KALISPELL — The podium wasn’t available on Thursday evening at Legends Stadium, but Kamryn Scully already earned a trip atop it. She’ll just have to wait until Friday morning.
The Deer Lodge senior repeated as the Class B girls state pole vault champion on Thursday, setting a new personal-best mark by clearing 11 feet. Scully was the lone vaulter to clear the height, though Cut Bank’s Dakota Manecke, who placed runner-up, had solid attempts.
“It was really nice to have the competition, because you get that break in between jumps,” said Scully. “I’ve, pretty much at all my meets, had maybe one competitor until 10 foot-ish, so it was really nice to get a break between jumps.”
“I was really happy that I finally got a mark I knew I was capable of,” she continued. “Over the summers I’ve been jumping well, but it’s over the summers. I’m glad to finally get one of my marks that actually shows me what I’m capable of.”
Scully was the last vaulter standing, but the first event of the combined State AA and State B meets began with a hiccup, two, in fact, for the defending state champion.
Scully, who entered the meet with a Class B-best vault of 10 feet, 9 inches, missed her first two attempts at 10 feet. After a quick discussion with her father-coach, David Scully, Kamryn swapped poles and cleared the height with ease.
“I’ve been trying to get on my new pole, which is a 125 (flex number), and I just don’t quite get in sometimes. I’m definitely more consistent jumping with my older pole, which is a 120, so I just get back onto that every once in a while on a third jump,” said Scully. “No, (there was no doubt I would clear the third attempt). There was actually a meet right after Top 10, I wasn’t getting in the pit. I would take two jumps with my (new) black pole, then one jump with my old 120, then two jumps with the new pole, one jump with the old pole. I’ve done it plenty.”
The Class AA and Class B state track and field meets resume Friday morning at Legends Stadium.
