Geist and Piperi come up big, make U.S. junior team in SP

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

SACRAMENTO -- Jordan Geist will wear the U.S. uniform for the first time after throwing within two inches of the high school national record with the junior shot put Friday at the USATF Junior Championships.

Geist, coming off a monster performance at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor last week, threw 69 feet, 4 inches (21.14m) to win the shot put. Friend and rival Adrian Piperi, hobbled by a foot injury, managed to secure the second spot on the team with 68-3 (20.80m).

“It is awesome,” Geist said. “It is the first U.S. team I have ever made. I was really nervous in the prelims. I didn’t have a very good mark. Once I got in the finals, I started getting a little more comfortable and I got a good mark. I am overwhelmed with how I did.”

Geist had come up short in a couple of previous attempts to make a U.S. team. He is also entered this weekend in the men’s shot put competition.

Piperi said he had practiced only six times in the past two months because of his injured foot.

“I’m proud of myself for throwing great. I didn’t expect to throw as well as I did,” Piperi said. “I’m glad Jordan finally made a team with me because I’ve been waiting for that for three years. I can’t wait to get to Peru (for Pan Am Juniors) because we are going to kill it.”

Eric Edwards of Houston’s Langham Creek High broke the junior class national record in the 110-meter hurdles with 13.32 seconds to win the final. It was also an all-time Texas best and moved him into a tie for No. 5 all-time on the high school list.

Edwards and the other finalists had to adjust to being reset into the blocks three times.

“I never thought it would be a reality to be here,” Edwards said. “It’s an amazing feeling to come here and make the U.S. junior and team and PR. It’s a blessing.”

Upland CA star Joseph Anderson also made the team, running 13.45.

UCLA freshman Isaiah Holmes jumped 7-1.75 (2.18m) to win the high jump. He’ll be joined on the U.S. team by Arizona’s Justice Summerset, who was second with 7-0.50 (2.15m).

Missouri freshman Ja’Mari Ward had only two legal jumps in the long jump, but they were both long enough to secure first place. Ward’s best mark was 25-7.50 (7.81m). Justin Hall of Texas Tech was second with 24-9.75 (7.56m).

Baylor freshman Maxwell Willis ran 10.26 to return to the U.S. national team. He was on the World Youth Championships squad in Colombia in 2015. T.J. Brock of USC ran 10.33 to grab the second spot.

Pittsburgh freshman Nick Wolk outsprinted Alec Haines of Oklahoma State in the final lap of the junior men’s 5,000 meters as the pair went 1-2. Wolk ran 14:26.54 for the win.

In the junior men’s decathlon, which was a grind over two days in searing 100-plus degree heat, Texas freshman George Patrick scored 7,547 points to win the title with measured efforts throughout in order to conserve energy.

Behind him, Germantown Academy junior Kyle Garland continued to grow by leaps and bounds. He PR’d in five of the 10 events, including the 1,500 meters, and finished with 7,035 points.  

One of the highlights of prelim action that took place Friday came from Cameron Cooper of Motor City TC in Michigan. Cooper ran 1:48.60 in the 800 and has the final still to come.