The past few years the Prep Running Nerd team has devoted its coverage primarily to distance running, but we intend to give more love to field events, sprints and hurdles this spring. To get a jump start on coverage, we asked for help for the field events from Patrick Grosserode, the owner of the Trackville training facility in Lincoln. We expected a paragraph on each event; instead, Patrick wrote an entire article for each discipline. Patrick is uniquely qualified to opine on the current state of field events, and we'll thrilled to work with him. Here is Patrick's recap of the pole vault:
Class A Boys
Returning State Medalists (State mark listed)
· Paul Lampert, 15-00 – Creighton Prep (below)
· Drew Sellon, 14-06 – Fremont
· Jack Oettinger, 13-06 – North Platte
· Carsen Marking, 13-06 - Columbus
Outlook: Paul Lampert (US Military Academy) has had a good indoor season with clearances over 15’. Lampert and Sellon (Morningside football) will be set the pace as both have the potential to challenge a 16 foot bar. Look for Jack Oettinger to clear some bigger bars this season as he has been looking good during the indoor training season.
Class A Girls
Returning State Medalists
· Hailey Newill, 11-00 – Fremont
· Nealy Brummond, 11-00 - Norfolk (below)
· Tayler Evans, 10-06 – Gretna
· Maria Kimpson, 10-06 – PL South
· Novalee Schmidt, 10-00 – Lincoln High
Outlook: Hailey Newill and Nealy Brummond lead with last years top marks of 11’. However, Maria Kimpson has cleared 11’3 during indoor and continues to improve. Also, newcomer Hailey Watermier Lincoln Southwest, a junior, started vaulting this June and has an indoor clearance of 11’9”. Novalee Schmidt (Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling) is the “wild card” this outdoor season. She is incredibly athletic and could easily push 12’ by end of the season.
Class B Boys
Returning Medalists
· Caden Carlson, 14-06 – Aurora
· Kalen Knott, 14-06 – Seward
· Branson McDonald, 14-00 – McCook
· Jake Burge, 14-00 – Gothenburg (left)
· Jacob Mosely, 13-00 – GI Northwest
· Aaron Price, 13-00 - Scottsbluff
Outlook: Caden Carlson (Wichita State) has looked good this indoor season and could push bars over 16’ this season. Kalen Knott and Branson McDonald will give him a run for State Champion as they had impressive PR’s at last years State meet. Preston Witulski, from Beatrice, also has 14’ clearances this indoor season but is to not be left out of top spots at State.
Class B Girls
Returning Medalists
· Melanie Dwiewer, 11-00 – York (right)
· Bradie Medina, 10-06 – Holdrege
· Allyson Dutoit, 10-06 – Elkhorn North
· Mikya Lierman, 10-00 – Fairbury
· Savannah Bishop, 9-06 – Elkhorn North
· Hannah Crow, 9-06 - McCook
Outlook: Another wide open field with a good group of girls pushing 11’ this season. Savannah Bishop (Washburn) has a 10’9” PR this indoor season and Allyson Dutoit has also been actively competing. This field will come down to who’s been working most over the off season.
Class C Boys
Returning Medalists
· Blake Wells, 13-06 – Ord
· Mayson Ostermeyer, 13-06 – Crofton (below)
· Jon Peterka, 13-06 - Sutherland
Outlook: Class C State in 2021 featured a senior-dominated and tightly-bunched field, with 6 of the 9 medalists graduating, and 2nd through 7th place topped out at 13'6". Mayson Ostermeyer, Blake Wells and Jon Peterka will be competing for the top spot this after medaling in last years State meet and ending the season with best marks of 13’6”. However, Ben Alberts of GICC had a 13’3” PR in 2021 as a sophomore and qualified 3rd at Districts at 12'11" before electing to skip the pole vault at State to compete in the 400, 800, 4x400 and 4x800. He could be a factor if he competes at State.
Class C Girls
Returning Medalists
· Mya Zohner, 11-00 – Battle Creek (below)
· Marissa Rerucha, 11-00 – GICC
· Kayla Svoboda, 10-06 – Wisner-Pilger
· Reagan Cool, 10-00 – South Loop
· Jayden Jordan, 10-00 - Crofton
· Kennedy Stanley, 10-00 – Syracuse
· Sadie Rempel, 10-00 - Superior
Outlook: Seven of eight medalists from the 2021 meet return in 2022. Still an underclassman, Mya Zohner has much to prove by staying top of the list. Kennedy Stanley (Doane) has had a great indoor season with consistent clearances over 10’6. She will be pushing toward 12’ this outdoor season.
Class D Boys
Returning Medalists
· Owen Kaps, 14-00 – Bertrand (below)
· Matthew Johnson, 13-00 – Creighton
· Jared Anton, 12-06 – Potter Dix
Outlook: Kaps, now a junior, has the biggest jump out of returning vaulters, also qualified for 2021 State in the long-jump and 4x400, and competed in the triple jump, 300 hurdles, 800, 4x100 and 4x800 prior to State. Look for him to set the pace and be the man to beat this season. (Nerd note: Kaps seems about 70% of the way to being a collegiate decathlete). Matthew Johnson has looked good this indoor season and will look to better his 13’ performance at last year’s state meet.
Class D Girls
Retuning Medalists
· Mae Valish, 10-00 - Osceola
· Kaylee Pribyl, 9-06 – Meridian (below)
· Autumn Deterding, 9-00 – Cambridge
· Jozie Kanode, 9-00 – Exeter-Milligan
· Rylee Legg, 8-06 - Kenesaw
Outlook: Mae Valish ended the 21’ season with a 10’ PR. Look for her to stay on top but this field is wide open with the five returning medalists from the State Meet.
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Originally written for and posted at www.preprunningnerd.com by Patrick Grosserode.
Patrick Grosserode is the owner of Trackville, an indoor training facility devoted to developing youth, high school and collegiate athletes. He's also the Director of the Lincoln Community Track Club, the jump coach at Lincoln Pius X, and a USATF level 2 jump and sprint/hurdle coach. Lean more about Trackville at https://thetrackville.com/.
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