Throughout the boys track season, senior Frankie McFarland has been throwing impressive distances in both the shot put and the discus. McFarland joined the team last season after the baseball program was canceled, and he quickly made an impact in field events, setting the school record in the discus (132 feet, 2 inches) at last year's Tuscola sectional meet. This year he broke his own record three times (137-3, 139-10, 141-1) at the April 28 Spartan Classic, and he set the school record in the shot put (46-4) at the May 1 Paxton-Buckley-Loda Varsity Invite. McFarland also received good news on the college front. Notre Dame recently informed him that he was taken off the wait list and accepted for admission. He will attend Notre Dame in the fall, joining classmate Mike Renner. McFarland and his track teammates will try to qualify for a trip to the May 23-24 state meet at tonight's Class A Monticello sectional.

What are you looking to do in the postseason?

I'm hoping to go to state in both the shot put and discus and advance to the finals in one of them.

Which performances are you most proud of?

My sectional performance last year. I didn't medal but I did break the school record for discus, which was what all my work for the season had been for. I felt it was like a coming-out for me.

Are you planning on breaking any more records?

Well, seeing as how I mostly specialize in throwing and the only other event I will ever do at Uni is the 4x200 this Friday, I don't think so. Haha.

What do you credit your success to?

My mom. After baseball was canceled, and I couldn't do football either, I didn't know what to do. I even contemplated transferring schools for a short while. My mom was behind me no matter what I did, and that meant a lot. Once I decided to stay and do track she even asked around work and finally found someone who could help me with my throwing. Without her I would have had no success at all.

How’d you get into throwing?

Well I had no alternative, so I figured I should try it since I am like the biggest and strongest at our school, ha.

What do you have to do to make it out of sectionals?

I think I'm seeded first for shot put and around third or fourth for discus. Basically I need to throw around another school record in both to advance, so a PR in both should get me to state.

Who coaches your throwing, since Uni has no thrower coach?

Loarn Robertson. He works at Human Kinetics with my mom and offered to help me with my throwing. He pretty much knows everything there is about the shot put and discus, and he competes in senior invitationals for men 60 and older, one of the best in the nation for his age group.

Has practicing with sprinters helped you in throwing?

I think it has helped strengthen my legs more than just throwing every day without doing anything else would. Running with distance, though, would help even more I think, as my legs were in probably their best shape during cross country season.

How does it feel to own both Uni throwing records?

It's a relief. Once I started last year and figured that both records were within reach, I've been anxious to capture them. The shot put record is the one I'm most excited about, though, because I was having doubts that I would ever get it since it didn't happen until we had about two or three meets left. But having both records feels great because I really feel like I am officially the best Uni thrower ever.

If you make it out of sectionals, how is the competition at state?

It's gonna be really tough. For shot put I don't think I would even be at the qualifying mark of 49 feet, and there are people who throw upper 50s. For discus I would be just at the mark of 143 feet most likely, and I've been streaky with it. Also, the throwers who make it to finals throw about 160s.

What are your athletic plans for college?

Well, at Notre Dame I plan to try out for both the football team and the track team. It will be difficult, though, since they are very good at track, and D1 football is never easy to make, especially after not playing at all in high school.