just unbelievable to see what he accomplished this year. He was one of the best athletes overall at the state meet.”
Smith’s success this season wasn’t limited to the shot. He also finished 12th at state in the discus, an event he didn’t begin taking semi-seriously until this year.
“We just kind of switched up each day and did one event,” Smith said. “So I focused on it a little bit more because of that. Discus is a lot more technical. If you’re off in the shot a little bit, you can still muscle it out there. But in discus, it’s a 30-foot difference if you land with your left foot too close.”
Smith’s throw of 155-1 at the state meet was well off his best of 167-9 in the Conference Indiana meet, the same night he first broke the all-time state shot put record.
“There’s so much time that needs to be spent on the technical side of the discus,” Sluder said. “He really showed himself as an elite thrower. He put in the work and made the improvements to becoming an all-around great thrower. We’re going to see that discus explode I think next year.”
While Smith figures to keep getting better in the discus, he hopes to keep his numbers climbing in the shot, as well. He has a goal of throwing 75 feet next season.
Sluder thinks that is entirely possible.
“You don’t want to wallow in the past and think about what he missed, but if he had all of last year to throw, I think he throws 72 this year,” Sluder said. “I have no doubt he’ll go after that 75 feet next year. His weight room work ethic is unbelievable. Outside, we have to shut him down some nights. He’d be out there throwing all night if we let him.”
This weekend, Smith will compete in the National Throws Festival at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, northeast of Cleveland. Some of the top throwers in the nation will be there.
The meet also figures to draw plenty of college coaches. While Smith does not yet have any scholarship offers, they are sure to come pouring in once NCAA restrictions are relaxed.
“I’m still talking to people,” Smith said. “They still can’t really talk (in person) much because of COVID. I imagine it will probably be after the first few meets of next season.”
The Republic 2021 All-Area Boys Track and Field team:
Tucker Smith, Columbus North: The junior went undefeated in the shot put, setting the all-time state record and state-meet record, and also finished 12th at state in the discus.
Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff, Columbus North: The junior finished second at state in the 1,600 and was regional champion in the 1,600 and 800.
Austin Pulkowski, Columbus North: The senior finished second in the regional and 22nd at state in the 3,200.
Andy Stohr, Columbus North: The senior ran on the 4×800 relay team that finished 19th at state.
Clayton Guthrie, Columbus North: The sophomore ran on the 4×800 relay team that finished 19th at state.
Kellen Hottell, Columbus North: The sophomore ran on the 4×800 relay team that finished 19th at state.
Will Russell, Columbus North: The sophomore ran on the 4×800 relay team that finished 19th at state.
Matt Newell, Columbus North: The junior was Conference Indiana champion and finished second in the sectional in the 1,600.
Crase Bergman, Columbus East: The senior ran on the 18th-place 4×100 relay and 22nd-place 4×400 relay team at state and had the state’s best mark in the long jump.
Malachi Parks, Columbus East: The senior ran on the 18th-place 4×100 relay and 22nd-place 4×400 relay team at state.
Sean Ryan, Columbus East: The senior ran on the 18th-place 4×100 relay and 22nd-place 4×400 relay team at state.
Ethan Duncan, Columbus East: The sophomore ran on the 18th-place 4×100 relay and 22nd-place 4×400 relay team at state.
Zane Ortlieb, Jennings County: The senior finished 19th at state in the discus.
Ricky Stanley, Brown County: The senior tied for 21st at state in the pole vault.
Honorable mention
Brown County: Reid Davis. Columbus East: Henrique Carvalho, Anthony Lloyd, Charlie Russell. Columbus North: Evan Carr, Marquis Mixon, J.J. Montgomery, Alex Narvaez, Liam Phillips, David Sandusky, Josh Wright. Hauser: Aleck Lopez. Jennings County: Brenden Baker, Lane Elsner, Aiden Ernstes, Gavin Hendrix, Cole Marksberry, Evan Sochacki, Eli Wahlman.
