Northeast's Pensick wins gold in shot put
OMAHA — Cole Pensick knew what he needed to do to win.
And while that’s exactly the situation many athletes thrive on, the Lincoln Northeast junior would prefer a different scenario.
“I kind of like to go first, get that great mark out there and everyone else is chasing you,” said Pensick. “Being at the state meet, with all these people here. It’s just that much excitement.”
On his second attempt of the Class A competition, Pensick posted a 57-feet-101/4-inches, which was good enough to win the all-class Gold medal at the Nebraska High School State Track and Field Meet and move to the top of the season charts.
“I knew Class B threw 57-7 and I was coming to get the all-class Gold,” said Pensick. “And I just knew it was going to take all I could give. Those two good throws before me gave me motivation to rip one out there. I also got the school record by four feet.”
Pensick’s all-class Gold medal was one of five earned on the first day of competition at the newly surfaced Burke Stadium.
Cory Sugden of Beatrice won the Class B high jump with a leap of 6-7, and that held up for the Gold. Daryle Hawkins of Omaha Central won the triple jump with a leap of 46-91/2, and Mitch Hunt of Fremont won the 3,200 in 9:25.31. The foursome of Ben Bedell, Brandon Weekly, Andrew Mitteis and Adam Mitteis lifted Plattsmouth to the 3,200 relay Gold medal with a time of 7:58.43.
Pensick, who has already committed to play football at Nebraska, said the guidance of coach Bubba Kramer helped him go from 44-61/2 last spring to the state title this year.
“My coach worked us really hard on the little things we needed to do,” he said, including teammate Jeff Bohlken, who finished eighth. “It gave me the motivation not to do it all for myself but to do it for Coach Kramer and my school.”
On his first attempt, some observers said the shot put landed in the 59- to 60-foot range.
“On that one, I watched it a little bit too much and couldn’t come around on it,” he said. “At the beginning of the year, I threw 51 and it was a personal best and I kept progressing with little paces. Then, it just clicked. My body got muscle memory and memorized what it was supposed to do.”
Pensick said competing in the shot put and wrestling will help him on the football field. He finished fifth in the state wrestling meet in his first year of competition. This is just his second year of competing in the shot put.
“All the sports have their advantages. Wrestling helps you with balance and strength and conditioning. Shot put gives you quickness and foot speed,” he said. “A wrestling match and in shot put, it’s you and you only. In football, you have 10 other people helping you out.”
His father, ex-Husker Dan Pensick, beamed as he wiped away a tear.
“It’s a lot harder to watch than to compete,” he said. “I never won. I got second my senior year. I went 57-111/2, so he still has an inch and a half to get me.”
Kramer agreed with the elder Pensick about watching Cole compete.
“It’s a little more nerve-wracking being a coach than competing,” said Kramer, won won the Class C title in 2003 and competed for Nebraska. “Cole is a competitor and when push comes to shove, he’s going be there.
“He’s a natural and a coachable kid. When you tell him something to do, it just clicks with him. Everything seems to go easy for him.”
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
And while that’s exactly the situation many athletes thrive on, the Lincoln Northeast junior would prefer a different scenario.
“I kind of like to go first, get that great mark out there and everyone else is chasing you,” said Pensick. “Being at the state meet, with all these people here. It’s just that much excitement.”
On his second attempt of the Class A competition, Pensick posted a 57-feet-101/4-inches, which was good enough to win the all-class Gold medal at the Nebraska High School State Track and Field Meet and move to the top of the season charts.
“I knew Class B threw 57-7 and I was coming to get the all-class Gold,” said Pensick. “And I just knew it was going to take all I could give. Those two good throws before me gave me motivation to rip one out there. I also got the school record by four feet.”
Pensick’s all-class Gold medal was one of five earned on the first day of competition at the newly surfaced Burke Stadium.
Cory Sugden of Beatrice won the Class B high jump with a leap of 6-7, and that held up for the Gold. Daryle Hawkins of Omaha Central won the triple jump with a leap of 46-91/2, and Mitch Hunt of Fremont won the 3,200 in 9:25.31. The foursome of Ben Bedell, Brandon Weekly, Andrew Mitteis and Adam Mitteis lifted Plattsmouth to the 3,200 relay Gold medal with a time of 7:58.43.
Pensick, who has already committed to play football at Nebraska, said the guidance of coach Bubba Kramer helped him go from 44-61/2 last spring to the state title this year.
“My coach worked us really hard on the little things we needed to do,” he said, including teammate Jeff Bohlken, who finished eighth. “It gave me the motivation not to do it all for myself but to do it for Coach Kramer and my school.”
On his first attempt, some observers said the shot put landed in the 59- to 60-foot range.
“On that one, I watched it a little bit too much and couldn’t come around on it,” he said. “At the beginning of the year, I threw 51 and it was a personal best and I kept progressing with little paces. Then, it just clicked. My body got muscle memory and memorized what it was supposed to do.”
Pensick said competing in the shot put and wrestling will help him on the football field. He finished fifth in the state wrestling meet in his first year of competition. This is just his second year of competing in the shot put.
“All the sports have their advantages. Wrestling helps you with balance and strength and conditioning. Shot put gives you quickness and foot speed,” he said. “A wrestling match and in shot put, it’s you and you only. In football, you have 10 other people helping you out.”
His father, ex-Husker Dan Pensick, beamed as he wiped away a tear.
“It’s a lot harder to watch than to compete,” he said. “I never won. I got second my senior year. I went 57-111/2, so he still has an inch and a half to get me.”
Kramer agreed with the elder Pensick about watching Cole compete.
“It’s a little more nerve-wracking being a coach than competing,” said Kramer, won won the Class C title in 2003 and competed for Nebraska. “Cole is a competitor and when push comes to shove, he’s going be there.
“He’s a natural and a coachable kid. When you tell him something to do, it just clicks with him. Everything seems to go easy for him.”
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
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