Despite competing for first time in three months after California outdoor season was canceled by Coronavirus pandemic, national junior class record holder clears 14 feet and takes three attempts at all-time prep outdoor mark 14-8.50; former state champion Colella wins men’s elite division with 17-foot clearance 

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The fact that Paige Sommers attempted a national high school outdoor pole vault record Saturday at the Vaulter Club Vaulter Magazine Big Red Barn meet in Menifee shouldn’t come as a surprise, especially after she set both California state and national junior class records Feb. 22 with a clearance of 14 feet, 6 inches (4.41m) at the Thousand Oaks Invitational.

The fact that the Westlake High standout had three quality opportunities at 14-8.50 (4.48m) in her first official competition since March 7, with only limited practice taking attempts at a 12-foot bungee since her last meet and clearing 12 feet in a dress rehearsal Friday as part of NSAF x AthleticNET Virtual Nationals, came as a surprise to even Sommers.

Sommers prevailed in the women’s elite division with a third-attempt clearance at 14 feet (4.27m) in the first sanctioned event of any kind in Southern California since the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic canceled the spring outdoor season for high school, college and professional athletes.

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Thousand Oaks graduate Luigi Colella, a 2013 California state champion who attended Westlake in 2011-12 before transferring to the rival Lancers, won the men’s elite competition with a 17-foot clearance (5.18m).

Colella, who represents SNA Foggia in Italy, is completing his undergraduate degree at Cal State Northridge but not competing for the Matadors. His last competition was March 7 at the Beach Opener, clearing 17-3.75 (5.28m) to win the event at Long Beach State.

Kyle Brown, a UCLA junior, and La Costa Canyon junior Garrett Brown both cleared 16-6 (5.02m). Kyle took second after making the height on his second attempt, with Garrett clearing the bar on his third opportunity to equal his personal best from March 7 at the Mt. Carmel Field and Distance meet.

It marked the first competition for Kyle Brown since competing Feb. 29 at the MPSF Indoor Championships in Seattle, Wash.

Sommers cleared 13-6 (4.11m) in her last competition March 7 at the Don Green Invitational at Moorpark High. Having not attempted a single vault with an actual bar since that meet until her 12-foot clearance Friday and focusing the majority of her workouts on building strength and improving speed, Sommers shared she would have been satisfied with a 12-6 clearance Saturday. 

Rancho Bernardo junior Ashley Callahan, last year’s California state champion in the spring in addition to winning another title at the Winter Outdoor Championships, and Poway senior Katerina Adamiec both cleared 13-0.75 (3.98m).

Callahan, who hadn’t vaulted since a 13-5 (4.08m) clearance Feb. 8 to secure the winter outdoor crown, took second behind Sommers based on fewer attempts.

Adamiec, a UCLA signee, produced a third-attempt clearance to achieve a new personal best in her first competition since March 7 at the Mt. Carmel Field and Distance meet.

Sage Creek junior Maya Grudman cleared a personal-best 12-7 (3.83m) to finish fourth.

The next Vaulter Club Vaulter Magazine competition is scheduled for June 27-29, with many of the athletes who competed Saturday expected to vault again June 12-13 at the Desert Dream Last Hurrah at Poston Butte High in Arizona.