PORT ANGELES — Better keep your eyes on Port Angeles thrower Troy Martin.
As the senior state hopeful showed in the discus finals of Thursday’s Olympic League track and field meet against North Mason and North Kitsap, he can pop off some spectacular throws.
Some of them just happen to be a little off target.
Martin won the shot put and discus events going away Thursday on his march to another state trip, putting up a throw of 161 feet, 3 inches in the latter that’s the third-best mark of the season in Class 2A.
Of course, it wasn’t that throw that had everyone buzzing at Port Angeles’ home track (See complete meet results on Page B3).
Instead, it was the one that sailed out of bounds and landed two feet beyond the long-jump pit — a distance of 169 feet — and past an unsuspecting crowd.
Straighten that out, and Martin would easily break the Roughriders’ school record of 166-3.
Not that such a mark would completely satisfy Martin.
“I wanted to get the school record early on, but I realized I had more potential, and I want to hit it,” said Martin, who is aiming for something between 180 and 185 feet this spring.
“I just need to do more footwork, more drills, more practice.”
That’s a scary thought for the rest of 2A.
Martin already owns the top marks in that classification in both the discus (164-3) and shot put (52-7¾), according to athletic.net.
And nobody came near either of his first-place throws in either event on Thursday, as Martin led the Riders to a first-place finish in team standings.
“He’s throwing over 160 very consistently,” Port Angeles throwing coach George Kheriaty said. “Now our goal is to get over 170.
“He’s thrown over 180 in practice and he’s thrown over 55 in the shot put in practice.
“Now it’s just coming down to those three throws and matching up during the meet with his highest and best ability.
“He’s smart enough to know what he needs to adjust, and he’ll make the adjustments.”
Boys roll
Martin was one of three multi-event winners for the Rider boys, who claimed first in 11 of 17 events to run away with the three-way meet.
He would have had three crowns if not for teammate Cameron Braithwaite.
The 5-foot-9 junior edged Martin out in the javelin and also won the long and high jump competitions as the day’s lone triple winner.
“I would say this was his meet,” Port Angeles boys coach Pat Durr said of Braithwaite.
“He’s been a little bit injured and now he’s starting to feel pretty good. That was a good breakout meet for him.”
Rickie Porter also won two events for the Riders, claiming the 100- and 200-meter dashes; the latter with a dramatic finishing kick in the final 80 meters.
“Rickie continues to get faster, and he’s still working to get in shape,” Durr said. “Nobody has beaten him yet head to head, so that’s encouraging.”
Parley Scott also had a big day, taking first in the triple jump and second in the 400 meter dash, 110 hurdles and long jump.
“The kids are working so hard, and the times are starting to improve,” Durr said.
“We have a great supporting cast.”
Girls take second
The Port Angeles girls ended up placing second to North Kitsap in their three-way meet.
Senior distance runner Alison Maxwell paced the Rider girls with wins in the 800 and 1,600.
More of a warm-up for Saturday’s Bellevue Invitational than anything else, the former state competitor breezed to wins in both without pushing the pace too much.
Ranked in the top 10 in 2A in the 1,600 and 3,200, according to athletic.net, she is attempting to reach state in both events for the first time.
“I’ve done both events at all of the invites so far this year, just to keep myself in that method,” Maxwell said.
“In past years I’ve always done both at every meet until the end and then I’d drop one off to make myself faster at the other.
“Since I’m hoping to both at state I’m just going to keep them both up and see how it goes.”
Maxwell was also a part of the Riders’ winning 4-by-400 relay, which included Bailey Reader, Elizabeth Stevenson and Kathryn Moseley.
Teammate Tarah Erickson also won a pair of events for the Rider girls, claiming the pole vault and high jump.
But that wasn’t enough to top a loaded North Kitsap team, which won 9 of 18 events to finish with 97.5 points.
The Rider girls had 61.5 points.
Neah Bay also competed in both meets but was not part of the official scoring.