Vote now: Who was the best thrower in Texas high school boys track & field in 2023?
It's becoming hard to refute Texas' dominance in the national high school track landscape.
The Lone Star State accounts for two of the country's best 10 marks in high school boys shot put and also boasts several of the best high school boys discus throwers throughout the nation — headlined by San Antonio East Central’s Michael Pinones and Hurst Bell’s Trey Wilson.
The UIL high school track and field season has come to a close, and SBLive is taking a look at the state's top athletes by event group during the 2023 spring season.
The 2023 UIL State Track & Field Meet took place May 8-11 at the University of Texas’ Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, culminating a season that included several broken records and a slew of dominant performances.
UIL STATE TRACK:
Wwe're highlighting the top boys and girls sprinters, hurdlers, distance runners, throwers and jumpers — then letting you decide.
Here’s an in-depth look at 10 of the Lone Star State’s top throwers — a blend of shot put and discus standouts — who stood above the rest during the 2023 Texas high school boys track and field season. Cast your vote for the best thrower in the state. Voting is open until Wednesday, May 29th, at 11:59 p.m. Central time:
TOP THROWERS IN TEXAS HS BOYS TRACK & FIELD (2023)
Editor’s note: Athletes listed in alphabetical order.
Mitchell Blakeslee, The Woodlands (6A), Senior
Best events: Discus, shot put
PRs: 181 feet, 9 inches (6A UIL State T&F Meet); 60 feet, 11 inches (Humble Sam Mosley Relays)
The Air Force-committed lineman capped his high school throwing career with a fourth place 6A state discus finish after winning districts, areas and the 6A Region II title, and a seventh place state shot put finish. His personal best — 189-3 at the Victor Lopez Classic in March — would have taken first at state and was the sixth best mark in Texas all year. That doesn't surprise his football teammates, who watched him set a new school power clean record.
Rafe Clendenin, San Antonio Brandeis (6A), Senior
Best events: Discus, shot put
PRs: 188 feet, 2 inches (UIL 27-6A, 28-6A Area T&F Meet); 52 feet, 4 inches (Judson ISD Candy Tanner Relays)
His high school career ended in triumph. After a seventh place finish in the 6A discus as a junior, the Virginia Military Institute signee took home first at the 6A UIL state meet with a 184-3 heave. It was just that kind of year for Clendenin, who won discus at nine of the 12 meets he competed in this spring.
Kyran Duhon, Humble Summer Creek (6A), Junior
Best events: Discus, shot put
PRs: 193 feet, 8 inches (UIL Region III-6A T&F Meet); 50 feet, 11 inches (Rice 40th Victor Lopez Classic)
Referred to as Tropical Storm Kyron by his football and track coach, Duhon brought home a second place 6A state finish by uncorking a 183-4 personal best. Duhon has multiple Division I football offers at defensive end/tackle.
David Hicks Jr., Katy Paetow (6A), Senior
Best events: Discus, shot put
PRs: 186 feet, 11 inches (UIL Region III-6A T&F Meet); 58 feet, 2 inches (UIL 19-6A, 20-6A Area T&F Meet)
Before he goes to play at Texas A&M, the nation's No. 1 ranked defensive lineman had the best high school discus throw in the nation this season — a 202-2 to win the UIL 6A District 19 meet on April 12. Hicks placed third in regionals and at state in discus. In the shot put, and his 63-0 personal best at the Bridgeland Relays was the fourth best throw in Texas all season.
Andrew Huff, Stafford (4A), Senior
Best events: Discus, shot put
PRs: 184 feet, 5 inches (UIL Region IV-4A T&F Meet); 56 feet, 6.5 inches (4A UIL State T&F Meet)
The Houston Christian football commit at defensive end/outside linebacker took home gold at the UIL 4A State Meet with a 179-9. His 184-5 at the UIL 4A Region IV throw was the longest throw in Class 4A by around 13 feet.
Praiyer Jones, Marlin (2A), Senior
Best events: Shot put, discus
PRs: 61 feet, 10 inches (2A UIL State T&F Meet); 165 feet, 0 inches (2A UIL State T&F Meet)
The Louisiana Lafayette track and field signee trounced his way to a Class 2A state gold medal — not far behind his 62-0 throw at the Rosebud-Lott Cougar Relays, the eighth best mark in Texas this past spring. He took home a second place finish at state with a personal best 165-0 in the discus.
Michael Pinones, San Antonio East Central (6A), Senior
Best events: Shot put
PRs: 66 feet, 9.5 inches (2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals)
The Texas Longhorns track and field signee wrapped up the Texas state gold in the discus after placing second as a junior and owns the best high school shot put mark in Texas this season by a long shot. His 66-6 1/4 throw at the UIL 6A Region 4 meet wasn't even his PR, 66-9 1/2, which came in at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in 2022. His 172-1 in the shot put at regionals was a top-40 mark statewide.
Evan Thompson, Sharyland Pioneer (5A), Senior
Best events: Shot put, discus
PRs: 60 feet, 10 inches (Laredo Border Olympics); 159 feet, 9 inches (PSJA North Winter Relays)
The Sharyland senior took home a Class 5A shot put championship after placing third as a junior. The Incarnate Word track and field signee posted a 60-3 3/4 heave in Austin after finishing first in the event at the regional, area and district meets.
Heath Vernor, Ennis (5A), Senior
Best events: Discus, shot put
PRs: 195 feet, 0 inches (5A UIL State T&F Meet); 49 feet, 4.75 inches (UIL District 14-5A T&F Meet)
Vernor's 184-9 throw in Austin earned him a gold medal at the UIL Class 5A State meet to finish his high school career before heading to Miami, where he's signed to continue throwing. Vernor's final four meets — districts, areas, regionals and state.
Trey Wilson, Hurst Bell (6A), Senior
Best events: Shot put, discus
PRs: 66 feet, 2.25 inches (UIL Region I-6A T&F Meet); 142 feet, 11 inches (Southlake Carroll Invitational)
Wilson's up there among the nation's top multi-sport athletes in the class of 2023. A three-star linebacker prospect signed to throw at Texas tech, he tossed the fifth best mark of the spring season nationally — a 66-2 1/4 at the UIL Class 5A Regional Meet. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior was previously committed to Stephen A. Austin for both football and track before he decommitted and signed with one of the best college track program's in the country.
