Shane Kunnanz Article (ND)

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http://www.minotdailynews.com/sports/st ... sport1.asp

Kunnanz moves from stick to pole

By CINDY PETERSON, Sports Editor cpeterson@ndweb.com

Hockey and an injury has kept Minot High School senior Shane Kunnanz from putting his focus on track and field.

Now that the Chicago Showcase hockey tournament is completed, Kunnanz has been able to devote his attention to pole vaulting. Kunnanz reached a milestone in his high school track career on Tuesday at the Duane Carlson Invite at Herb Parker Stadium.
Kunnanz qualified for the Class A state meet for the first time in his career. He finished the pole vault with a qualifying jump of 12-6 for runner-up honors in his second meet of the season. Preston Page of Bottineau won the event with a vault of 13-8.

The Carlson Invite was a boys meet only.

"It's really exciting," Kunnanz said. "I heard the guys talk about what it was like to be at the state meet. I've been working on the pole vault a lot in practice. It was a big pressure off of me."

Kunnanz started off at 10-6. He hit 12-6 on his first attempt.

But Kunnanz has overcome adversity to experience success in track. Last season he was unable to compete in the sport because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Kunnanz sustained the injury during the fall season of football on a kickoff return when he twisted his knee.

Kunnanz didn't was to miss the hockey season so he played the whole season with a torn ACL and didn't go through surgery until the spring, causing him to miss the whole season of track. It took Kunnanz about 41/2 months to rehab his knee.

Kunnanz pole vaulted as a sophomore and in junior high.

"I just wore a brace," Kunnanz said of playing hockey injured. "It would slide out every now and then. It was horrible to watch (during the track season). I just wanted to get out there and do something."

Kunnanz said he also plans on securing a spot on the 1,600-meter relay team, which has already qualified for the state meet.