The Let’s Throw Big throwing team from Grayson County punched their ticket to the 2025 Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Summer Games of Texas.
Nine of the team members, representing Collinsville, Van Alstyne and Gunter, earned the opportunity to compete in the Bryan-College Station area with Top 5 finishes at the TAAF Region 7 Regional Meet in Princeton on July 10.
“We’ve had a great summer,” Let’s Throw Big head coach Mike Hall said. “We qualified nine people for the state track meet and eight of them qualified in the shot [put] and the discus. … Our objective is to get better every year, and we started out just wanting to get better and now we’re good throwers and the objective is to be great.”
Let’s Throw Big’s youngest state qualifier Maxim Zelenski of Gunter finished third in the 14 & Under Boys shot put with a distance of 29-feet-5-inches.
Zelenski also finished fourth in the 14 & Under Boys discus throw with a distance of 103-feet-7inches.
“I didn’t perform my best, so there’s a lot of room for improvement,” Zelenski said. “I’m hoping I can definitely get Top 5. If I can set a new personal best, I think I’ll be able to, but I need to lock in my torque and stay focused.”
Stone Rumage of Gunter won silver in the 16 & Under Boys discus throw and shot put with distances of 115-feet-3-inches and 38-feet-2-inches.
Jonny Rensberger of Van Alstyne earned the bronze medal for both events for the Boys 16 & Under Group, with personal bests of 95-feet-11-inches in the discus throw and 26-feet-6inches in the shot put.
“I surprised myself with how well I did in the discus, but I only got to state in shot because there were only three people,” Jonny said. “… I haven’t been to state before, so I’m excited for the experience of throwing on such a high level.”
Russell Carney of Collinsville led the way for the team’s most experienced throwers, winning gold in the 18 & Under Boys discus throw and shot put with throws of 142-feet-8-inches and 46-feet-11-inches.
Carney said he was just happy to compete after suffering multiple injuries after an accident a few days before the meet.
“I suffered a concussion about four days prior, so I had that, a neck sprain and a hand sprain in my throwing hand, so just to go out there and get first place in both events without throwing super great was nice,” he said. “I’m hoping to do even better this week, and I’m hoping there is going to be a lot of competition.”
Carney was joined by his fellow Collinsville Pirates teammate Cooper Mc-Millan, who won silver in the 18 & Under Boys discus throw with a distance of 128-feet-10-inches.
McMillan also finished fourth in the shot put with a throw of 41-feet-8.2inches.
“I did a lot better in practice the week before [regionals],” he said. “I need to hit a personal record at state, but seeing A&M is going to be pretty cool,” he said. “It’s my favorite school.”
Barrett Elmore of Gunter wrapped things up for the boys, winning bronze in the 18 & Under Boys discus throw and shot put with throws of 126-feet-10-inches and 43-feet-6inches.
Barrett, whose older sister Abby Elmore was a state champion at Gunter and now competes in the heptathlon for the University of Florida in Gainesville, said he’s excited to have the opportunity to make his own mark at the state meet.
“I’ve always loved it, so it’s been nice to be in that sort of environment and being able to go do it myself is going to be a nice change of pace,” he said.
Paxtyn Graves of Gunter led the way for the girls, winning silver in the 16 & Under Girls discus throw with a distance of 102-feet-2-inches.
Graves also finished fourth in the shot put with a distance of 30-feet-3.7inches.
“I’m looking forward to throwing at the meet because it’s my first state track meet, and this is my first year of summer track in general, so I’m excited to do well and set another personal record,” she said.
Eva Rensberger won silver in the 16 & Under Girls shot put with a throw of 30-feet-7.2-inches and finished fourth in the discus with a distance of 65-5-inches.
“I did really well at regionals,” she said. “They were some of my best throws, and I set a new personal record in the discus, too. I’m looking forward to the competition at state, and I’m looking forward to not being last.”
Melissa Torres of Gunter wrapped things up for Let’s Throw Big, finishing fifth in the 16 & Under shot put with a throw of 30-feet-1/2-inch.
“I could’ve done better, but I did well enough to make it to state, so I’m proud of myself,” she said. “I’m looking forward to challenging myself and my ability to throw because I know I could hit a big personal record there.”
Let’s Throw Big is scheduled to conclude their season at the 2025 TAAF Summer Games of Texas hosted in the Bryan-College Station area starting Friday.
