Since Dale Stelting became Columbus North’s pole vault coach in 1991, Bull Dogs have been vaulting to big success.
North athletes have won 15 sectional and 14 regional pole vault titles and qualified for state 29 times over the past 28 years. Seven have been state medalists with top-nine finishes.
The most recent two of those regional champs and state qualifiers came last week when sophomore Sami Heathcote won the girls regional and senior Brigham Kleinhenz captured the boys regional.
“This year, I have one of the best young prospects in Sami Heathcote and my all-time best male vaulter in Brigham Kleinhenz,” Stelting said. “We’re on a little bit different agendas, but we’re still looking to have fun.”
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Kleinhenz set a school record earlier this season when he cleared 14 feet, 9 inches in Brown County’s Talon Relays. He went 14-0 to win the North Sectional and 14-4 to take the Franklin Regional.
Based on his regional mark, Kleinhenz is tied for the No. 8 seed going into Saturday’s Boys Track and Field State Finals at Indiana University.
“The goal is to get top-five,” Kleinhenz said. “I just hope to go up there and to my best and hopefully (set a personal record), and if I do that, and if I do that, no doubt I’ll be on the podium.”
Heathcote cleared a personal-best 10-2 to win the Franklin Sectional. She matched that with another 10-2 effort to capture the Shelbyville Regional.
Going into Friday’s Girls Track and Field State Finals, Heathcote is tied for 20th.
“It’s very cool to be advancing two people because then it’s not as lonely at practice,” Heathcote said. “I’m just excited to get to go and experience being there and be on the runway and get some experience before the next couple years.”
Heathcote’s regional championship was the fourth in five years for North girls. Katrina May, who currently is vaulting at Purdue, won three in a row from 2014-16.
May finished third at state as a senior, when she became the Bull Dogs’ and Steltings’ second Indiana All-Star pole vaulter. That third-place finish in 2016, along with Charli Reed’s third in 2003 are the highest finishes for Stelting’s North vaulters.
This will be the first time the Bull Dogs will have two vaulters at state since 2010.
“It’s always good when you can take more than one to the state meet,” Stelting said. “I’ve had the opportunity to do that in the past, and there’s a camaraderie that exists between the kids, and it helps take a little bit of the edge off.”
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What: Girls and Boys Track and Field State Finals
When: 3 p.m. Friday (girls), 3 p.m. Saturday (boys)
Where: Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex, Indiana University
Admission: $10
Local athletes competing
Girls: Sami Heathcote, Columbus North (pole vault); Elena Stoughton, Columbus East (high jump); Kayla Truesdell, Jennings County (shot put and discus); Taylor Tatlock, Edinburgh (discus); Sam Sproles, Jennings County (long jump); Vivien Crimmins, Brown County (100-meter hurdles)
Boys: Brigham Kleinhenz, Columbus North (pole vault); Zarrien Johnson-Bey, Columbus East, and Preston Terrell, Columbus North (high jump); Logan Abbott, Columbus North (discus); Damon Hunter Jr., Columbus North (100 and 200); Sam Horak, Columbus North (1,600); Drew Thompson, Columbus North (800)
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