Family matters: Mason finishes eighth in front of friends and family

DES MOINES - Even with a busy schedule, Madison Mason got support from family.

One of the first to congratulate the Hampton-Dumont junior after she scored an eighth-place finish in the discus in the Class 2A state track & field meet was her uncle, who quickly wished her best and made his exit.

"(That was) my uncle Kevin," Mason said, "he came and visited. He came and watched me throw Thursday (in the shot). He lives in Des Moines, but he has a major-busy schedule. He's awesome."

In her first trip to the state meet, Mason was kind of awesome herself, scoring a medal with a throw of 119 feet, 6 inches in her second preliminary effort, which wasn't her best. But it was plenty good enough that day.

More on this story will be found in the May 28 print edition of the Hampton Chronicle.