By Moses Leos III
For the third straight year, Hays High pole vaulter Meagan Gray exits Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin with a UIL track and field state meet medal. This time, the senior's medal has a gold tint to it.
After winning silver and bronze medals in Class 4A over the last two years respectively, Gray capped off her high school pole vaulting career Saturday by winning the Class 6A girls pole vault state championship.
Gray won the gold medal with a height of 13-feet, 6-inches; a height matched by Smithson Valley sophomore Colleen Clancy.
She claimed the gold by having the fewest misses among the two competitors. Gray only missed once prior to attempting the state meet record of 13-feet, 9-inches.
Leading up to her gold medal clearance, Gray needed only one attempt to clear 12-feet and 12-feet, 6-inches. She needed two tries to surpass 13-feet before sailing over the bar at 13-feet, 3-inches and 13-feet, 6-inches on her first attempt.
Gray's becomes the third Hays High girls pole vaulter to claim a state championship in the last 15 years.
She joins the ranks of Jessica Doyle, who won pole vault state championships in Class 4A (2007-2008) and Britni Lawrence, who claimed pole vault gold medals in Class 5A (2003-2004).
