Matt Baum article (MD)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sectio ... ryID=57058

2 Roaders capture state titles
Originally published February 20, 2007


By Bill Cauley
News-Post Staff

LANDOVER -- Brunswick's Matt Baum gave up basketball in the sixth grade to concentrate on pole vaulting as he approached his high school years.
That move paid off on Monday at the state Class 2A-1A indoor track and field championships at Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex when he vaulted 13 feet, 1 inch to not only win the state title, but set a state 2A-1A record in the process.

Baum was one of two Railroaders to win individual state championships on Monday. Junior Ben Horner got his name on the winners' list as well, repeating as the state 2A-1A champion boys shot-putter with a throw of 51-2.

"I like being up in the air like that," Baum, a senior, said of his decision to forego basketball and stick with the pole vault. He also said he switched to the pole vault because his brother, Chris Baum, did it while he was at Brunswick.

"I wanted to try it and it was fun," Baum said. "It's my main event."

Baum, on his way to East Tennessee State next year, tried to go 13-4 after beating out the rest of the field but missed on all three attempts.

"Three inches. It seemed like a reasonable height," Baum said. "I was happy with it."

Baum said he knew the state indoor record was 15-0, but didn't have any plans to try for it. "If I had been closer to that mark, maybe," he said. "But it was too far off."

"For the last two years, he worked especially hard on getting better in the pole vault," Brunswick coach Lee Zumbach said. "He got tips everywhere he could. He talked to other coaches, to other pole vaulters, whatever he could pick, up, he used."

What surprised Zumbach the most about Baum's effort was the fact the 13-1 was his best vault of the year. "He never cleared 12-6 at any of the other indoor meets this year," he said. "When he cleared 13-1, the bar wobbled a little bit but stayed up."

"The important thing was the bar didn't come down," Baum said.

[vault3rb0y]

Anyone vaulting over 13' without a serious coach has all my respect!