ITHACA – The Norwich Tornado Indoor Track team will have three representatives at the State Finals, which will be hosted at Cornell University on March 5th. David Bernstein and Thomas Reilly both qualified for the men’s weight throw and shot put competitions while Katelyn Shaver qualified for the women’s shot put event.

“It is pretty amazing to be sending three athletes to the State Finals, especially in the same field events,” said Norwich head throwing coach Thomas Stoddard.

Bernstein, Reilly and Shaver all qualified for the State Finals at the State Qualifier Tournament, which was also held at Cornell University last Saturday, Feb. 13. Reilly finished first in the shot put competition, with a heaving toss of 51 feet, 5 ½ inches, while Bernstein grabbed second place, with a throw of 45 feet, 4 ½ inches. The two traded podium places in the weight throw competition. Bernstein threw a whopping 57 feet, two inches, while Reilly recorded a throw of 44 feet, eight inches. Shaver finished in second place at the qualifiers, scoring a throw of 35 feet, 9 ½ inches.

“These athletes workout six days a week!” said an enthusiastic Stoddard. “The neat thing is, Thomas and David have only been throwing weight for 12 weeks and they are both going to the State Finals. They are just so powerful and fast that no other thrower comes close in Section IV. This is a great example of what the weight room can do for athletes if they seriously dedicate themselves to it.”