Scott Sherwood Article (PA)

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http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/ ... 96014.html

Sherwood achieves goal in pole vault

SHIPPENSBURG - As soon as he landed in the pit, he began kicking his arms and legs and screaming at the top of his lungs.

Scott Sherwood had cleared 15 feet in the pole vault at states, so he was fully within his rights to go a bit crazy.

"People were laughing at me," he said. "But I didn't care."

They could laugh all they wanted to, but there was no denying what Sherwood, a Pennridge senior, had achieved.

He finally reached his goal of clearing 15 feet, and he earned a second-place medal in Class AAA at the PIAA championships on Saturday at Shippensburg University. Because of rain, the event had to be moved inside, to a building adjacent to Seth Grove Stadium.

The moment put to rest some long-running frustration for Sherwood, who will vault next year for Penn State. While he was able to get over 15 feet in practice, he never seemed to be able to do it in a meet. And at the May 21 District One championships, he lost out on a district title because he had more misses at 14-6 than Duane Hynes of Central Bucks South.

"I don't think any one major thing was the reason I couldn't do it," he said. "I just haven't been able to put it together for a meet."

Ever since the indoor season, which he finished by placing third (14-6) at the PTFCA state meet, Sherwood had his sights set on 15-0 - and on improving on that third place.

With one vault - and one very emphatic landing - he got both.

"It was a pretty big feeling - what's the word I'm looking for?" Sherwood said. "Elation. That probably best describes it."