Boys' Pole Vault Preview
Expect a really good competition for the pole vault state title on Sunday on the boys' side. A host of boys have cleared the 15-foot barrier and it take a good day out of one of the favorites to claim the state's top spot.
Let's start out east, where we've seen plenty of good battles from a trio of vaulters all season long. Council Rock South's John Franco comes in at PA No. 1 and the top seed. He jumped 15-11, an indoor best, to take an impressive third at the Millrose Games a few weeks ago. He jumped 16 feet outdoors and took second at states in AAA, and will be looking to win his first state championship on Sunday.
But PA No. 2 Starrett Vesper of North Penn and PA No. 3 Dan Dean of Neshaminy will also be in the hunt. Vesper is enjoying a breakthrough senior season that has seen him just get better and better. He cleared a best of 15-6 last week to take the TFCAofGP Meet of Champs title and has some good momentum coming into the weekend. Dean, who was fourth last year and the top returner based on state finish, jumped a best of 15-3 and cleared 15-0 to take second to Vesper at MOCs. Both will be going for the title.
Three boys enter the meet with best of 15-0. Hempfield Area's Tanner Barnhart was eighth last year at states. He's been consistently earning wins, including the TSTCA title, in a strong second half of his season. Hershey's Justin Rogers has taken his vaulting to a new level in 2020 and he'll be one to watch as well. Dalton Yeust of Tunkhannock is another member of the 15-foot club. He won the Philly Public League Invite to get over 15-0 and he'll be a contender, as well.
Shikellamy's Mason Brubaker was sixth at indoor states last year making him one of just three returning medalists. He enters with a season best at 14-9 and will be hoping to improve upon his 2019 finish. Kolt Byers of Bermudian Springs, Nate Good of Warwick, and Jack Miles of Unionville have all cleared 14-8 this year and will be top five contenders.
Event 32 Boys Pole Vault ============================================================ =================== Starting Ht. 13' 0" Increase 6" Meet Record: 16-03 2/28/2004 Andrew Rademacher, Hickory 13-09.00 SGQ State Guideline Name Year School ============================== ============================== =================== 1 Barnhart, Tanner 11 Hempfield Area 2 Brubaker, Mason 11 Shikellamy 3 Byers, Kolt 12 Bermudian Spring 4 Carlson-Swank, Devin 12 West Perry 5 Cowder, Cameron 11 Shikellamy 6 Dean, Dan 12 Neshaminy 7 Franco, John 12 CR South 8 Good, Nate 11 Warwick 9 Kauffman, Rylan 12 Hempfield Area 10 Kurelowech, Joe 11 McDowell 11 Lasher, Derek 12 Bangor Area 12 Lim, Peter 11 Episcopal Acad 13 McGarrah, Tristan 10 Butler 14 Milanek, Alexander 12 Schuylkill Valle 15 Miles, Jack 11 Unionville 16 Myers, Brody 11 Camp Hill 17 Roadman, Isaac 12 Indiana Area 18 Rogers, Justin 10 Hershey 19 Vesper, Starrett 12 North Penn 20 Yeust, Dalton 12 Tunkhannock