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http://www.theindependent.com/sports/ca ... f887a.html


Cahoy soars, G.I. rolls


Posted: Friday, April 6, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 9:10 am, Fri Apr 6, 2012.
By Marc Zavala
marc.zavala@theindependent.com | 0 comments
Posted on April 6, 2012
by Marc Zavala

Steven Cahoy is not doing too bad for someone who started training for the pole vault in January.

The Grand Island Senior High junior, in his third competitive meet, shattered the school record by clearing 15 feet, 6 inches at the Grand Island Invite Thursday.

The Islanders went 1-2-3 in the event. Kevin Cahoy, Steven’s younger brother, was second at 14-0 and Allen Phengmarath took third at 13-8.

Those efforts helped Grand Island dominate its home invite. The Islanders won seven total events and had 29 medalists to rack up 195 points, 112 points more than runner-up Lincoln Northeast Thursday at Grand Island Memorial Stadium. Lincoln Southeast took the girls title with 156 points, 36 more than runner-up Lincoln Northeast.

Steven Cahoy, who broke his own school record of 15-1 set earlier in the season, said clearing 15-6 this early in the season is a confidence builder. He added he is glad he decided to do the pole vault.

“This is incredible,” he said. “My coach (GISH pole vault coach Geoff Cyboron), my brother and family support are reasons why I’m doing so well right now. I’m loving every second of it. It’s even more exciting to have Kevin and Allen do well as well. They did great today.”

Cahoy about got even more excited while attempting 15-10. He got over the bar with ease on his final attempt, but it came down when the wind blew the pole into the standard. After a brief discussion with officials, Cahoy got another attempt, but couldn’t clear it.

“I was excited at first when I landed but when I saw it fall, I just couldn’t believe it,” he said.

Cyboron said it was disappointing to see the bar fall like it did, but it wasn’t the end of the world.

“That was a heartbreaker and everyone who saw the event knew he was over,” he said. “But I told him, ‘It’s OK to be disappointed and it’s out of your hands. You have plenty more days to vault.’ But Steven had a phenomenal day, but so did Kevin and Allen as they set personal bests.”

Cahoy went to Cyboron in January and told him and he wanted to give the pole vault a try. Cyboron said he knew the possibilities of what Cahoy could do in the event.

“I knew he had potential to be good when he was younger but didn’t have the heart to do the pole vault,” Cyboron said. “When he told me he wanted to try it out in January, I told that I was excited that he was giving it a try. He’s a pretty special kid with a great amount of potential.”




Grand Island Invite
BOYS
Team Scoring
Grand Island 195, Lincoln Northeast 83, North Platte 73, Lincoln High 69, Norfolk 68, Lincoln Southwest 65.
Events
Pole vault — 1, S. Cahoy, Grand Island, 15-6; 2, K. Cahoy, Grand Island, 14-0; 3, Phengmarath, Grand Island, 13-8.
GIRLS
Team Scoring
Lincoln Southeast 156, Lincoln Northeast 120, Norfolk 116, Grand Island 86, North Platte 41, Lincoln High 23.
Events
Pole vault — 1, Menghini, North Platte, 11-7; 2, Rathje, Lincoln NE, 10-0; 3, Kostbahn, Grand Island, 9-6.

http://journalstar.com/sports/high-scho ... 3e7d7.html

Pole vault rookie Cahoy goes 16 feet at Heartland meet

By RON POWELL / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Wednesday, May 2, 2012 10:45 pm | No Comments Posted


Steven Cahoy is ready to resume his baseball career this summer on Grand Island's American Legion team.

Before he returns to playing third base, however, the Islander junior has some record-breaking business to tend to in the pole vault.

Cahoy continues to amaze in his first season of vaulting after playing high school baseball as a freshman and sophomore. He moved into a tie for fifth on the boys all-time pole vault chart by clearing a meet-record 16 feet at the Heartland Athletic Conference meet Wednesday at Beechner Complex.

"My family wanted me to try it, so they convinced me in January to give it a try," said Cahoy, the son of former Husker and Olympic gymnast and 10-time NCAA All-American Phil Cahoy. Steven's younger brother, Kevin, a freshman, has been vaulting since middle school. Kevin, who finished fifth Wednesday, has cleared 14-0 this season.

When Steven came to Nebraska this winter for some pole vault practices and got some advice from NU pole vault coach Kris Grimes, he was sold.

"The first time I tried it, I loved it," Steven added. "And I've loved it ever since."

Steven did gymnastics until fifth grade, then gave it up in favor of football.

"My dad was kind of disappointed," Steven said. "But he loves it that we're now doing the pole vault. For him, that's close enough (to gymnastics)."

In one of his first meets, Steven went 15-6 to win the Grand Island Invitational. After working his way through the heights, he cleared 16-0 on his first attempt Wednesday. He came close to going over 16-3 on his last vault, knocking the bar off on his way down.

"I call him a freak because I've never seen anyone progress like he has," Islander pole vault coach Geoff Cyboron said. "On the bungee cord, he cleared 12 feet on his first try. Early in the season, he was getting better by a foot every week.

"He has a tremendous swing and body control. The sky's the limit for him."

Dick Railsback agrees. The former Husker and international pole vault coach, himself a national champion vaulter, watched Wednesday's competition, and he calls Steven Cahoy "impressive."

"He's got a lot of room to improve strength-wise and technique-wise," Railsback said. "For him, it's gymnastics on a stick."