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The sky is the limit for Dearmon Photo by Roy Musitelli / Mail Tribune Crater's Chris Dearmon is looking to become the first Class 4A performer to win an individual title in both wrestling and track. Heading into today's meet against North Medford, Dearmon owns the state best in the shot put (60-7) and is among the leaders in the discus (150-21/2). The Crater senior launched himself into school sports lore with a mighty heave in the shot put at a meet last week By DON HUNT Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT - Crater High shot putter Chris Dearmon wasn't expecting a particularly big throw in a dual meet against Ashland last Tuesday. He had no competition to speak of. The ring was wet. The air was heavy. But that's one of the beautiful aspects of track and field - a record can come with no more warning than an earthquake. And with one mighty heave that made the ground shake like a mini quake, Dearmon launched himself into Crater sports lore. The big senior heaved the 12-pound iron ball 60 feet, 7 inches to set a school record and shatter his previous best of 57-10 by nearly three feet. The old record of 59-91/2 was set by Tim Hammock in 1985. "That throw was my last one of the day and I really didn't see it coming," says Dearmon, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior whose effort ranks among the top 20 in state history. "And it felt more like 58 feet than 60. But I'll take it." Dearmon is the latest in a list of standout shot putters at Crater. Hammack was good enough to set the school record 17 years ago and finish second at the 1985 state meet despite suffering from mononucleosis. That same day, Rick Britton won the title with a mark of 58-31/2. Jeff Russell had the record before that pair came along, reaching the 57-foot barrier in the early 1980s. And in the late 1980s there was Jason Ford, who went 54 feet as a sophomore before moving to Sacramento. But none could surpass the magical mark of 60. "You get over the 60-foot mark and that puts you in select company," Crater coach Hans Smith says. "And he's not done." Dearmon is pleased to have the school record, and he would like to exceed the 62-11 mark that North Medford's Scott Myers achieved last season that made him the No. 5 thrower in state history. But more than anything, Dearmon wants a shot put state title. He won a state wrestling championship in February and no one at the Class 4A level has ever won both. "That's something I've had my mind on since school started in September," says Dearmon, who is being recruited by the University of Oregon. "One down and one to go." Dearmon is also one of the state's top discus throwers with a best of 150-21/2. His preparation began last summer, when he spent three to four days in the weight room and greatly enhanced his strength. Dearmon has reached 375 pounds in the bench press, 300 in the power cleans and 500 on the squat track. But developing into a state-caliber shot-putter takes more than brute strength. Good form is equally important. And Dearmon, who uses the traditional glide technique rather than the spin technique that many shot putters now employ, is fine-tuning his. "I think there was a break-in period with Chris where he just needed to get comfortable being in the ring," says Crater throwing coach Jeff Nafie, who has coached all of the great Comet throwers. "There was a transition period between wrestling and track. "There are so many little things, like having your feet in the right place, staying low and finishing strong. Chris has a natural explosion in the ring but those little things are what get you those extra three or four feet. "I knew he was going to pop a big one at some point and he's going to go further once he learns to become even more explosive." If Dearmon has another asset worth noting, it's his competitive nature. It surfaced at last year's state track meet when he launched a then PR of 56-43/4 to grab fourth place. It resurfaced in February at the state wrestling tournament when he beat top-seeded Jeremy Herb of Hillsboro 2-1 in double overtime in the title match. And it popped up yet again two weeks ago in a track meet against Grants Pass. The Cavemen's Casey McIntosh surged ahead of Dearmon with a personal record throw of 56-21/2, but on his next attempt, Dearmon went 57-10, his top toss until last Tuesday. "He's not afraid of competition," Smith says. And even without it, Dearmon is capable of popping a record throw. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.