Max Manson is already threatening his indoor marks from last year. File Photo.
While nearly all of Colorado's high school cross country and track and field population was taking some down time from competition, the pole vaulters couldn't catch a break--not that they wanted to.
Steinhauer Field House in Golden was the site of the annual ATB Christmas Holiday Pole Vault Meet. The meet attracted male and female, young and old, experienced and new.
The meet helped break in two Pueblo 10-year-olds: Lilly Nichols and Kourtney Rathke. On the other end of the age spectrum, John Lopez made sure the over-50 crowd was represented as well.
In between the two were plenty of names you would recognize.
Top male clearances of the day were turned in by Corbin Mayes of Liberty Common and Max Manson of Monarch (both vaulting under ATB affiliation for this meet). Wednesday's path of success ended at 14-5.25 for both. Not far behind were Cole Rowan and Josiah Barker at 13-11.25. Barker appears to be a new name on the Colorado scene, possibly having moved in out of Oregon, but that remains to be confirmed.
Among the girls, Erika Willis had the top clearance of the day at 11-5.75. After no-heighting at the Air Force Holiday Open, that also gets her on the board for the season with a state-leading mark. Topping out at 11-0 were Avery Paxton and Heidi Liles.
Also of note here is the fact that sprinter, high jumper, volleyballer, and Monarch freshman Mia Manson opened her pole vault season at 10-6. Kristina Willis, another freshman younger sibling with some potential name recognition, cleared 8-6.25.
For those green with envy over the pole vaulters' early opportunity, the indoor season starts for other events on Saturday at Balch Field House. Yes, last year's fond farewells to Balch were a tad premarture. Next up on the schedule is the Martin Luther King Jr. Mile-High Classic at the Air Force Academy Cadet Field House on January 15.
Perhaps we will see many of these same vaulters, and perhaps a few more, at the MLK meet. In the meanwhile, it may not hurt to make a mental note that Monarch High School figures as the dominant pole vault school for this coming spring.