By Matt Gade

605 Sports

CUSTER — As the state track and field meet is just under three weeks away, Custer senior Karyn Ellerton looks to close out her senior year with that elusive gold medal.

Ellerton is currently the No. 1 discus thrower in 2026, with a toss of 143 feet even. In second, currently, is Lennox’s Addison Martz with a mark of 134 feet, 1 inch.

Ellerton is sitting second in the shot put with a toss of 40 feet, 4 inches. Just four inches behind Martz’s top mark of 40-8.

During her junior year, Ellerton took fourth in both the shot put and discus at the state meet.

This year, Ellerton wants that gold.

“This year, that would be, like, the biggest goal is to win discus and place top three in the shot,” Ellerton said.

Ellerton has consistently thrown over 37 feet in six of her eight meets this year and over 120 feet in the discus in all eight. Winning seven of those eight meets in the discus and three in the shot put. 

Ellerton said she still has goals to get over 150 feet in the discus and best her 40-4 mark in the shot put.

She said this year, she’s focused on the little things that make for a good throw. 

Custer's Karyn Ellerton competes in the shot put during the Black Hills Classic track meet on May, 9 in Sturgis. (Matt Gade / 605 Sports)

Last year, Ellerton’s top marks were 135-2 in discus and 37-7 in the shotput.

“I feel like I'm not putting as much pressure on myself as I was last year, and I think that's allowing for me to have a clear head when I go into the ring, and allowing me to go further. I think a lot of it was just hitting my positions,” Ellerton said in her progress from last year. “We've worked on that a lot at the beginning of the year, and just all the drills and stuff have helped out a lot with that. I think having a coach that can understand it all and help me move on has been huge.”

While Ellerton doesn’t stand out as the biggest thrower when she steps into the ring, the Wildcat is usually the last thrower to go with the top-incoming mark. 

“I think that a lot of it is my power, because I'm, like, smaller, but I am a lot stronger than a lot of the girls I throw against, so I think that gives me a little bit of the upper hand. Also, a lot of it’s having a good technique,” Ellerton said of how she can compete with the best throwers.

Ahead of the state meet, Ellerton has one more chance to shine at her home track as the Wildcats will host the Black Hills Conference track meet on Thursday, two weeks before the state meet is set to begin on May 28 at Howard Wood in Sioux Falls.

“It's like a home-ring advantage,” Ellerton said of competing at home. “You really wouldn't think that it would have that big of an effect, but in reality, it really does.”

Ellerton, who plans to throw at Iowa Western Community College in college, said she knows she’s capable of winning a gold medal, but it won’t come easily. 

But she’s ready for the challenge.

“I feel like the first year, I was nervous going in (to state), and then now I've been there enough that it's like I know the ring and I know, like, the things I need to do to keep myself and my head straight if I go into throw.”