2007 CA State - Tori Anthony 14-1, Nico Weiler 17-2

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http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_6051312

CCS pole-vaulting sweep yields national record, state-meet mark
By Dennis Knight
Mercury News
Article Launched: 06/03/2007 01:44:55 AM PDT

SACRAMENTO - Castilleja's Tori Anthony skipped her graduation ceremonies Saturday to compete in the pole vault at the state track and field championships, so she wanted to deliver a performance to remember.
Anthony's effort was indeed memorable, as she broke the national high school outdoor record by clearing 14 feet, 1 inch on her third attempt.
That gave the Central Coast Section a pole-vaulting sweep, following Los Gatos' Nico Weiler's state-meet-record victory in the boys competition.
Anthony bounced out of the pit and raised her arms as the crowd of 11,171 rose to its feet after eclipsing the 13-9 set by Mary Saxer of Lancaster, N.Y., in 2005.
"I wasn't going to leave here tonight without doing something special," said Anthony, who didn't take up the sport until November 2004. "It was a combination of everything today. I had a great approach with a tail wind, and the crowd really got things going. I tried to have the best takeoff I could."
Anthony loved the balance beam as a gymnast, but when she got burned out on the sport and discovered the pole vault, she was hooked.
"Once I started, I couldn't stop," said Anthony, who set a personal best of 14-2 1/2 at an indoor meet this season. "I have been trying to clear that height (14-1) for so long, it's been a long time coming."
St. Francis senior Natasha Barthel started her day by hitting her high notes in a sterling rendition of the national anthem to get the finals started.
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She ended it with her second consecutive third-place finish after clearing 12-10.
"Tori and I are good friends, we push each other," Barthel said. "You couldn't ask for better conditions. In the last couple days, I finally got my steps down and my timing was there."
Weiler had already clinched the boys state title when he eyed his third and final approach on the runway with the bar set at 17-2.
With a strong plant and an explosive push, Weiler cleared the height and set a state-meet record, surpassing the 17-1 set by Granite Bay's Scott Roth in 2005.
It was the second time Weiler extended his meet with a clearance on his final attempt; he also did it at 16-10 to give him a shot at the record.
"I couldn't finish my last competition in America like that," said Weiler, and exchange student from Stuttgart, Germany, who will decide in the next two weeks whether to move to Los Gatos to complete his senior season. "The crowd really pumped me up; they were so engaged. The crowd, the competition and the announcers made it a really special event."
Weiler became the first CCS pole vaulter to win a boys state title since Leland's Scott Slover in 1994.
"I don't know how he's doing half the stuff he's doing, he's got some kind of amazing power," said his coach, Brandon Vance. "Last week took a lot out of him, but he manned up and showed what kind of competitor he is today."
St. Lawrence junior Josh Cusick became the first athlete in school history to win a state medal, taking sixth by clearing 14-10.

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http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show ... hp?id=5158

Anthony sets national record in pole vault
Castilleja graduate raises national outdoor mark to 14-1 while winning state meet

by Keith Peters
Palo Alto Weekly Staff

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Tori Anthony missed her graduation ceremony at Castilleja School on Saturday. She didn't, however, miss something else she's been shooting for all year.


While her classmates were wearing caps and gowns and receiving their diplomas, Anthony was in her track gear in Sacramento accomplishing something never achieved before by a high school female.


Already the holder of the national indoor record in the girls' pole vault, Anthony added the national outdoor mark to her growing resume while winning the event at the 89th annual CIF State Track & Field Championships at Hughes Stadium on the campus of Sacramento City College.


Anthony won her second straight state title with a clearance of 14-1, which broke the previous national outdoor record of 14-0 by Tiffany Maskulinski (Iroquois High, Elma, N.Y.) in 2005.


Anthony also broke the American Junior record (20-under) of 14-0 by Lacy Janson of Florida State (2002), giving her three national records this season. Her indoor mark is 14-2 1/2.


"I had to miss my graduation ceremonies, so I was going to go home with something," said Anthony, who next will compete at the Golden West Invitational in Folsom and then the U.S. Senior and Junior National Championships later this summer in Indianapolis.


The World Junior Record in the women's pole vault is 14-8 by Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia in 2001.


Anthony also eclipsed the state meet record of 13-8 held by Shayla Ballentine of Morro Bay in 2001 by clearing 13-9. After raising the national record to 14-1, Anthony took three attempts at 14-3, but missed.