SIOUX FALLS — Trinity Bietz pushed herself all year to reach this moment.

The Scotland High School junior won her second straight Class B shot put championship on Thursday, finishing with a throw of 40 feet and 6.25 inches. 

“It feels really good,” Bietz said. “All throughout the year I tried to push myself, just saying it’s you against you and just the goal was always to defend and just do better than I had the previous throw and I think I accomplished that today.”

Bietz said she felt the pressure was on to repeat this year, but she rose to the challenge on Thursday. 

“It definitely was because you think all the pressure is on you, and everyone is gunning for you,” Bietz said. “But all you have to think about is to do better than the last throw. You practiced for this moment.”

Bietz’s toss of 40-6.25 was on her third throw of the prelims and received some words of encouragement from Burke coach Carter Bull and Gayville-Volin coach Tom Rice, who were working the shot put area.  

“They both said go get it and that was my mindset through it all and I was like I am going to get this,” Bietz said. “I am going to get it, and I threw it and it felt good. I looked at the board and it was further than I expected it to be.”

Bietz entered with the second-best throw, behind Wessington Springs’ Avery Orth, who was the lone Class B girl to reach 40 feet this season. 

“I came into state not throwing my best,” Bietz said. “Thirty-nine was my Howard Wood throw and that was probably my best throw. But today I had nice warm weather and I just had the adrenaline rush, and I was like I am going to do this. It showed in my throwing record that it happened that way.”

Still, Orth pushed Bietz and finished second with a toss of 38-10.25.  

“Kudos to Avery Orth,” Bietz said. “She really drove me to strive to be better and I knew it was going to be a tough competition. But when I showed up here, I was just like I know I can do this. It’s a beautiful day. I believe in myself and I can do it.”