Last season, Augusta’s Ezra Boles barely qualified for the Northern C divisional track and field meet in the shot put and discus. This season, the junior has etched his name as a favorite among the Class C crowd with dramatic growth.
Boles, a junior, is currently tied for fifth in Class C in the discus with a throw of 138 feet, 9 inches — an improvement of nearly 30 feet from last season. His shot put has also improved by nearly five feet, ranking him No. 8 in the class. Boles says he is keeping a level head through the ups and downs.
“Discus and shot put have been good this year, but javelin isn’t really my best. I just want to keep improving, and maybe find myself with a medal at the state track meet,” Boles said.
The chances of Boles climbing the medal stand at the Class C state track and field meet in Great Falls will hinge upon his improvement down the stretch of the season. Boles threw his personal bests in the discus and shot put in the Elks’ first three meets of the season, but has yet to repeat those performances.
But that doesn’t mean Boles hasn’t been grinding. He attributed his early-season success to the hard work he puts into practice, as well as the time his coaches are dedicating to working with him.
“We’re working on my speed through the ring and my release to try and fine-tune everything before state,” Boles said. “I want to throw my best at the end of the season, and I think we’re doing the right things for that.”
Though he hasn’t eclipsed his season bests from earlier in the year, Boles appears to be rounding into peak form. He performed well at the Cascade Top 10 on Tuesday, finishing sixth in the shot put and second in the discus.
Boles is a three-sport athlete for Augusta, playing both football and basketball to accompany his track career. He says being a multi-sport athlete has allowed him to stay in shape, keep the explosion in his legs and not overexert his muscles. Being fresh at this time of the season is exactly what Boles and his coaches have been looking for.
The District 10C track and field meet is set to take place on May 12 with the Northern C divisional scheduled for May 17. Boles will enter each as the favorite to win the discus, but he tries to stay loose and focus on himself.
“(The pressure of being the favorite), it’s a little nerve-racking,” Boles laughed, “but I try not to think about it. I focus on what I need to do, and I just go out and try to throw to have fun and compete.”
If Boles finds himself with a medal at the Class C state track and field meet, you can bet he had fun.
