PITTSBURG — Maddox Johnson received some new hardware this week.
Johnson, a Humboldt High graduate entering his sophomore year at Pittsburg State University, received a watch this week for his work with the PSU national champion track and field team as a freshman.
In addition, Johnson received a certificate confirming his status as a second-team All-American thrower.
Johnson took 11th in the javelin at the NJCAA-II National Championships in May, with a throw of 212 feet, 2 inches, or 64.67 meters.
Those who finished in the top eight were named first-team All-Americans, he explained. Second-team honors went to those who finished between ninth and 16th. Those in 17th through 24th earned honorable mention.
Johnson had suspected he would earn second-team status, but it wasn’t confirmed until he received a certificate noting the honor at practice Wednesday.
And while the recognition is nice, Johnson has been focused on the future for a while now.
“Practice is going great,” he said. “We started last week, and I am feeling a lot better than at the start of last year.”
Johnson credits PSU’s coaching staff for the team’s success. Both the men and women won national titles in 2024. It was the third straight for the Gorilla men’s team.
“We take benchmarks for various jumps, springs and lifts and compare them to when we last tested,” Johnson said. “Using these as a gauge, I am looking for bigger throws this year. We have the best coaches and an unmatched throwing squad that shows up to work hard every single day.
“I’m truly blessed to be in this situation,” he added. “I’m excited to see where it takes me.”
