COLUMBUS — Coming into Friday’s pole vault at the Division III state track meet, Crestview’s Liam Kuhn said he didn’t feel the pressure of topping his placing in the last two state meets (sixth in 2023; fourth in 2024) and that he just wanted to “stay in the flow with things.”
He was able to do that and claim another medal as an All-Ohioan for the third time in his main event, with his highest bar clearance of the day being at 15-6. Still, there was a little disappointment in his voice after his day was finished. That disappointment simply came from not being able to go above that 15-6 mark.
“I had some little mistakes, and that’s why I couldn’t get that bar of 15-10,” said Kuhn. “I was shooting for 16 feet, because I knew that was going to take the state meet record and win state. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. Just more fuel for next year.”
One of four pole vaulters left toward the end, Kuhn had three attempts to jump over his personal record of 15-8 by looking to clear 15-10, but he was unsuccessful.
Ansonia’s Cade Shellhaas came away with the state title by vaulting a Division III state meet record of 16-6 (the record was previously 16-2), with Old Fort’s Evan Combs coming in as state runner-up (16-2) and Cincinnati Country Day’s Luke Schnieber placing third (15-10).
The Division III regional and district champion elaborated on the mistakes he mentioned, which he said are correctable.
“My pole drop and poster,” he said. “That is really important in vaulting, because you don’t get inverted with the pole and it can shoot you off. You have to swing it up fully, and in my last attempt, I didn’t.”
But if Kuhn has done anything well this spring, it’s vault repeatedly into the 15-feet range.
“It’s very important because I knew that is what it’s going to take to place at state this year,” Kuhn said. “I remember in freshman year, it took 13-10 to place. Last year, it was 14-4. This year, it was either 14-6 or 14-10 to place. It keeps evolving.”
With the goal of winning a state title next year already on his mind, he’ll take sometime to contemplate becoming a three-time state medalist.
“It feels great,” said Kuhn. “It’s a privilege to be a three-time All-Ohioan because not many kids get to do that.”
Day 1 Ashland/Wooster state track results
- Smithville girls 4×800 relay team of Maryn Erdman, Tessa Duell, Claire Haas and Kaitlyn Carr medaled and placed sixth (9:39.64) at the Division III state final
- Crestview boys 4×800 relay team of Logan Friges, Cooper Brockway, Everett Smith and Bransen Hider placed fourth (8:03.32) at the Division III state final
- New London’s Madison Smith qualified for both the Division III 100m and 300m hurdles finals
- Crestview’s Max Durbin qualified for the Division III 300m hurdles final
- Hillsdale’s Hayden McFadden qualified for the Division III 200 meters final on Saturday. McFadden also finished 12th in the long jump.
- Northwestern’s Emily Thompson placed ninth in Division II discus (longest throw 121-2)
- New London’s Kelsey Pauley finished 15th in the shot put in Division III
- South Central’s Autumn Fry didn’t qualify for Saturday’s Division III 100 meters final and finished ninth in the discus (threw a PR 123-3)
- Crestview’s Liam Kuhn missed qualifying for Saturday’s Division III 110m hurdles final
- Ashland’s Jayden Goings missed qualifying for Saturday’s Division I 300m hurdles final
jamessimpson@gannett.com
Twitter/X: @JamesSimpsonII
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Day 1 Ashland/Wooster State Track meet recap