OBSERVER Staff Report

WILLIAMSVILLE — Gowanda High School senior Andrew Musacchio placed second in the Division II shot put event in the Section VI track and field championship meet at Williamsville South High School. His best toss of 50-feet-1.25-inches broke his own school record by five inches. Musacchio had previously broken the school shot put record that had stood for 66 years earlier this year during a dual meet with Dunkirk. He has since broken his own school mark three times.

Incredibly, Musacchio just began throwing the shot put last year.

“He has come a long way since the first practice in March of last year when he was throwing an indoor shot put into the snow banks outside in our school parking lot,” said Gowanda coach Mark Benton. “Andrew lifted weights in the off season and we worked on his footwork with numerous short sprints and agility exercises this spring.”

Musacchio had repeated as the shot put champion at the Super 8 meet two weeks ago and won the CCAA championship last week in Olean. At Sectionals, he finished just eight inches away from qualifying for the New York State meet next week in Middletown. Musacchio will compete the discus throw today as the Section VI qualifiers continue.

Teammate Dominik Rodriguez, a junior pole vaulter for the Panthers, placed 11th. He cleared 10-feet-6-inches but was not successful at 11-feet.