Senior Gabriel Wilkins became Absegami’s first 50-foot shot putter Friday with a 50-3 ¾ PR at the initial SJTCA meet at the Bubble in Toms River.
Series info isn’t available, but Wilkins placed 2nd to Delsea junior Jonathan Harris, who threw 52-5 ½ in the season opener. Harris threw 58-4 ½ last year at Franklin Field, but the 52-5 ½ is actually an indoor PR. He threw 52-0 at Easterns in March at the Armory.
For Wilkins, the 50-footer was a big PR. He had terrific success in the discus last year, throwing 160-11 and placing 2nd at Group 2 states at Delsea, behind only Delsea senior Luke Maxwell, who threw 166-6. He was the No. 7 underclassman in New Jersey and No. 3 in South Jersey.
But his shot PR was 49-5 ¾ from Woodbury and his indoor best was 47-1 ¾ at states at the Bubble. He’s the first Atlantic County thrower to hit 50 in the shot and 160 in the disc since Holy Spirit’s Cade Antonucci, who threw 59-5 ¼ and 169-1 in 2017 as well as 220-11 in the javelin, his strongest event.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 