Mead thrower Simon Rosselli soars to District 4A discus title while keeping eyes on record books

Things are trending up for the nation’s best discus thrower.

Mead senior Simon Rosselli put together his best series of throws in six weeks when he posted the nation-leading throw of 225 feet, 6 inches to win at the Arcadia Invitational near Los Angeles.

He captured the 4A boys title Thursday at the District 6 4A/3A track and field championships at Central Valley.

All six of Rosselli’s throws eclipsed 200 feet, but what was stupendous is he started with 219-1 and ended with 219-8. In between, he fired off throws of 216-11, 209-8, 203-10 and 216-10.

No Washington athlete has displayed the consistency Rosselli has this season. He’s on another planet as any heave has the potential to seemingly sail into the stratosphere.

As much out of respect as perhaps curiosity, a throng of people gathered near the discus ring with hopes that Rosselli might achieve his season-long goal – breaking the national record of 237-6 set by Ryan Crouse of Barlow High School in Gresham, Oregon, in 2011.

Rosselli is right where he thought he’d be. He charted his training schedule at the start of the season, planning to hit a peak at Arcadia and then reaching similar heights the final two weeks of the season.

After his opening throw Friday, Rosselli thought he might break the national record. He’s thrown more than 237-6 several times in practice in the last six weeks.

“I came in feeling really good, going for the national record, but you know, obviously wasn’t able to get it,” Rosselli said after posing for photos with friends and family. “I wasn’t able to connect the way I wanted to, but not a bad day going into state.”

The state meet is Thursday through Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

“I’ve got one more real chance before Nike Nationals (mid-June),” Rosselli said. “I’d like to do it at state because I don’t want an asterisk. I’m physically ready and mentally ready. I need to put it together one more time.”

Rosselli mixed laser focus with praiseworthy sportsmanship Friday. He was quick to congratulate other competitors. When he stepped into the ring, though, his athletic spirit possessed him.

He won by nearly 70 feet.

“After my first throw, I was thinking, I am going to have a really, really good day,” Rosselli said. “Started kind of falling off a little bit – fatiguing. I just didn’t feel a pop, is how I’d say it. When I would finish the throw, I just didn’t feel explosive the way I wanted to. So to throw 219 twice and 216 twice and not really feeling much of a pop is a really, really good sign for me, especially going into state.”

There would be no better place to do it than in Tacoma next week.

“I just need to connect when it matters – when there’s a tape out and there’s an official,” Rosselli said.

Rosselli, meanwhile, has had impressive growth in the shot put this season. He broke the school record when he threw 68-9 at the Legends Invite in Walla Walla on April 25.

He wants to break the Washington state all-time record (69-11) set by Vince Goldsmith of Mount Tahoma High in 1977.

That will be in his mind Friday in the shot final.

“I have more than a 70 footer in me,” Rosselli said. “So tonight I’m going to rest up, hydrate, stretch and hopefully (Friday) I can come back with some pop and break the state record.”

Mead, which will be favored to capture a state title next week, got off to a strong start Friday. The Panthers posted 98 points, well ahead of Gonzaga Prep (57.5), which is second.

Joining Rosselli in the winners circle were teammates Jonah Wiser in the 800 meters (1 minute, 54.17 seconds); sophomore Stejer Franklin in the 3,200 (9:04.91); and Trevelle Jones, Adrian Garcia-Isabelli, Carter Williams and Lee Colomb in the 4x100 relay (41.91), a season best.

Franklin took the lead at the start of the second mile, steadily pulling away.

Mead coach James Lehr had much to smile about Thursday.

“(Friday) is going to be fun too,” Lehr said.

The top three finishers in the 4A and 3A meets advance to state along with any athletes who meet state qualifying standards.

And there were plenty of extra qualifiers. In the 3A boys 100, seven of eight finishes in the first heat, said to be the slowest of two seeded heats, beat the state qualifying time of 11.14 seconds. Gabriel Borisch of Southridge won the first heat in 10.74 and Adie Wright of North Central was second, one-hundredth of a second behind and the winner of the second heat.

CV sophomore DuShawn Johns won the 110 high hurdles in 14.80. He was hoping to beat his personal best (14.41) he had at the subdistrict meet last week.

“I expected a lot better time,” Johns said. “I messed up the third-to-last hurdle.”

In one of the more entertaining races in the girls, University senior Kyla Roberts fought back to catch Jane Wycoff of Mt. Spokane with 30 meters remaining in the 3A 800. Roberts won in 2:12.10 – .66 ahead of Wycoff.

In the 3A boys 800, Mt. Spokane’s Gaitlin Michaelsen (1:53.68) held off Cheney’s Ethan Martin (1:53.92) in another tight finish.

Nikko Alexander of Gonzaga Prep won the 4A 400 in a personal best 48.84.

Defending state 4A girls javelin champ Mercedes Gilroy won with a season best 145-10.

The district meets conclude Friday at CV.