All-State shot-putter: Sibling rivalry pushed this Monmouth-Roseville sophomore. Find out who
MONMOUTH — Credit a sibling rivalry for inspiring Monmouth-Roseville sophomore Carmyn Huston to achieve all-state honors in her first season of high school track and field.
As a freshman, Huston played softball for the Titans, but she watched with great interest as her older sister, Ryley, placed ninth in the state in the shot put. Ryley topped out at 39-6.5 in sectional competition before bringing home a state medal, just the third such individual honor for an M-R girl.
Also a standout on the basketball team during her time as a Titan, Ryley is now attending the University of Illinois.
“I was out for track in seventh grade, and then we didn’t have a season the next year because of COVID,” said Huston. “Last year, I wasn’t out for the team, but I watched my sister, and I decided I wanted to beat her. I’d thrown 29 feet when I was in seventh grade, so I figured it was possible.”
The possibility became a reality earlier this spring at Sherrard’s Tiger Relays. There, Huston launched the shot 40-7 to win the event. The athletes from schools such as Sherrard, Alleman and Kewanee didn’t realize it, but as Huston topped their best effort by almost seven feet that day, they weren’t her main competition.
“I was just really excited,” said Huston of her big throw. “I knew I’d just beat Ryley.”
Huston placed second to Sandwich junior Claire Allen at the Geneseo Sectional with a mark of 37-10.75 to advance to the state meet at Eastern Illinois University. Going into the meet, she was ranked ninth in the Class 2A field.
No. 1 at state, for a little while
A spring already marred by foul weather continued with two vastly different days in Charleston on May 20-21. Friday’s preliminaries were held in very hot conditions, with temperatures in the mid-80s. Saturday saw a 20-degree temperature drop and rain. As it turned out, Friday was the day to make an impact.
“Nobody in the top five improved their standing on Saturday,” said Huston. “The way we were after the prelims is the way we finished.”
For a while, Huston stood in first place in the preliminary round, as she had her best throw on her first attempt. It was marked at an even 12 meters, which is 39-4.5.
It took a throw or two, but the soon-to-be state champion, Boylan’s Madelyn Bishop, eventually heated up, launching the shot a full meter past Huston to ultimately win the event at 43’0-1/2. In the process, Bishop knocked her own sister from the top spot in Boylan’s record book and improved from a 20th place finish the year before.
Huston finished in fifth place. Among the athletes she bested was Sandwich’s Allen, who placed sixth.
“Ryley had placed ninth, and I knew I wanted to at least get in the top five,” said Huston, who tipped her cap to the champion. “I figured I could throw 41, but then the girl went out and threw over 43, which was really impressive.”
Watching Ryley a year ago, Huston got a taste for what throwing against the best of the best in the state would be like. She now knows firsthand, and she is adjusting her goals accordingly.
“Kenny (Blackman), my throws coach, wants me to get to 45,” she said. “He said I can get there if I keep working really hard. He wants me to do some summer meets.”
And there’s also the matter of improving in the discus. Huston qualified for state in that event, as well, after throwing 115-5.75 at the Geneseo Sectional. She was less than her best in that event at state, though, placing 18th with a throw of 102-11.
Huston might set her discus goal higher, eventually, but for now, the number to beat is 125 feet. That was the high mark achieved by – who else? – Ryley.
Hardwood honors, as well
Huston’s All-State honor makes that two M-R sports with big individual accomplishments for her this year. In basketball, she made the IBCA Special Mention All-State Team after earning first team All-Three Rivers Athletic Conference honors.
The post player was an integral part of the Titans’ 15-0 start. Eventually, M-R finished 24-8, tying a program record for wins. Three of the losses came against Rockridge, including the Titans’ first two setbacks of the season.
“My friend Mariah Reading and I wore the same socks for our first two games of the season,” said Huston. “So we decided not to wash them and keep wearing them until we lost. So we were the ‘stinky socks’ girls.”
With nearly everybody back, Huston is hoping the Titans can win even more games this winter.
“I think we can do even better,” she said. “I think we’ll do really good. Rockridge is losing some seniors,” including three who made the All-TRAC team.
Huston figures to be recruited in both sports, but it hasn’t happened yet. For now, she’s being proactive, reaching out through Blackman to a short list of 5-10 schools in which she has an interest.
This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: IHSA Track: Mon-Rose's Huston tops sister’s shot put mark
