DOVER — The Henlopen Conference had a strong showing in the throwing events on the first day of the DIAA State Track and Field Championships.

Downstate won three of the four throwing events contested as the meet opened competition at Dover High on Friday. The meet resumes today with field events kicking off at 10:30 a.m. and track events beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Deontray Hickman of Dover helped the Senators take the early lead in the Division I boys’ competition by winning the shot put. Lake Forest’s John Flamer made it a sweep for the Henlopen Conference in the boys’ shot put by winning the Division II event while Smyrna’s Myrissa McFolling-Young captured the state discus title for the Division I girls.

Dover, which lost this meet by 10 points last season, leads the boys’ standings with 47 points. Wilmington Charter is in second with 29, trailed by Newark (21), Salesianum (20), Concord (16) and Smyrna (15).

“We had a great day and the field event kids came through,” said Dover coach Jim Solomon. “But we’ve been in this position before and things kind of fell apart. It looks good though, these guys look more like a team now.”

Hickman won the shot put with a throw of 49-feet-10-inches and Nick Glover also scored in the event with a third place finish. Dover got points from Rasaki Salawe and Tre’Vonne Moore who finished third and fifth in the high jump respectively.

Dover had three jumpers place in the long jump — Roderick Brown (second), Khair Bonelli (fourth) and Xavier Marion (fifth). Mykele Young-Sanders was also the top hurdler in the 110 preliminaries and has a chance to win another state title with the finals today.

“We just have to score in each event and not be concerned about medals,” Solomon said about today. “Go ahead, do your part and let’s see how it adds up.”

Flamer’s state championship was the second of his career. He threw 50-feet-9-inches, short of his personal best of 54-feet but still good enough for the top spot.

“I’m a little disappointed with my throw but I’m happy to be a state champion but I look forward to throwing at the Meet of Champions,” Flamer said. “It means a lot to me, getting any points for my team makes me feel good.”

And Flamer helped the Spartans into second place in Division I as they are one-point back of Tatnall for the top spot.

Flamer wasn’t the only state champion for Lake as Henry Miller jumped 6-4 to win the high jump. He was followed by teammate Josiah Purnell in second place for key points for the Spartans.

On the girls’ side, Padua leads the Division I standings with 60 points and Middletown is in second with 25. Smyrna is the highest downstate team in third with 23 points and Caesar Rodney is in fourth with 13.

St. Georges tops Division II in the girls with 44 points, 14 more than second place Hodgson. Milford is the best from the Henlopen Conference with 11 points in seventh place.

The Buccaneers have one individual champion — Davida Johnson who won the long jump with a leap of 16-feet-11.25-inches.