G.I. a hot spot for vaulters (NE)-->newspaper article

[bma11]

May 2, 2005
G.I. a hot spot for vaulters

Gabe Baldwin's performance at the Drake Relays on Friday just solidifies what has become obvious the past few years.
Central Nebraska in general -- and Grand Island in particular -- is now the state's hot spot when it comes to the pole vault.

Baldwin, a former Grand Island Central Catholic standout, won the Drake Relays pole vault title with a career best 18 feet, 2 1/2 inches. That mark moves the Nebraska sophomore into a tie for second on the school's all-time charts in that event.

Of course Baldwin's school mate Jenny Green is the best female pole vaulter this state has ever produced. Green set the state's high school record of 13-3 before moving on to Nebraska where she set school records of 13-9 1/4 indoors and 14-1 1/4 outdoors her freshman year.

Green is on hold this year while attempting to recover from a back injury. Meanwhile Baldwin, who holds the boys state pole vault mark at 16-4, just keeps going higher.

You could say Green and Baldwin started the pole vault revolution in this area of the state. The pair set the bar extremely high with their prep performances, but there are a number of area athletes doing their best to match what the GICC duo accomplished.

GICC's Mallory Pinger won the all-class gold as a sophomore last year. Grand Island Northwest's Sam Ogden did the same in the boys competition last year as a junior.

Both are back this year to try and repeat as champions, but neither has quite reached the heights they produced a year ago. Ogden, who cleared 16-0 last season, has gone 15-2 this year, but the Nebraska recruit is confident a bigger pole and the right tail wind will push him higher before the season is over.

Pinger has cleared 10-6 this year after going 11-0 last season.

As good as they both are, they face plenty of competition heading into the final weeks of the season. Seth Burney of Beatrice has cleared 16- 1/2 this season. Fairbury's Dakota Cochrane and York's Adam Teniente have both done 15-0.

The list of the top 10 girls vaulters in the state is loaded with area vaulters. Nebraska Christian's Sarah Kauk leads the way at 11-0.

Grand Island Northwest's Kayla Casares stands seventh at 10-3 while Grand Island's Danicia Fargo, Boone Central's Tessa Porter and GINW's Abby Schrier have all cleared 10-0.

Remember, Nebraska girls haven't been pole vaulting all that long. The NSAA first brought in the event in 1999 to even the events offered at 17 for both boys and girls.

Kearney Catholic's Jaime Volkmer, who received a track scholarship from Notre Dame, won the all-class gold that first year at 11-6. Green followed that with four straight titles.

It's hard to say exactly how this event will progress from here. Was Green just an aberration? Will her 13-3 state record stand for years, or will someone break it in the near future?

The best guess is it's here for a while. Green was an exceptional high school athlete who was one of the best prep vaulters in the country her senior season.

It's going to take someone with exceptional ability to break her mark.

Baldwin's 16-4, on the other hand, is in danger right now. Sure, it was a tremendous accomplishment, but there's a couple of vaulters -- including Ogden -- who could eclipse that mark before the end of the season.

Contact assistant sports editor Bob Hamar via e-mail at bob.hamar@theindependent.com or call 381-9417.

[NebPV]

Thats right G.I. Pride baby!!!!!!!!!! and good luck to sam, great kid he deserves it the record!!