Jack Herd picked up the javelin on a whim a little over a year ago.
Already a three-sport star for South Central, Herd decided to pull double duty last year with baseball and track and field.
“The guys convinced me to go have a good time and I picked up the javelin, not knowing what I could do with it,” Herd said. “The first track meet, I threw 143.
“From there it just took off. The way it sticks in the ground, it's pretty addicting. I’m pretty obsessed with it.”
And for good reason.
After capturing the 1A title last year, Herd has continued his mastery of the event, owning the third best throw in all classes this season at 211 feet, 7 inches. That mark ranks 16th all-time in Kansas.
Herd is putting the finishing touches on an incredible senior year that saw him lead South Central to an Eight-Player Division I football title and a runner-up showing in basketball.
He’s also thrived this spring for the Bucklin/South Central baseball team, hitting .565 with 32 RBIs to help the team to a 12-4 record.
“I've kind of got used to (doing both sports), but you still have to put in time after hours. Doing it for two years now, it's becoming easier,” Herd said.
Herd’s 211-7 came at Minneola in the second meet of the season. Only Blue Valley West’s Jason McNicoll (220-6) and Piper’s Max Clark (213-7) have thrown farther this season.
“I had no idea it was 211, so when they said it, it was just pure shock,” Herd said. “After a little bit of settling in, I was like, ‘This year could be great.’ The goal was to hit 205 by the end of the year and hitting that 211 is pretty special. Hopefully I can get some more 205s this year.”
Herd is undefeated in his five meets in javelin this spring. He threw 193-2 in the Kiowa County Invitational on Friday. He’s also done shot put in all five meets this season, winning the event in Minneola with a personal-best throw of 45 feet.
Herd’s success in javelin has slightly altered his plans for next year. Signed to Friends University for football, Herd is now planning on also throwing for the Falcon track and field team.
“The football coach [Terry Harrison] saw what I did in javelin and he gave me the number to the track coach [Henry Brun],” Herd said. “I texted him, we chatted and he said I could join the track team. I love javelin, so of course I would do it.”
Herd will look to cap a banner year by trying to defend his javelin title and looking to lead the Bucklin/South Central baseball team to a state tournament berth.
“This is by far the best year I’ve had, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything,” Herd said. “I’ve had very special moments with all these guys. If I could top it off with a state championship in either track or baseball, that would be very special, but I’ve got to keep working for it.”
OTHER WESTERN KANSAS BOYS TRACK STANDOUTS
– Ulysses’ Gaige McGaughey owns the top time in all classes in the 200 with a 21.45 he ran at the Holcomb Invitational. McGaughey also has the best time in Class 4A in the 100 with a 10.56. McGaughey is the reigning 4A state champion in the 200 and was state runner-up in the 100 last season. McGaughey has won all his 200 races this season and has won all but one of his 100 races,
– Holcomb star distance runner Brody Deniston moved to the top of the state leaderboard in the 800 with a 1:53.02 he ran at the Garden City Mike Smith Invitational on Tuesday. He also has the third-best time in the 3,200 (9:12.58) and sixth-best time in the 1,600 (4:15.62). Deniston is the reigning Class 3A champion in the 800 and was runner-up in the 1,600 and 3,200 last year.
– Garden City’s Ryder Carr has the fourth-best 100 time in all classes with a 10.46 and owns the fifth-best time in the state in the 200 with a 21.81.
– Holcomb’s Avery McVey recorded a 10.40 in the 100 at Holcomb’s home meet on April 24 for the best time in Class 3A. He also has the third-best time in 3A in the 200 at 22.26.
– Weskan’s Karsyn Wright has the best Class 1A times in both the 100 (10.87) and 200 (22.68).
– Smith Center’s Cole McKelvey has the top Class 2A time in the 400 with a 50.50.
– Smith Center’s Carson McKelvey has the best Class 2A time in the 300 hurdles with a 38.67.
– Lincoln’s Xavier Miller ran the best Class 1A time in the 400 with a 49.97 he ran at the Tescott Invitational on Tuesday. Miller is undefeated in the 400 and 200 this spring.
– Dodge City’s Elliott Williams has the state’s second-best time in the 110 hurdles with a 13.92 and has the third-best time in the 300 hurdles with a 38.06.
– Colby’s Jordan Jones has the fourth-best time in all classes in the 300 hurdles with a 38.52. Jones is the reigning Class 3A champion in the event.
– Holcomb’s Cooper Cranston is among the state leaders in three events. He has the fourth-best time in all classes in the 110 hurdles with a 14.16 he ran at the Garden City Invitational on Tuesday. He also has the eighth-best time in the 300 hurdles (38.83) and has a top-20 mark in javelin (184-1).
– Northern Valley’s Owen Hammond is among the Class 1A leaders in the 110 hurdles (14.84) and 300 hurdles (40.08).
– Phillipsburg’s Tanner Horinek has the second-best time in Class 3A in the 110 hurdles with a 14.45. Horinek is also in the top five in Class 3A in the long jump with a best of 22-3. Horinek is the reigning Class 2A state champion in the 110 and 300 hurdles.
– Hays has three shot put throwers among the 5A leaders — Jaxson Chartier (53-7), Tanner Geist (52-11) and Caleb Englert (52-8.50).
– Otis-Bison’s Gavin Alloway has the best Class 1A long jump mark at 22-8.50.
– Chase’s Malik Carson has the second-best Class 1A long jump mark at 22-3.
– Hugoton’s Adrian Adigun has the fifth-best triple jump in all classes with a 47-5.
– Beloit-St. John’s Edward Horinek has the top Class 1A triple jump with a 45-5.25. Horinek is the reigning Class 1A triple jump champion.
– Quinter’s Caedmon Bridges has the fifth-best discus throw in all classes with a 180-5.
– Hill City’s Vincent Zohner has a top-10 javelin throw in all classes with a 197-10 he threw at the Quinter Invitational. Zohner is the reigning Class 2A javelin champion.