SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Track & Field

Metro Confernece report

Sky is the limit for Titan pole vaulters

By Phillip Brents
Posted May 1, 2003

Approach, plant, rock back, extend, release and drop.

The pursuit is ever-increasing height and the sky appears to be the limit for the ever-growing corps of pole vaulters competing for Eastlake High School’s track and field team this spring.

Junior Joe Ziomek and senior Megan Wilkinson are among the leaders in the event in the Metro Conference.

Wilkinson won last year’s South Bay League girls pole vault title and is looking to regain the form that saw her place third as a freshman and fifth as a sophomore in the event in the San Diego Section divisional championship meet. Ziomek is looking to build on the career best of 13 feet, 6 inches he set earlier this season as he contends for this year’s Mesa League title.

In any event, teammates are not far behind.

Pushing Wilkinson — a highly decorated three-sport athlete (field hockey, soccer and track and field) — is junior Mariana Pastrana. Ziomek is being challenged by varsity teammates Shawn West, Jonathan Meeker and Nick Nelson. Right behind them are a slew of constantly improving junior varsity vaulters.

Ziomek cleared 13-6 to record the second-highest mark at the Titan Trackfest April 12 at Poway High School. His best mark had been 13-0 last season.West vaulted 13-0 to record the fifth highest height at the Jaguar Invitational on April 26.

Wilkinson won last year’s South Bay League girls pole vault title at nine feet — a figure she matched to start this season. She set the school record in the event at 10-6 last year. Her goal this season is to clear 11-6.

“It’s not impossible. It would be a great reach for me. I want to work my way up,” she said.

This is Wilkinson’s fourth season competing in the event and each year she has raised the standard higher. She cleared 8-0 her freshman year, then went 9-0 her sophomore season before setting the school record last year.

She has played soccer since age 7 (earning the Titans’ Most Valuable Player award as a junior, best defensive award as a sophomore and most improved player award as a freshman) but took a break this winter to concentrate on pole vaulting, which she said has become her favorite sporting activity.

Her field hockey resume includes being named Eastlake’s most improved player as a sophomore and the team’s best defender as a junior. She also competed for San Diego’s Finest club team last summer

“She’s extremely competitive. She’s extremely tough. She’s beaten just about everyone she’s been up against,” said Titan girls coach John McFadden.