Top Moments of the Meet (1): New Heights at the Boys Pole Vault
It's been a relentless back-and-forth all season long between Max Manson and Corbin Mayes. I don't know if either of the two are getting tired of seeing each other on a twice-weekly basis, but it's definitely been entertaining for the spectators.
The drill is becoming familiar. By the time Mayes and Manson take their first vaults, most of the rest of the field is already eliminated. This time, there were still two left vaulting--Geoff Lord and Chase McLean--when M & M threw their poles into the box.
McLean bowed out with a 13-6 best. Lord got to 14-6 before coming to the end of his pole.
At that point, though M & M were still going strong. Well, sort of. For a couple of moments, it appeared as if Manson might not even get 14-6. But, after two misses at that height, Manson put himself over the bar on the third attempt and continued on.
Mad Max was clean over the bar on his first attempts at both 15-0 and 15-6. Mayes also cleared 15-0 on his first attempt, but took a miss at 15-6 before clearing on his second attempt.
That made Manson the leader going to 16-0, a height neither competitor had ever cleared before. After the first attempt for both, it appeared 16-0 might stay forbidden territory for both. But, Mayes got the magic clearance, and ultimately the win, on his second attempt. Manson would burn through his three attempts without success.
Mayes (above) came tantalizingly close to 16-4 on one of his three attempts, but--for now, at least--his PR stays at 16-0.