COLUMBUS, Ohio – Green junior Morgan Estes got busy after a disappointing state track & field meet last year.There was no way she was going to repeat 2011. “Last year was awful,” said this year’s Division I state pole vault champion. “I was very mad.” After tying for second place as a freshman, Estes did not make the podium one year ago. And rather than whine, she redoubled her commitment and Saturday at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium she achieved her OHSAA state championship goal. “After last year’s state meet, she made up her mind that she wasn’t going to have that happen again,” said Green pole vault coach Eric Allen. “She is the hardest working girl I know. She deserves this championship.” Estes cleared 12-5 and narrowly missed on two attempts at 12-10, which would have surpassed the Green school record of 12-9.   Continue reading →

(Murrieta Valley’s Peter Chapman —  winner in the boys pole vault — rests under an umbrella as temperatures hit 103 degrees.

Two Texas pole vault stars faced off at 17-05.50. The winner was Shawn Barber over defending champ Reese Watson, taking down Watson’s meet record in the process.

CLOVIS —- Peter Chapman never felt the pressure. He didn’t feel it when he cleared 16 feet in the pole vault earlier this year, he didn’t when he held the state’s top mark, and he didn’t when he entered the CIF State Track and Field Championships as the No. 2-seeded pole vaulter in the state. He certainly Continue reading →

Jenison, Michigan –Martin’s Taylor VanPutten was runner-up in the pole vault Saturday at the Division 4 state meet at Jension High School.
VanPutten and Jaylee Brown of Onekama both cleared 10 feet, but Brown was the winner because she made it over 10 feet again in a jump-off, but VanPutten missed. Both were unable to clear 10-3 in their first tries.
VanPutten actually had gone as high as 10-6 earlier this spring. She cleared 10-6 last month at Gobles in the Southwest Athletic Conference meet and she went 10-5 to set a meet record at the Allegan County meet just last week. She holds the Martin School record at 10-6.
VanPutten last year went 9-3 to finish seventh in the state meet  more

CLOVIS — Her goal at the start of the season was to reach 13 feet, 4 inches in the pole vault. Saturday, Presentation sophomore Taylore Jaques did even better and walked away with a state championship.

Jaques’ winning mark at Buchanan High School was 13-41/4.

Jaques had a miss at the opening height of 11-4 and because of that was in third place when the bar was raised to 13-41/4.

But Jaques made up for that early miss when she cleared 13-4¼ on her second attempt.

“She put it together today with a (personal best),” said Warren Jaques, her coach and father. “She knew that’s what she would have to do to win it. It was a great day with good competition to the end.”

Jaques became the first vaulter in the state to clear 13-41/4 and moved into second place nationally.

Only a sophomore, where does she go from here? Continue reading →

Senior’s 13-1 mark sets state record

COLUMBUS — A slight grin, and a reluctant one at that, was the extent of Alyssa McBride’s celebration of her pole vault title at the Division II state track and field championships. Bryan’s McBride vaulted 13 feet, 1 inch, breaking her own all-division state record and besting the runner-up finisher by a astronomical 17 inches.    more

One Falcon walked on the track Saturday as a Michigan State champion, as senior Katie Rancourt won the girls pole vault with a jump of 12-6. It was her final time to take home the title in the event after coming in second as a sophomore and fourth last year.“This is awesome. I’ve worked really hard for this,” Rancourt said. “I’m bummed I didn’t get 12-10 (Rancourt’s PR), but it was an awesome feeling to win — I wanted it bad.”On a day when the wind blew strong, Rancourt said it was perfect conditions for her and the rest of the pole vaulters.“The wind was huge for my jump,” said Rancourt, who will jump at the University of Nebraska next year. “It allowed me to get on a bigger pole. This is the best kind of weather for a pole vaulter.”Finishing second to Rancourt was OK Red Conference rival Jordan Keefe of Grand Haven. Keefe ended with a jump of 12 feet. Keefe also finished second in the event last year.“I am really happy with how it all worked out,” said Keefe, who will jump at Michigan State next year. “My goal was to get second or better, so it was good.“Katie is such a good vaulter,” she added. “She is so nice and such a good competitor. It is always a challenge when you vault against her.”   more

COLUMBUS – It’s quite a feat to make All-Ohio honors at the Division I OHSAA State Track and Field Championships on the campus of The Ohio State University. However, that’s exactly what Marietta High School senior Paige Grosel did on Saturday afternoon. Grosel, who will be attending OSU and could end up walking on to the Buckeye track team, tied her season best mark of 11 feet, 4 inches in the pole vault, which allowed her to finish in a tie for fifth place, thus earning All-Ohio accolades inside Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. ”We’re just happy she was All-Ohio and on the podium and that will get her picture on the gym lobby,” said MHS girls head coach Molly Schramm, who is now in her 22nd year of coaching.”We knew this season that she had all the skills and all the work ethic. She just had to go out and perform and make it happen.”According to coach Schramm, the windy day in Columbus wasn’t without some controversy on a few occasions from things the judges decided upon, which ultimately might’ve cost Grosel a fifth place finish all by herself.   Continue reading →