NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions Preview

Boys Shot Put

Event Preview

Joshua Huisman owns the top seven marks this season for New Jersey, all of them 60-10.75 or above! The St. Rose senior is currently US No. 4 and leads New Jersey with a mark of 63-10 which won the Monmouth County Championships back on January 21st.

He's also undefeated so far in 2024 collecting 11 victories and brought home the 2023 outdoor Meet of Champions title last spring.

Sports seem to provide 'Any Given Sunday' opportunities however and we do have two others over 60-feet this season. In fact New Jersey's top three all rank top 25 in the US.

Damere Lassiter of Glassboro HS hit a massive PR of 60-1 to win the Eastern States Championships on February 20th, that also moved him up to NJ No. 2, US No. 21. His primary event is the discus during outdoor season but Lassiter has started to show elite performance in the shot put this season improving upon a 51-5.5 PR just a year ago. Not sure we have seen his season in 2024 indoors just yet. 

Another athlete to keep an eye on is Jonathan Harris of Delsea Regional HS. The junior is NJ No. 3, US No. 22, thanks to his 60-0.25 to lead the Cherokee Throwdown on February 13th. He won the Group 3 state title with a mark of 58-11.25. 

Harris has really hit a rhythm in February with five meets over 58 feet and three of those at 59+. 

Also keep an eye on... Tyler Dunn  of Seton Hall Prep the NPB State Champ and NJ No. 5 at 57-0.75, Anthony Liakhnovich of Hammonton 2nd at Group 3 and NJ No. 6 with a 56-10.25, Jack Small of NV Old Tappan NJ No. 7 at 56-4.

It should be noted that Ben Fossella of Cranford is also the only other athlete from the top 8, outside of Huisman, to return from last year's indoor MOCs shot put field. He finished fourth last winter and enters at the 23rd seed.

Preview by Robert Kellert

Group Champions

Performance List

Includes Group meet performances & any improved seeds for Champions

Boys Shot Put
==========================================================================================
       Name 			  Year 	 School 			    Seed
==========================================================================================
1      Huisman, Joshua             12    St Rose HS                         60-10.75
2      Harris, Jonathan            11    Delsea Regional HS                 58-11.25
3      Dunn, Tyler                 12    Seton Hall Prep                    57-00.75
4      Liakhnovich, Anthony        11    Hammonton HS                       56-05.00
5      Small, Jack                 12    NV - Old Tappan HS                 55-08.75
6      Higgs, Savien               11    Paul VI HS                         55-02.25
7      Masso, Greg                 12    Delsea Regional HS                 55-00.00
8      Nwankwo, Mike               12    Jefferson Twp HS                   54-11.25
9      Paulmenn, Braden            12    South Brunswick HS                 54-05.75
10     Brady, Shawn                12    Bishop Eusta                       54-03.75
11     Yodakis, Albert             11    Christian Br                       53-11.00
12     Donini, Peter               11    Delbarton School                   53-08.50
13     Riordan, Luke               12    Hanover Park HS                    53-04.50
14     Morgan, Ronald              11    Morristown HS                      53-04.25
15     Lassiter, Damere            12    Glassboro HS                       53-02.25
16     Simeon, Mike                12    Egg Harbor Twp HS                  52-06.25
17     Seib, Joe                   11    St Rose HS                         52-04.00
18     Mauro, Aidan                12    Middletown                         51-04.25
19     Nolan, Matthew Tyler        12    Southern Reg                       51-02.75
20     Ashlock, Aldonte Aj         12    Kingsway HS                        51-02.00
21     Hariharan, Lokaditya        12    Ridge HS                           50-11.50
22     Williams, Julian            12    Willingboro HS                     50-04.75
23     Fossella, Ben               12    Cranford HS                        49-11.25
24     Clark, Michael              12    Passaic HS                         49-07.75
25     Desheplo, Capp              11    West Morris                        49-07.75
26     Habersham-Agbemenu, Tyler   12    Delsea Regional HS                 49-07.50
27     Dabney, Guius               12    Rahway HS                          49-07.00
28     Wallace, Jamal              10    Millville HS                       49-01.75
29     Wilkins, Gabriel            12    Absegami HS                        49-01.00
30     Jones, Jeremiah             12    Glassboro HS                       48-08.50

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