PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - There were some big expectations for New Jersey's top throwers in the circle on the opening day of the 129th Penn Relays presented by Toyota on Thursday at Franklin Field in front of a day one record crowd of 27,376.
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And led by Peter Donini of Delbarton and Benjamin Shue of Bergen Catholic, the Garden State made its presence felt in a big way.
The University of Michigan-bound Donini who won the Nike National title in the shot put last month, unloaded a 63-11.50 to place fourth overall and first among American finishers. By being the top American finisher, Donini earned a prestigious Penn Relays watch.
Joe Seib of St. Rose added to NJ's circle supremacy by placing fifth overall and second among American throwers with a personal best of 63-5.
Despiro Wray of Kingston College led a 1-2-3 finish for Jamaica with a winning throw of 65-8.75.
The series for Donini was 59-4, 59-5.50, 63-4.75, 63-8.25, 63-11.50, and 60-2.50. Seib's series was 61-2.25, 60-2, 61-5.75, 60-3, 63-5, 62-3.75.
The University of Texas-bound Shue, who finished third as a freshman, fourth as a sophomore, second as a junior, launched a 198-11 to secure a third-place finish on Thursday. Ashton Hearn of Christian Brothers in Tennessee won with a throw of 201-11, and Joseph Salmon of Jamaica College in Jamica was second wth a 202-3.
Shue, who earned a Penn Relays watch as a freshman and junior as the top American finisher here, had a series of 195-3, 184-1, 189-4, 195-10, 173-5, and 198-11.
Shue, who has already secured his place as one of the NJ's greatest throwers ever with PR's of 69-2 in the shot and 205-4 in the discus, said he knows the best is yet to come for him.
"I had a solid series, but I'm still working on some things that will help me get the discus out much further by the end of the season,'' said Shue, who has a discus PR of 205-4, which he threw to win the Meet of Champions title last June.
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