HORTONVILLE − Maybe Ben Smith was always meant for something bigger.
His high school achievements as one of the nation's best throwers, along with his future at the University of Oregon, has the Hortonville senior on a road that could lead to some truly special things in track and field.
For now, the 18-year-old standout can look back at a high school resume that included three WIAA Division 1 state shot put titles, along with one discus title and two state runner-up finishes.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Smith had the nation's top throw in the shot put this season at the high school level (75 feet, 1 inch) and the second-best throw in the discus (208-11). His personal best was a throw of 210-4.25 last June at Nike Outdoor Nationals.
"I'm happy with how it turned out," said Smith, who has been chosen the Post-Crescent boys track and field athlete of the year. "I put enough time and energy into everything. It's hard to repeat with two events like that. They're so similar but different at the same time. I'm happy with the rankings and distances. There's nothing I would have changed or done different."
Smith 'happy' to get state shot put record
One of Smith's crowning achievements was not only winning the D1 shot put title for the third consecutive season, but setting the state record in the event with his throw of 70-9.5. He was hoping to net gold in the discus, but finished second to the nation's top thrower in Waterford's Bryce Ruland for the second consecutive season.
"Shot put-wise, I threw as I expected and am happy with distances and happy with performances, especially at state and just getting the state record and stuff," he said. "It’s kind of a tough time with the discus. I mean, was lucky enough and happy enough to win it sophomore year and win the state title. Progressively, I wanted to hit the 210 mark. So I kind of had an off year and didn't progress as well as I wanted to, but it is what it is."
Smith's coach at Hortonville was his father, Bob, who said Ben was used to throwing against tough competition as a youth when he competed at national level meets when he was 11.
"At that age, he was pretty small," Bob said. "But because of my background and his background of being coached and practicing more than a lot of the other 11-year-olds, he had an advantage that way. He had the technical knowledge."
The level of success, however, may have exceeded expectations.
"I don't want to say it was a stretch, but it was a pleasant surprise," Bob said. "We knew he was going to be somewhat competitive, we just didn't know to what degree. But breaking the state meet record, that was a very, very pleasant surprise and kind of a Cinderella ending to the career."
Oregon, U20 World Championships up next for Smith
Before Smith heads to the University of Oregon as one of its prized recruits, he has some international business to take care of at the U20 World Championships in Lima, Peru, which take place at the end of August.
Smith will be among the best competitors in the world and it will also be his first experience abroad.
"I'm very excited for that," he said. "I started throwing at a young age and I was always watching YouTube videos or documentaries on throwing and whatnot. You always see these guys with the USA gear going to the Olympics or world nationals. I'll get to throw internationally with more competition from all over the world. And this is kind of my first time to do it and my first experience for it.
"I'm just excited to experience and see what it's like first-hand. It's kind of the first step to bigger things."
At Oregon, Smith says the primary objective is to get himself bigger and stronger.
"That's the biggest thing in the first year − get in the weight room," he said. "I want to get big and strong, but stay flexible and agile. Get used to the program and understand what's going on so I can get into the swing of things when it comes to throwing and hitting big numbers."
And long range? For Smith, the Olympics is definitely a goal.
"I'm at the beginning of my training phases," he said. "I haven't thrown the 16-pound (shot) or the 2-kilogram (discus) yet. It's going to take some time to get into it and take some time to get to the intensity and level of the big guys. The U20 team is the first dip into the water of understanding what it's going to be like. I've got great coaches and (Oregon) is a great program with a great facility to help me get into that. I'm just looking forward to where that will take me."
A closer look: Ben Smith
Age: 18.
Year: Senior.
Family: Parents, Bob and Theresa; sisters, Ayden (16) and Brynn (11).
Notable: One of the nation's premier throwers after recording a nation-best throw this season of 75 feet, 1 inch. Finished as three-peat champ in the Division 1 shot put (70-9.5) at the WIAA state track and field meet this spring. His effort also set the state record in the shot put. Also finished second in the Division 1 discus (207-4) and had the nation's second-best throw of the season (208-11). Finished first in the shot put at the U20 Nationals and will head to Lima, Peru, for the U20 World Championships. Was a 2024 Wisconsin Track Coaches Association all-state selection. University of Oregon recruit.
Ben's favorites
School subject: Math.
Meal: Greek gyros.
Go-to snack: Sunflower seeds.
Movie: "Tombstone" or "Wyatt Earp."
TV show: "Duck Dynasty."
Pro athlete: Bo Jackson.
Video game system/game: Xbox, "Red Dead Redemption 2"
Vacation spot: Eugene, Oregon.
Post-Crescent all-area boys track and field team
Ben Smith, sr., Hortonville: Athlete of the year.
Broc Billington, so., Weyauwega-Fremont: Placed second in D3 triple jump (43-10.75). Had personal-best leap of 44-3 at sectionals.
Grant Dean, jr., Neenah: Took third in D1 400 with personal-best time of :48.85. Also qualified in 100 meters and had personal-best time of :10.83 on April 12. Was a 2024 WISTCA all-state selection.
Ben Olvey, sr., Xavier: First in D2 110 hurdles (:14.89). Recorded personal-best time of :14.63 at regionals.
