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National leader

By Shawn Linenberger - | May 17, 2006

Look out Kendra Wecker, here comes Ali Pistora.

Wecker, the Marysville native who went on to compete in track and basketball at Kansas State, holds the No. 2 spot in the nation in high school girls javelin with a throw of 174 feet, 6 inches. She recorded that throw in 2000.

Pistora, a junior at Tonganoxie came a little closer to that mark last week at the Kaw Valley League meet in Tonganoxie.

Pistora’s throw of 154-6 won first place at KVL, set a new league record and broke her previous school record — 148-2, which she set May 5 at the Shawnee Mission North Relays.

The most recent mark is the top high school girls throw in the nation.

THS girls coach Chris Weller said he’s been busy changing records on the school’s record board at Beatty Field.

“I’m starting to get worn out changing the record book,” Weller joked. “It’s getting a little old.”

Pistora said when she heard her mark, she thought meet officials had made a mistake.

“It was kind of hard to believe,” Pistora said.

The junior said she’s didn’t do anything different in her approach. She just has one thing in mind — continue improving her mark.

“I think it’s kind of the same,” Pistora said. “I just try to improve every meet, everybody does.”

Pistora said having the league meet in Tonganoxie made her winning throw that much more important.

“It’s the home meet,” Pistora said. “You have to do well at your home meet.”

The national thrower will have another chance to perform well in front of the home Friday in Tonganoxie. With a top-four finish, she’ll advance to state once again.

As for that national record, she’s a good distance behind Wecker right now. And, she’ll have to throw about 22 feet farther to set the all-time record, which is held by Rachel Yurkovich of Newberg, Ore., who threw 176-5 last year.

For now, Pistora will look to improve about 20 feet — to match Wecker’s big throw.

“I had that goal since I was a freshman,” Pistora said about overtaking Wecker. “It never dies.”