Hampden’s Misler inching closer to PVC-EMITL shot put record

Every time she steps in the shot put circle, Daija Misler inches closer and closer to history.

The Eastern Maine Indoor Track League record in the event, a 43-foot 1.50-inch toss by Orono’s Diane LeClair, has held up for more than three decades (1983).

At the pace that Misler, a Hampden Academy senior, is going at this winter, that record could very well be in jeopardy over the next two weeks.

Misler continued her ascent toward EMITL history at a multi-team meet at the University of Maine’s New Balance Field House over the weekend, uncorking a throw 41-1 on her final attempt of the day.

That is good for a New Balance Field House record for high school athletes, a record Misler has re-written multiple times this winter.

Misler has two more chances to break LeClair’s record, at the league’s regular-season finale meets next weekend and the conference championship meet scheduled for Feb. 10.

Brewer senior Austin Lufkin has already eclipsed the EMITL shot put record on the boys’ side, and if Misler keeps going at the rate she is, Eastern Maine track fans could very well see one of the region’s longest standing records be broken.

Not to be outdone, Misler was joined in the record books by Old Town McKenna Smith on Saturday.

Smith, who is having a very strong season in the jumping events for the Coyotes, set a new facility record in the  high jump, clearing 5 feet, 2 inches.

The EMITL record in that event was established in the winter of 2013 by Grace McLean of Bangor, who cleared 5-6 that January.

Meanwhile in Boston on Saturday, MDI senior Tia Tardy, who will be a teammate of Misler’s at Bucknell University next year, competed against some of the top high school milers in the Northeast in the New Balance Grand Prix’s Junior Mile.

The Trojans’  middle-distance standout went on to post a time of 5 minutes, 7.25 seconds, finishing in 11th place.

Jacqueline Gaughan of New Hampshire went on to win the race in 4:52.57.

Tardy was only the second Maine high school athlete to compete in the meet, joining Waterville native and current Iowa State University standout Bethanie Brown.

In the same meet, North Yarmouth native Ben True also competed in the mile, but in the professional ranks.

The former Greely High School standout, who competed in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials last summer, finished fourth among nine competitors in 3:57.31.

The meet was held at Boston’s Reggie Lewis Center and broadcast to a national TV audience on NBC Sports Network.

Ryan McLaughlin

About Ryan McLaughlin

BDN sports reporter Ryan McLaughlin grew up in Brewer and is a lifelong fan of the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins. In "The Boston Blitz" he'll be sharing his perspective with BDN readers about what's happening on the Boston professional sports scene.