As it turns out, Reed White is a pretty solid long jumper. And most Vacaville High School fans already know about his place-kicking and punting prowess.But make no mistake, the Bulldog senior is his happiest while pole vaulting.”That’s what I enjoy doing,” White said. “When my Dad and I go golfing on Sunday, that’s what we talk about. Obviously, I’d like to finish my high school career as the California state champion.”White is one of 11 Vacaville athletes who will leave on Thursday for Clovis and the CIF state track and field championships, which begin on Friday.Bulldogs are entered in five individual events and two relays. White may have the best chance to bring back a medal.White is tied for eighth on the entries list after his leap of 15 feet, 3 inches at last weeks Sac-Joaquin Section Masters meet.

Six vaulters are tied for the top mark at 15-9. White has cleared 16-0 this season.   Continue reading →

Indiana –Chesterton senior Justin Zosso had to wait an extra day, but won the IHSAA Valparaiso Regional Pole Vault competition by clearing 15-feet on Friday. The victory earns Zosso a berth in Saturday’s IHSAA State Finals at Indiana University in Bloomington. “I’m really happy for Justin,” Chesterton coach TR Harlan said. “He’s worked very hard, not only during the season, but in the off-season to get to this point. His best vaulting day is still ahead of him.” Nick Raffin just missed a berth in the State Finals on Friday as he finished seventh overall after a personal best vault of 13-feet-6.  more

WICHITA — All Prairie View junior Jayce Phelps could do was watch.After Phelps missed all three attempts at 15-feet, 6-inches in the boys’ vault, he knew that if Andale senior Jonah Ungles missed his third and final attempt at that height, Phelps would be crowned the Class 4A state champion in the event because Ungles had missed an attempt at a lower height.A successful attempt by Ungles, on the other hand, would give him the state title, while Phelps would have to settle for second place.For as much pressure as was riding in that one vault by Ungles, Phelps was in a rather upbeat mood.“If he would have made it, I would have congratulated him and told him ‘good job,’” Phelps said. “He’s a heck of a vaulter.”After Ungles drove underneath the bar, Phelps shook hands with his competitors before he headed to the top of the podium on the infield at Cessna Stadium on Friday afternoon. Phelps was state champion after he cleared a height of 15-feet, even.I knew Continue reading →

Lily Walker of Belle Fourche High School won the girls pole vault competition at the State Class A Track and Field meet at Lyle Hare Stadium in Spearfish on Friday. Walker cleared a school record height of 10 feet. The previous school record was shared by Kaylee Willard and Leah Willard. Walker’s previous best height was 9 feet, 3 inches.“Lily had a good week of practice,” said Belle Fourche vault coach Matt Raba. “She didn’t let the elements get to her.”Friday’s meet featured cool temperature and rain.“Lily peaked at the right time of the year,” said Raba.  more

CHARLESTON, Illinois  — James Dove sure can fly.
The Princeton senior — who enlists the help of a pole to make it into the air — proved it Saturday when it mattered most as he soared 14 feet, 9 inches off the ground to tie for fifth place in the pole vault at the IHSA Class 2A State Track and Field Meet.
“It was good. I had my best in-competition vault this year,” said Dove, the PHS school record holder in the pole vault.
The Tiger vault specialist connected on his second attempt at 14-6 after moving the standards back to 31 inches and nailed his first vault at 14-9, but hit the bar on the way up on all three of his efforts to drop out at 15 feet.
“I wanted to get 15 (feet), and I might have been able to get it on my 14-9 jump,” Dove said. Continue reading →

Cottonwood, Calif. —Friday was a day Andy Nadig and Janelle Jaegel will not forget any time soon. Nadig, a senior from Etna High and Jaegel, a junior from Mount Shasta, each earned a berth to state in Clovis at the Northern Section Championships at West Valley High School in Cottonwood. Nadig took the top spot with a vault of 13.9 feet to earn his berth to Clovis. The state tournament begins on Friday. He also took third in the high jump and first in the long jump. Jaegel was in a three-way tie for second in the girls pole vault with a vault of nine feet. The winner, Kayla Vasquez of West Valley, decided to opt out of competing at state. Because of this, the three girls tied for second – Jaegel, Angela Henson of Yreka High and  Kristina Fish of Foothill High of Palo Cedro – competed in a jump -off to determine who would head to state. Jaegel had the best vault to earn a berth to state. The top placer in each event earned an automatic berth to state  more