POCATELLO — None of Justin Franz’s final three attempts were legal throws, but it didn’t matter.

The Idaho State senior notched the winning mark in the Big Sky Track and Field Indoor Conference shot-put championship Friday with his third throw of the day. When no one matched his distance as each round passed, Franz was simply trying to create more separation between himself and the rest of the field.

But also one-up himself.

Franz’s title-winning throw of 17.87 meters (58 feet, 07.50 inches) was more than a foot better than the next-best mark. The Rigby High graduate entered the indoor conference championships with this season’s top throw in the Big Sky (18.19 meters) and lived up to his billing as the best shot-put thrower in the league, giving ISU its first shot-put champion since 2006.

As he held his medal after the award ceremony, with family members bent over the Holt Arena railing above him getting a glimpse of his post-victory interview, Franz swore it hadn’t sunk in.

“Not quite yet,” Franz said. “Still surreal.”

Franz took fourth at last year’s indoor championships and finished third in the outdoor season. After netting a throw that ranked 35th in Division I, earning four Big Sky Field Athlete of the Week awards and cruising to a conference championship this winter, Franz’s standards are set.

“I’d like to qualify for regionals, qualify for nationals,” Franz said. “Become an All-American. That’s the goal, really.”

Franz said he was shooting for a new personal best and national-qualifying mark with his final throw, by which time he had sealed the title.

“I knew what I was capable of,” Franz said. “I was just kind of chasing it there at the end, trying to hold everyone else off.”

By the end of his interview, Franz’s gold medal was in the hands of his fearless nephew.

The win had barely hit Franz, and already he was without his hardware.

Franz could only laugh and shrug.

“It’s all right,” he said.

Jenica Dodge was as confused as the spectators.

In the scattered 5,000-meter field, which dotted runners all over Holt Arena’s 200-meter banked wooden track, the race leader may as well have been a lap down.

Dodge finally realized where she was with about a mile left. She was toward the front.

“I was passing girls, and I didn’t know if I was lapping them or if they were ahead of me,” Dodge said. “I had no clue. … And then before I knew it, I heard that I was in third and my coach is screaming at me like crazy.”

Dodge set a personal record and finished second in the 5,000 on Friday, crossing the finish line in 17 minutes, 7.64 seconds — good for third in ISU history.

The junior from California had the third-best qualifying time for the indoor championships and topped it by 18.01.

“I’m not used to running personal records this early in the season,” Dodge said. “I’ve never done an indoor season, so I’m used to those happening later, like in April. So having something in February and building on top of that, I’m really excited to see what happens.”

Dodge transferred to Idaho State from American River College in Sacramento, host city of this year’s outdoor conference championships. She flourished at her home track on Friday and hopes her familiarity with Sacramento helps her in a few months.

Or, maybe she’ll be lost in the field again, even though she’s right at home.

As long as she’s in front.

RODEMAN FIFTH IN MULTI-EVENTS

Idaho State’s James Rodeman finished fifth Friday in the heptathlon with 4,931 points, beating his year-old personal record. The sophomore was 11th after Thursday’s events but climbed the ranks Friday by finishing second in the 60-meter hurdles (8.38 seconds) and tied for second in pole vault (4.37 meters).

CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS

The following Idaho State athletes qualified for Saturday’s finals:

- Tanner Conner, 60-meter hurdles (8.27)

- Robert Counts, 400 (48.19); 200 (21.79)

- Bret Davide, 400 (49.09)

- Cory Mullanix, 60-meter dash (6.89)

- Daniel Garz, 800 (1:52.22)

- Bailey Woodbury, 60-meter hurdles (8.80)

- Maisie Larabee, 400 (56.28)

Field events begin Saturday at 10 a.m. with the men’s weight throw and women’s triple jump. Track finals start at 12:30 p.m. with the men’s mile. The ISU men and women both rank seventh in the team standings.