Hózhó Academy dominates throwing events

REHOBOTH, N.M.

The Hózhó Academy throwing team had a field day during Saturday’s High Desert Classic.

The Wolves claimed three titles during the Rehoboth Christian hosted track meet with seniors Kolin Touchine, Isaiah Bennett and Raine Miller winning their respective events.

Touchine captured gold in the boys shot put event with a mark of 38 feet, 5.5 inches on his sixth and final throw as each finalists got three additional throws.

“This feels great,” Touchine said. “You know, it’s my first meet that I’ve ever won throughout my high school career.”

Going into his final throw, Touchine trailed Tsé Yi’ Gai senior Trevyn Coby (36-02.50) and Pine Hill’s Elias Davis (36-01.50) before he got his shot put over 38 feet.

“I didn’t let that get to my head,” Touchine said. “I just stayed loose, and I just wanted to go out there and show up.”

As for his final throw, the Hózhó senior said he “powered through” as he had trouble with his technique.

“I use a glide, but I kind of messed up on it,” he said. “I just need more work on it.”

With the track season past its halfway mark, Touchine is looking to meet the New Mexico Class 2A qualification mark of 41 feet. And while he says it’s doable, he can also make state by placing in the top two at the District 1-2A meet, which is scheduled for May 1 at Ramah High School.

Last season, he went to state by placing second at the district meet with a personal best of 39 feet. At the state meet, Touchine’s best throw was 36-07.50, which placed him 11th overall.

Touchine also competed in the discus event with 97-03 effort, which placed him ninth overall.

In the boys javelin, Bennett nailed a new personal record with a 132-06 effort. He beat his previous best by 22 feet in which he set that mark last season.

“I’m two feet away from qualifying for state,” Bennett said of the 135-03 state standards. “I think just putting in the hard work and going to practice will make me better. This is my first meet throwing the javelin this year and I PRd by 22 feet.”

His other throws on Saturday were 122-, 124-, and 126-feet as he reset his PR four times.

Bennett also had an impressive showing in the discus event as he placed second with a throw of 121-01, which beat the 2A standard of 119-03.

“It’s a PR and it’s a qualification for state,” Bennett said.

His previous best coming into the Rehoboth meet was 120-11. He set that mark during last year’s Class 2A state meet where he placed seventh overall.

“I think PR, knowing that I can go over the top,” Bennett said when asked which was sweeter of the two. “I just did better than what I expected, that’s for sure.”

Hózhó Academy throwing coach Derrick Thompson said Bennett is throwing with confidence and lately he’s been perfecting his technique.

“I dissect every throw and there’s a million things you got to be perfect on and Isaiah is holding his own,” Thompson said. “He’s doing enough to get great throws and he’s starting to be confident with himself.”

In addition to Bennett, the Wolves also received a fourth-place finish from freshman Elijah Penero in the discus event. His best throw on Saturday went 107-04, which is a new PR.

“Last year we brought him up as an eighth grade from the mid school,” Thompson said. “We started working with him towards the end of the season and I told him, ‘You deserve to be here. You dominated the mid school meets and let’s see what you got.’”

Suffice to say, Penero passed that with flying colors as he threw 100-08 at last year’s district meet.

“That was a great goal for him, and he’s right where he should be,” Thompson said. “He’s about to hit 110 feet and we’re just looking for big things from Elijah Penero.”

In the girls discus, Miller took first with a throw of 99-05, which was nearly three feet off her personal record of 102-03 she set last season. Her mark on Saturday beat the 2A state qualification of 90 feet.

“She did get an injury so she’s about 75%, but she did win,” Thompson said. “She’s about 100 feet with her injury, and I think she should be about 110 without her injury.”

Earlier this season, Miller threw a 100-05.50 effort during the Round Valley Invitational on March 5 for her season best.

“With Raine, she’s also throwing with confidence,” Thompson said. “She is believing in what we’re doing here.”

With 18 throwers on his varsity squad, Thompson highlighted the growing popularity of his program.

“We’re still an upcoming program, but to see that much growth is amazing,” he said. “If we had a JV squad, we would have a full JV squad, so it’s really gotten popular at Hózhó.

“I’m just happy with what my throwers are doing,” he added.

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