T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON • South Hardin junior Brylie Zeisneiss prepares to launch her penultimate throw in the finals of the shot put competition at the Drake Relays on Thursday. With this throw, Zeisneiss secured third place and broke the Tigers’ school record with a distance of 44 feet, 10 inches.

DES MOINES — In the first four throws of the high school girls shot put competition at the 109th Drake Relays on Thursday, South Hardin junior Brylie Zeisneiss had been solid but hadn’t completely lived up to her potential.

Zeisneiss entered the Relays with the third-best qualifying mark at 44 feet, 4 1/2 inches, her best throw in her career and a school record for the Tigers.

She had done enough in the first three throws to enter the finals of the event in the top three, and her first throw in the finals was the furthest of any competitor, though she still hadn’t touched the 44-foot mark yet.

As she stepped into the circle for her fifth shot, Zeisneiss took a deep breath before going into her glide, then reared back and heaved a monster throw that looked good from the moment it left her hand.

When the announcer yelled out ‘”44 feet, 10 inches,” a big celebration was heard from the stands and Zeisneiss gave a fist pump, knowing she had just launched the best throw of her Tigers career.

Zeisneiss took over second place with that toss, and she would finish third after Jamie Kofron from Tipton took over the top spot with a mighty throw of 45-5 1/2 on her last throw of the competition.

The placing made no matter to Zeisneiss, however, as she said she was just ecstatic to make it onto the podium in her second trip down to the competition.

“I am so excited, I made it here last year but I didn’t make it into the top five, but I was super happy with where I finished being a sophomore coming into Drake,” she said. “Then making it back again this year and still breaking my school record and [personal record], it’s great competition here.”

Zeisneiss actually made an adjustment before going into her penultimate throw, as she said coach Mike Olson saw something in her previous attempts to correct.

“Coach was telling me I had to get my chest up, pull my arm up a little bit because I was pulling my arm to the left and it was getting me off balance,” Zeisneiss said. “Getting that up put me at that 44-10 and it felt wonderful and it’s a new PR so I couldn’t be happier.”

Many of the throwers compete together throughout the season, forming bonds with girls from around the state. After Kofron secured the victory, Zeisneiss was one of the first girls to congratulate her with a pat on the back and a hand shake.

“I was super excited for Jamie, I knew second or third either way I was happy I was in the top three,” Zeisneiss said.

Considering this was her second time competing in the Drake Relays, Zeisneiss said her previous appearance didn’t really change the way she prepared, but it was a good thing to have in her back pocket.

“It was about the same, I’ve changed my preseason workouts and everything and I think knowing and experiencing it from last year did help a lot this year,” she said. “I am excited to see what the season still has left.”

After breaking the school record twice in one season, Zeisneiss said she’s not done growing yet and she still has a few more inches to tack on.

“I’ve got new goals, my season goal is to go at least 45 feet and today I was two inches away from it,” she said. “I was so close, but it’s on the edge. I can feel it, it’s going to be here, it’s just when now.”

Zeisneiss isn’t done competing in the Relays either, as she will attempt to add a podium finish in the discus today as one of the top three qualifiers. The girls discus event will start at 9 a.m. on the Drake University Campus.