Jensen clears personal-best 13-9 in pole vault
All four Broncos who returned to this year’s Class A state track and field championships improved on last year’s results.
Jake Jensen finished a Bronco-best fourth in the pole vault, while Timmy Myles was fifth in the high jump. Alicia Hendrickson tied for eighth in the pole vault and Shawn Filipiak tied for 11th in the high jump at Hamline University.
Jensen vaulted on Friday, while the other three participated Saturday. Both events were indoors with the wet weather.
Last year Myles finished 11th, while the other three finished 15th in the same events.
And while three finished in the top eight and medaled, all four thought they missed opportunities.
“I’m still kind of kicking myself,” said Jensen, who cleared a personal-best 13 feet, 9 inches.
Jensen had 14-0 in his sights, and spectators told him he was a good 6-12 inches over the bar on one attempt, but he hit the bar with his chin on the way down and failed to clear on two other attempts. He tied for third, but finished fourth due to misses.
Anthony Puckett of Mayer Lutheran won the state title at 14-0.
“If I would’ve made that, it would’ve given me second place,” Jensen said about his attempt when he hit his chin.
The story was similar for Hendrickson, who was coming off a school-record vault of 9-9 at sections. She tied for eighth with three others at 9-6, but she was well over 10-0 before hitting the bar on the way down.
“I was trying to throw off my pole, because I was completely over, and I threw it off and hit it with my arm on the way down,” she said.
Her second attempt wasn’t close and her third attempt mirrored her first try as she hit the bar on the way down. Foley’s Chelsey Pflipsen won state by clearing 11-1.
“I was really happy to place this year, but I don’t know,” Hendrickson said. “9-6 isn’t bad. It’s been what I’ve been going for. ... It was a lot better than getting 8-6 again.”
In the previous two state meets, Hendrickson cleared 8-6 and finished in the back of the pack.
Myles, the lone senior of the group (the other three are juniors), cleared 6-2 and finished tied for fifth.
“I was pretty bummed Shawn didn’t (medal), but I thought it was pretty cool,” he said.
He also said he had 6-4, but the bottom of his legs or his butt hit the bar. He slipped on his final attempt.
“It was pretty good. I was mad to end my career with a slip,” he said, “but medaling was pretty cool.”
Filipiak finished tied for 11th at 6-0. It was one height higher than his 5-10 he cleared last year.
“Hopefully go 6-4 next year or higher,” he said.
Austin Dennis of Walker-Hackensack-Akeley won the state title by clearing 6-7.
