PUNTA GORDA — Pole vaulting is a track and field event that doesn’t get much love or attention. It serves primarily as background for when the runners are on the track.
But it can be a valuable event for high school programs that take it seriously, allowing it to rack up the points they need to win district and regional championships.
At Charlotte High School, the event has been taken very seriously in recent years. This year, the Tarpons boast three young vaulters, all underclassmen, all of whom had a shot at qualifying for states going into Wednesday’s Region 3A-3 track and field championship at Charlotte High School.
And all three have something unusual in common: gymnastics.
Leah Hunnius, Angela Sanchez and Faith Hessinger all started their pole-vaulting experience through the work they did on the mat when they were younger.
Sanchez, a junior, started the event this year after being a gymnast for 10 years.
“I figured it looked fun so I switched it up and tried it,” she said. “Gymnastics helped a lot because of the upper body and core strength you need to spring down the runway. I think I’ve progressed faster because of gymnastics.”
Suffice to say, Sanchez has progressed fast, her personal best going into regionals was 9 feet, 10 inches (3.00 meters). She matched that number on Wednesday, finishing fifth in the region.
Hunnius, also a junior, is the most experienced vaulter of the trio. She, too, credited gymnastics.
“I had a lot of the strength you need to pole vault. I’m used to being upside down and how to maneuver myself,” Hunnius said, who came to Florida from Illinois following her freshman year.
Since coming to Charlotte, she made states last year, finishing sixth with a 10-4 vault. and achieved a personal best of 10-10 inches at districts, she cleared 10-4 (3.15 meters) in her first attempt on Wednesday, but her day ended with a miss at 10-10 (3.30 meters), leading to a third-place finish.
Hessinger, a sophomore, was a relative newbie to the sport, only starting in in the middle of last season. Still, she reached states last year and ended up with a 16th-place finish.
She, too, was a gymnast, but in this case, it sort of worked against her.
“I was a 4-by-400 runner and my coach challenged me to a handstand contest and if he won, I had to try it,” Hessinger said. “I did gymnastics and he’s older so I thought no problem. I lost really badly.”
But her loss was also her win. She learned very quickly thanks to her ability to watch what better vaulters do and try to emulate them. As a result, she has improved her personal best to 9 foot-6 inches.
Hessinger said the secret to everyone’s success has been the great coaching and the extra work they put in at camps. The result is an overall higher standing for the team because of the work of the individual.
“I’m very grateful for the work Jeremy Green has put in. Pole vaulting is an individual sport and we earn points by ourselves. In relays, if one person is doing bad, it hurts the whole team,” Hessinger said. “When we do well in pole vaulting, it helps us earn points and help the whole team out.”
Hessinger’s road to states hit a speed bump Wednesday. After being sick and needed intravenous fluids for a week, she finally felt well enough to compete in regionals, then promptly sprained her ankle on the landing pad in warm-ups.
She persevered as much as she could, but her day ended with three misses at 8-10 1/4 (2.70 meters), landing her in 10th place.
The Region 3A-3 meet was still in progress at press time. Complete results will be available in Friday’s editions of The Daily Sun.
REGION 2A-3
At IMG Academy on Tuesday night, Lemon Bay’s boys finished fourth overall while the girls finished 13th.
Owen Tannehill brought home the Mantas’ lone victory, winning the shot put event with a heave of 15.69 meters. Tannehill also medaled in javelin (5th) and discus (6th).
On the girls’ side, Myah Dickerson medaled in four events, finishing seventh in the shot put, javelin and 200 dash while taking eighth in the 100 dash.
Here is a list of Lemon Bay’s medalists. Final state qualifiers will be determined over the weekend.
GIRLS
Shot put: 7. Myah Dickerson, 9.62m.
Javelin: 7. Myah Dickerson, 25.14m.
Discus: 5. Sofia Ferjiani, 29.50m.
100 dash: 8. Myah Dickerson, 12.80.
400 dash: 4. Madison Tieu, 1:00.77
200 dash: 7. Myah Dickerson, 26.77
BOYS
High jump: 6. Jagger Gould, 1.82m.
Discus: 6. Owen Tannehill, 39.55m; 7. Kristopher Smith, 37.48m.
Shot put: 1. Owen Tannehill, 15.68m.
Pole vault: 2. Cooper Adcock, 3.45m.
Javelin: 5. Owen Tannehill, 43.12m.
4x800 relay: 7. Domke, Elliott, Meade, Marquette, Skadal, Roberts, McAskill, 8:55.75
110 hurdles: 4. Haden Skellet, 15.80.
1600 run: 7. Kyle Domke, 4:48.47.
4x100 relay: 7. Grossenbacher, Williams-Heard, Jansma, Scott, Wells, Skellet, 43.49.
400 dash: 4. Joe Scott, 49.74.
3200 run: 8. Ron Marquette, 10:13.59.
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