A state championship highlighted day two of the state track and field meet in Des Moines Friday. Pella’s Nick DeJong, one day after placing 2nd in the discus, won the Class 3A shot put title with a throw of 57 feet, 11.5 inches. DeJong says he’s followed in the footsteps of some great throwers before him, as the championship was the first for the high school in the throwing event.

“It’s an honor, honestly, just to throw behind people like Austin Hill, Garret Jansen, Tyson Wassenaar, all the names you’ve heard before who placed at state and had not gotten first when they very well could have, so it’s just a big honor,” he says.