Article on Selah Vaulters (WA)

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http://www.yakima-herald.com/premium/29 ... 74788.news

Selah vaulters aim high at Holder Relays
By SCOTT SPRUILL
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC




They exchanged wide-eyed smiles and playful taunts for much of the afternoon, daring each other to go higher and higher.


And when juniors Mike Blanchard and Cody Skipton were finally done trying to one-up each other, Selah's school record in the pole vault managed to survive the full-out assault.


Just a matter of time, though, because this assault will not relent any time soon.


Blanchard and Skipton both cleared a personal-best 13 feet, 6 inches in Saturday's 31st annual Don Holder Relays and they each took three good cracks at 14 feet, one inch over Selah's record.


"It was just nuts the way we went back and forth like that," Blanchard said after dashing off to compete in the triple jump, where he placed sixth. "The way we were jumping, I thought one of us would get (the record) today. It'll happen."


Interlake's Ryan Vu also topped 13-6 and won the event based on fewest misses while Blanchard and Skipton placed second and third.


"Cody has really been coming on," Blanchard said of his classmate. "His technique has improved so much. It's going to be a fun season."