Brady McCain expects to raise mark (NE)

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http://www.norfolkdailynews.com/main.as ... cleID=3685

McCain expects to raise mark

By TOM BEHMER
News Staff Writer

Brady McCain likes the forecast for Friday.

It calls for the high temperature to be around 70 degrees with partly cloudy skies - perfect weather for pole vaulting.

"That's good weather because sometimes it gets too hot and your hands get sweaty, and it's hard to hold onto the pole," he said.

A year ago, McCain achieved a personal-best mark of 14 feet, 6 inches at the Norfolk invite. This year, he hopes to up the ante at the annual meet, which is set to begin at 1 p.m. on Friday.





"I want to go at least 15-2 - over that hopefully," he said. "I want to beat the school record.

"I'm used to the surroundings," he added. "It makes it a lot easier and a lot more comfortable. I usually vault better at home."

That record was set by Jeremy Scott in 1999. While Scott went on to set the Division III national record with a vault of 18-0 and nearly qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in 2004, McCain doesn't have any plans to pole vault after high school.

"I don't think I'm going to do any sports in college," the 130-pound state wrestling qualifier said. "It just takes up a lot of time to do any athletics in college."

Knowing, as a result, that this is the last year he'll compete has been a source of inspiration for McCain.

"It's the last chance I'm going to get to do this," he said. "I might as well give it my all."

It doesn't hurt that he's got three teammates giving it their all in practice every day.

Junior Andrew Elsworth has a season-best mark of 13-0, while junior Jordan Zach and sophomore Anthony Juhlin have each topped 12-6. Elsworth vaulted 13-6 last year, while Zach narrowly missed a medal at the state meet with a vault of 12-11.

"There's always a lot of competition at practice," McCain said. "I think that's really what makes me better."

If that's not enough, McCain's event coach, Chris Wentling, shares the No. 3 spot on the school's all-time pole vaulting list with him.

"That pushes me a lot," McCain said. "I can joke around with him and rub it in his face a little bit. It's pretty fun."

Between Wentling and the four vaulters, on any given day 67 feet, 11 inches of pole-vaulting experience may be roaming the Panther track. But the talent in the state isn't confined to Norfolk.

All five of the top five finishers from last year's Class A state meet return this year. Lincoln Southwest's Austin Cassidy went 14-6 to win the Class A state meet last year.

"It definitely keeps my eyes open knowing that there's definitely a lot of good competition this year," he said.

The idea of winning a gold medal at the state meet is appealing to McCain, but the idea of leaving a lasting mark on his school appeals to him a bit more.

"I'd rather break the school record and win state at the same time," he said. "But if I had to choose - probably the school record because next year there will be a new state champion, and my record will be here for years."