Posted: 6/6/07
Becker, Marty advance to track's Holy Grail
 Andrea Becker launches a shot put at the section meet June 2 at Macalester College. She earned second place with a throw of 33 feet and advances to the state meet. |
By Steve Morris
For the first time since 1986, the Rush City Tigers will have a girls shot-putter representing the school at the state track meet.
At the section meet June 2 at Macalester College, freshman Andrea Becker qualified for the state meet with a throw of 33 feet, taking second place. It was her best throw of the season. Taking first place was junior Karin Driggers of Minnehaha Academy with a throw of 34-03.75.
As a rookie thrower, Becker beat out senior girls who had been throwing years. Rush City shot put coach Mark Bingham was impressed with Becker's performance. Becker is the first player Bingham has coached to qualify for state.
"She's a hard worker, with a great work ethic and is a fierce competitor," Bingham said. "She's explosive and quick and has all those qualities that make a good thrower."
Becker is the only freshman who qualified for the shot put in class A. She is scheduled to throw at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Hamline University in St. Paul.
"It's a huge accomplishment for a freshman to make it to state and it couldn't happen to a better girl," Bingham said.
Becker admitted she was shocked with her feat.
"I was really, really surprised when I got second. I didn't think I was going to be able to do it." Becker said.
Heading into the section meet, Becker was seeded third. The talkative freshmen was quick to credit her parents for having confidence in her.
"I never expected anything like this," she said.
Vaughan said Becker had improved at each and every meet this year. After coaching Becker in basketball, Vaughan recruited her for track because he noticed she had natural ability.
"I knew she could do it because I could tell she had all the tools to make her a good thrower,"
Becker isn't the only Tiger heading to the state meet. Senior Jeremy Marty qualified for the state in the 300 hurdles for the second year in a row. He came in second place with a time of 41.45 seconds. In first place was Laquone Robinson from Brookly Center in a time of 40.61.
Marty, who has been dealing with a heel injury he suffered at the Chisago Lakes meet, missed qualifying for the 110 high hurdles by a fraction of a second. However, he said his foot injury was not much of a factor at the section meet.
In the 110 hurdles, he took third in 15.64. (the top two finishers qualified for state.) Eric Spengler of St. Croix Lutheran took second in 15.49.
"That was ruff," Marty said on missing state by such a narrow margin in the 110 hurdles.
Marty races in the 300 prelims 4:55 p.m. Friday at Hamline University. If he qualifies for the finals, he races Saturday at 5:38 p.m.
For Marty, he could not have had a much better day. He had personal records in both events.
"It was good day," he said.
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