Brady Hoffer, jr., Kaukauna: Fifth in D1 high jump (6-6). Set personal-best leap of 6-7 at New Balance Nationals. Also member of Ghosts' 400 relay team that reached state. Was a 2024 WISTCA all-state selection.
Brady Immel, sr., Winneconne: Fifth in D2 boys discus (166-5). Had personal-best throw of 169-5 at sectionals.
Andrew Milhans, sr., Kaukauna: Fifth in D1 800 with personal-best time of 1:55.05. Also qualified for state as member of Ghosts' 1,600 relay team.
Sam McGivern, sr., Kimberly: Third in D1 shot put (60-2). Had personal-best throw of 64-1.25 at regionals. Also qualified for state in discus, finishing seventh with personal-best throw of 176-10. Was a 2024 WISTCA all-state selection.
Alejandro Pagan Vega, so., Kimberly: Fifth in D1 100 (:11.11). Had personal-best time of :10.77 at Fox Valley Association conference meet. Also qualified for state in the 200, finishing seventh (:22.28). Had personal-best time of :21.89 at regionals.
Hudson Samolinski, so., Winneconne: Sixth in the D2 discus (164-9) and shot put with personal-best throw of 53-5. Also had personal-best throw in discus of 170-4 at sectionals.
Hunter Sprangers, jr., Kimberly: Fifth in D1 discus (181-2) and shot put (58-4.25). Had personal-best throw in shot (60-0) and discus (181-5) at sectionals. Was a 2024 WISTCA all-state selection.
Jack Steinbarth, jr., Freedom: Fifth in D2 pole vault (13-6). Had personal-best leap of 14-6 at sectionals.
Cal Van Rossum, so., Little Chute: Fourth in D2 high jump (6-2).
RELAYS
Winneconne 800: The quartet of Cody McLeod, Jack Quigley, Ethan Mathe and Ryan Curran was third in D2 (1:29.21).
Winneconne 3,200: The team of Ben Harmon, Silas Sarbo, Reid Cross and Grant Wenzelow finished third in D2 (8:02.86).
Neenah 1,600: The team of Charles Fredrickson, Alex Thayer, Owen Wise and Grant Dean finished sixth in D1 (3:20.63).
Weyauwega-Fremont 400: The quartet of Brayden Arndt, Dawson Lind, Oliver Najdowski and Kameron Zielke finished third in D3 (:43.17).
Honorable mention
*State qualifiers
DIVISION 1 - INDIVIDUALS
Wyatt Armock, sr., Neenah, 1,600, 3,200; Eathan Lund, sr., Hortonville, pole vault; Logan Salzmann, sr., Kimberly, 1,600, 3,200; Sam Scheer, sr., Neenah, discus; Tyce Scheetz, sr., Appleton West, 800, 1,600; Bennett Verboomen, jr., Kimberly, pole vault; Kyreese White, jr., Appleton East, 100.
RELAYS
Kaukauna 400: Danny Poor, Will Clark, Parker Schuh, Brady Hoffer; Kaukauna 800: Thomas Kornowski, Danny Poor, Tucker Hofmann, Parker Schuh; Kaukauna 1,600: Parker Schuh, Danny Poor, Ian Meyer, Andrew Milhans.
DIVISION 2 – INDIVIDUALS
Xzavier Pittman, jr., Waupaca, 100, 200; Ronald Gomm, jr., Little Chute, 200; Aaron Hambel, jr., Freedom, 200; Nathan Lemkuil, sr., Waupaca, 400; Dominic Fletcher, jr., Little Chute, 800; Hayden Carroll, jr., Little Chute, 3,200; Nolan Phillips, so., Freedom, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Jacoby Dobberstein, fr., Fox Valley Lutheran, 300 hurdles; Cooper Effa, so., Little Chute, 300 hurdles, high jump; William VanderZanden, sr., Brillion, high jump; Noah Heinke, sr., Freedom, long jump, triple jump; Hunter Beebe, sr., New London, long jump; Aidan Court, sr., Seymour, long jump; Sam Wegener, jr., Clintonville, long jump; Tyler Fischer, sr., Little Chute, triple jump.
RELAYS
Little Chute 400: Casey Perz, Ronald Gomm, Carson Kerrigan, Tyler Fischer. Winneconne 400: Isaiah Carroll, Jack Quigley, Ethan Mathe, Cody McLeod. Freedom 800: Aaron Hambel, Noah Heinke, Nixon Heinke, Nolan Phillips; Little Chute 800: Casey Perz, Ronald Gomm, Cooper Effa, Tyler Fischer; Fox Valley Lutheran 800: Jack Egan, Blessings Kapande, Caleb DuFresne, Kaleb Williams; Freedom 1,600: Noah Heinke, Nixon Heinke, Andrew Sowinski, Aaron Hambel; Winneconne 1,600: Ben Harmon, Ryan Curran, Jack Quigley, Cody McLeod; Brillion 1,600: Heath Cousin, Jacob Lehman, Lucas Mathes, Ian Calaway.
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DIVISION 3 – INDIVIDUALS
Nathan Gorman, sr., Manawa, high jump; Joey Hess, sr., Shiocton, 200, long jump, discus; Paxton Kuehn, so., Shiocton, 100; Bennett Schmidt, sr., Shiocton, long jump.
RELAYS
Manawa 800: Jacob Kravetz, Drake Frasier, Carter Barrington, Nathan Gorman.
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