West's Davis reaches new heights in vault high school track

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Apr 29, 2000 by Rick Peterson Capital-Journal

By RICK PETERSON

The Capital-Journal

Topeka West pole vaulter Cody Davis made an equipment switch this week, a move that paid huge dividends in Friday's Seaman Relays.

Davis, whose previous season best had been 13 feet 3 inches, soared to a winning height of 14-4 Friday, setting a Topeka West record in the process.

Davis' winning vault was a foot and 4 inches higher than he had cleared in the Kansas Relays last week and a whopping 2 feet 3 inches better than his best last season as a junior.

"The conditions were great at KU and the crowd was great, but I was on a different pole, a lighter pole," Davis explained. "Today I moved up to a pole that was five pounds heavier than my weight, and that made all the difference."

Davis made the switch at practice earlier in the week and knew that a big jump was within reach.

"We only practiced on Wednesday, but I got a couple of 14-foot jumps in and I was feeling great," Davis said. "I was pumped up to go today, and it was great weather."

Davis, in only his second season a vaulter, actually won the event when he cleared 13-6, then cleared 14 feet before asking that the bar be raised to 14-4 so he could try for his school record.

"That was my goal for today, and thanks to the crowd and everybody I accomplished it," Davis said.

- Friday was another big day for Topeka High stars JaNelle Wright and Richard Barber as both athletes won three events.

Wright, who had finished first, second and third at the KU Relays, won the girls high jump at 5-7, the long jump at 17-7 and the 100 hurdles in 14.4.

Barber, who won three events at KU, duplicated that feat by winning the boys high jump at 6-10, the long jump at 24-6 and the triple jump at 48-9.

Wright and Barber combined to set three meet records, with Wright setting a record in the 100 hurdles and Barber setting records in the triple and long jump events.

- Washburn Rural girls distance runner Cate Holston defeated city rival Shauna Burrell of Seaman in the 1,600 with a time of 5:06.8. Burrell was second in 5:11.5.

Holston, already the state leader in the event, was just off her season best, while Burrell knocked nearly seven seconds off her season best. Burrell also finished second in the 800, clocking a season-best time of 2:21.5.

Also winning Friday was Topeka High's Jamie Stegman, who won the girls shot with a season-best throw of 37-5.

BOYS

Individual results

Long jump --- 1. Barber, TH, 24-6; 2. Burr, JC, 21-9; Jones, JC, 21-8.

Shot put --- 1. Hamilton, JC, 53- 1/2; 2. Johnson, SMNW, 52-7 3/ 4; 3. Dirks, SMN, 52-6.

110 hurdles --- 1. Guice, JC, 14.8; 2. Jones, Leav, 14.9; 3. Allen, KC-Sch, 14.9.

3,200 relay --- 1. SM South, 8:15.5; 2. Blue Valley North, 8:17.0; 3. Topeka High, 8:17.0.

100 --- 1. Chambers, SMS, 10.9; 2. Pledger, KC-Sch, 10.9; 3. Marsh, SMNW, 10.9

Pole vault --- 1. Davis, TW, 14-4; 2. Burkholder, JC, 13-0; 3. Trombold, BVN, 13-0.

400 relay --- 1. SM South, 43.1; 2. KC-Schlagle, 43.5; 3. SM Northwest, 43.8.

Discus --- 1. Dirks, SMN, 169-10; 2. Hamilton, JC, 149-6; 3. Harris, JC, 146-11.

Triple jump --- 1. Barber, TH, 48-9; 2. Law, WR, 44-3 1/4; 3. Berry, SMS, 43-1.

1,600 --- 1. Loftin, BVN, 4:12.7; 2. Williams, Law, 4:21.1; 3. Lee, JC, 4:21.4.

Javelin --- 1. Bartlett, SMN, 193-10; Kobuszewski, JW, 178-11; 3. Wall, Sea, 178-2.

High jump --- 1. Barber, TH, 6-10; 2. Chambers, SMS, 6-4; 3. Jones, JC, 6-4.

400 --- 1. Jackson, SMN, 50.0; 2. Brown, Law, 50.4; 3. Harris, KC- Sch, 50.6.

300 hurdles --- 1. Hoffman, SMS, 39.6; 2. Jones, Leav, 39.7; 3. Kelly, SMNW, 41.2.

GIRLS

Individual results

High jump --- 1. Wright, TH, 5-7; 2. Sidney, Leav, 5-2; 3. Curtin, Man, 5-0.

Javelin --- 1. Reiff, SMNW, 137-3; 2. Wilson, TH, 135-7; 3. Book, Emp, 121-10.

Discus --- 1. Hacker, SMN, 120-7; 2. Stambaugh, WR, 116-8; 3. Winder, JC, 115-3.

100 hurdles --- Wright, TH, 14.4; 2. Curtis, Man, 14.7; 3. Charles, KC-Wash, 16.3

Long jump --- 1. Wright, TH, 17-7; 2. Heath, Leav, 17-2; 3. Marshall, BVN, 17-1.

3,200 relay --- 1. Northern Heights, 9:50.7; 2. SM South, 10:24.8; 3. Manhattan, 10:32.7.

100 --- 1. Burns, Leav, 12.3; 2. Marshall, BVN, 12.4; 3. West, TW, 12.5.

Shot put --- 1. Stegman, TW, 37-5; 2. Easterwood, KC-Sch, 35-9 1/ 2; 3. Bolz, WR, 35-4 3/4.

400 relay --- 1. Junction City, 49.5; 2. Leavenworth, 50.0; 3. SM South, 50.2.

1,600 --- 1. Holston, WR, 5:06.8; 2. Burrell, Sea, 5:11.5; 3. Hastings, Leav, 5:14.8.

Pole vault --- 1. Blaufuss, NH, 8-0; 2. (tie) Donnelson, Leav, and Burkholder, JC, 7-6.

400 --- 1. Curtis, Man, 57.2; 2. Euler, Emp, 58.9; 3. Bilderback, Leav, 59.0.

300 hurdles --- 1. Fletcher, SMN, 47.4; 2. Robinson, WR, 48.5; 3. Charles, KC-Wash, 48.5.

Triple jump --- 1. Turanski, BVN, 36-1 3/4; 2. Wier, Man, 34-1; 3. Drinane, SMS, 33-9 1/2.

800 --- 1. Van Gundy, NH, 2:20.0; 2. Burrell, Sea, 2:21.5; 3. Spencer, MV, 2:26.3.

Seaman Invitational

Agate here