The Spring has been good to reigning State Champion Jillian Scully (Miller Place). After hitting NY-3 All-Time in the Shot Put Indoors, the LSU-bound senior has been back to the drawing board. Mirroring her Junior campaign, Scully has had limited throwing this spring, with only two outings in April, and three in May. Much of that time had been spent indoors, during the rainy season, perfecting form and technique, and building strength.
It would be May where that hard work would pay dividends. At the Loucks Games, she was back to her old self, launching the Shot Put 46-1, the second furthest throw of her HS career. But it would be the Discus that followed that caught people's attention.
She launched the Disc 174-2, breaking the long-standing State Record set back in 1992. Scully would follow that up with another record performance at Counties, where she improved her mark to 178-10, a new National Leader in the event this year.
It's now June, and the improvement trend continues. After a conservative start, Scully threw a 'safe' 132-2 opening throw, to qualify her for the finals. She followed that up with another 'safe' throw, hitting 127-7. Already having the Super Standard, she was into the State Meet regardless. It was off to the races.
Scully would foul her final throw of the trials, as well as her opener in the finals. However, she would connect on her fifth throw, and launch one for the ages. Out came the Steel Tape, checking the Disc that was weighed both before and after, and the mark was confirmed at 184-2.
That mark now ties Scully as the 8th best Discus Thrower in American High School history. She is tied with Valarie Allman, the current American Record Holder, and two-time Olympic Champion, who threw for Silver Creek HS in Colorado back in 2013. Only three girls have ever thrown over 190 feet, with the Overall HS Record held at 198-9. Scully has nothing to lose.
The Disc also hasn't hurt her Shot Put, as Scully improved to 46-6.25 at Counties. That moves her to NY-9 All-Time in the event Outdoors.
She will throw the Shot Put at Day 2 of State Quals today.