Ranking the Top High School Hammer Throw States
As we finish up our look back at the 2016 season it is time to look at how the event is spread across the country. As we do every year, we like like to take a look at the sport through a geographic lens to show which states are on the rise and where the sport is spreading.
→ Related Content: HSHammer’s has been taking a look at the 2016 season. Check out the final rankings, growth trends and an overview of records set in 2016 and movements on the all-time rankings list.
The number of states that had athletes qualify for the national list was down slightly. In 2016, 27 states had athletes on the national lists, compared with 31 states last year and 28 states in 2014. However all the states at the top strengthen their positions. For the first time ever seven states had more than 10 throwers on the national list including, for the first time, Oregon. Perennial leader Rhode Island increased their representation 25% from 55 to 68 throwers. Ohio and Georgia held on to second and third position, while New York and California traded spots to round out the top five.
Complete 2016 State Rankings
| Rank (Trend) | State | Boys | Girls | Total Ranked Throwers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (—) | Rhode Island | 34 | 34 | 68 |
| 2 (—) | Ohio | 18 | 12 | 30 |
| 3 (—) | Georgia | 12 | 14 | 26 |
| 4 (↑ 1) | New York | 14 | 9 | 23 |
| 5 (↓ 1) | California | 11 | 10 | 21 |
| 6 (—) | Washington | 11 | 8 | 19 |
| 7 (—) | Oregon | 4 | 7 | 11 |
| 8 (↑ 5) | Missouri | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 9 (↓ 2) | Arizona | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 9 (↑ 7) | New Jersey | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 11 (↑ 1) | Connecticut | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 12 (↑ 4) | Pennsylvania | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 12 (↓ 2) | Texas | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 14 (↑ 5) | Florida | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 14 (↓ 1) | Idaho | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 14 (↑ 7) | Indiana | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 14 (↑ 2) | North Carolina | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 18 (↓ 5) | Illinois | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 18 (↑ 8) | Kansas | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 18 (↑ NR) | Kentucky | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 18 (↑ 3) | Nebraska | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 18 (↓ 7) | South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 23 (↓ 4) | Massachusetts | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 23 (↑ NR) | Nevada | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 23 (↓ 2) | Oklahoma | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 23 (↓ 16) | Tennessee | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 23 (↑ 3) | Utah | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Questions about your rankings. Is there a minimum performance to be ranked, or is this every thrower who competed? If there are standards, how were they decided upon?
As mentioned above, this includes athletes who have qualified for the national rankings (i.e. boys over 150′, girls over 120′).