Stuto looking to make it into record books in shot put, discus

Brick Township High School shot put standout and discus thrower Lisa Stuto is ready for a big finish before embarking on a college career at Eastern Michigan University.

"My throwing is going pretty well," Stuto said.

She heads into a big month of meets that starts April 23, competing in the shot put in the Penn Relays and continues in May with the Ocean County, Shore Conference and state championships as she looks to end her career with a return trip to the NJSIAA Meet of Champions (MOC).

"I'm definitely on a better fitness level," she said.

Stuto last month was the last athlete from the township competing in track and field and moved up to a bronze medal in the indoor MOC from fourth place on her final throw with a 41-feet, 5-inch measure at the Bennett Athletic Complex in Toms River.

Stuto had been in third place for much of the competition, off an early throw of 41-1 and ended up an inch off second-place finisher Genevieve Rybash of Our Lady of Mercy and 13 inches behind rival Shannon Watt of Jackson Memorial's winning throw.

"She's still not there technique-wise, but we're getting there," Brunner said that day about Stuto, who had won the Group III South section and group title. "I liked the way she competed in that meet, especially when she slipped from third to fourth place going into the last throw. There were five girls throwing only 40 feet."

Leading the field in the previous Group III championships from start to finish in that meet despite losing practice time that week with bronchitis, Stuto had a third throw of 40 feet, 6¼ inches — good enough to win. But she surpassed that on her final throw, a 40-11¼measure, about 2½ feet beyond the rest of the field.

Stuto, the 23rd individual throwing state champion indoors and outdoors in the past 34 years at the school, has been following in the successful footsteps of DeAnne Hahn, who had prevailed in the shot put for the Green Dragons the past two winters before heading to the University of Minnesota.

But deep down inside, Stuto knew she was capable of doing better. She said she felt competing with Hahn pushed her to bring out her best effort and felt that surge again when she competes against Watt.

"All my good throws have come against Shannon Watt," Stuto said. "I really need that competitiveness. Coming off indoors, the only people happy with my throws was my competition. I'm definitely ready to go ahead. I'm confident about myself. Now I'm ready to step up."

Stuto said she has been aiming for 42 feet in practice and dual meets as well as 130 feet in the discus and feels she can push even farther.

"It's the timing and once I do [it], I'll be able to continue with it. This [technique problem] won't last forever," she said.

Stuto proved that when she competed against Watt in the outdoor MOC, when she was fourth in the shot put in a personal best 43-8 on her final attempt that moved her up two spots and past Watt. Her previous throw might have exceeded 45 feet, but she was called for a controversial foot foul that many bystanders, including rival head coaches, disagreed with on that day.

"I thought I didn't do that, but I tried not to let it bother me and I had to calm down," Stuto said.

In the Ocean County championships where Brick Township High's throwers had an incredible day last spring, Stuto finished third by just 3 inches behind Hahn with a throw of 43-6. Stuto also

was part of an astounding effort by Brick Township girls in the discus event, where four of them finished among the top six, including Stuto, who was in fourth place behind record-setting teammate Hahn, who was named the Most Valuable Player in the girls field events. Stuto uncorked a throw of 120-6. Hahn that day won a third straight county discus title when she threw a county and Shore Conference record 153 feet, l1 inches on her first attempt, far beyond runner-up Mo Laffen of Toms River North, who threw 136 feet, 1 inch, and Watt, who was a half foot behind that.

Stuto also is intent on throwing into the record books on both shot put and discus relays. The county outdoor championships are slated for May 1 and the county individual championships are the following weekend. With Katie Brunner, the coach's daughter, and Deena Haluza also throwing well, Brunner and Stuto are confident.

Stuto is joined at the Penn Relays this week by young Brunner, who qualified in the discus.

"We will break our county record in the discus of 327 feet set last year," said Brunner, who had Hahn on that relay. He also feels that the team is "going to have a run" at the state record of 372-1 set by Bridgeton in 1996.

"We have a really good discus team," Stuto said. "Katie is just a great thrower and we get along so well. Last year we were not on the same page, but this year we're very competitive with each other. If we can catch a good day ...

"I've set a goal in my head for both of our relays to go undefeated," she added. "I would not be as good [in discus] without my teammates."

The hard work and preparation that span back to the indoor season will be tested in the days ahead.