by JASON GORDON
Hays pole vaulters Chaney Turney and Jonathan Johnson will be making repeat trips to the UIL Class 4A state track and field meet at Myers Stadium in Austin. They will compete on May 14. (Photo by Jason Gordon)
The vaunted Hays pole vaulting tradition continued at the Class 4A Region III track meet over the weekend, as both Jonathan Johnson and Chaney Turney will be making repeat trips to the UIL state track and field meet.
Turney finished in a tie for first place with a vault of 11-feet, 6-inches, but officially finished in second place because Port Neches-Groves’ Hillary Coy, who also cleared 11-6, had fewer misses.
Hays’ Meredith Driskell, who beat Turney two weeks ago for the District 17-4A title, just missed a trip to state with a third-place finish after an 11-foot vault.
“They have a great set up at Sam Houston State and I was really focused,” Turney said. “I was trying just to jump and not get too technical and it worked out well.”
Turney said her top goal all season was to make it back to the UIL state meet at Myers Stadium in Austin at the University of Texas.
“I was nervous because I wanted to make it to state again very badly,” Turney said. “But I tried not to let it affect my performance.”
Turney will be trying to avenge a poor performance at state last year when the Class 4A state pole vault competition begins on Friday, May 14, at 3 p.m. She finished eighth in 2009, and fully expects to improve this time around.
“I absolutely think I’ll do much better this year,” Turney said. “I think I have a realistic shot at finishing in the top three and medaling.”
Johnson made things awfully close, as he cleared 14-feet, well below his personal best, and advanced with a second-place finish because he had fewer misses than teammate Daryl Burrell, who also cleared 14-feet.
Last year, Johnson finished third in the UIL Class 4A state meet. He will compete May 14, beginning at 6 p.m.
“It’s awesome to be headed back to Austin for the second year in a row,” Johnson said. “I hope to take that state title. I’ve made bets with friends that if I don’t clear 16-feet in high school that I’m going to move far away. I don’t plan on moving.”
Both Johnson and Turney are following in the footsteps of former Hays athletes Britni Lawrence and Jessica Doyle, who were two-time state pole vaulting champs.
“The tradition just keeps on going,” said Hays track and field coach Chris Smith. “We are very proud of Chaney and Jonathan. To make it to state two times in your career is quite an accomplishment.”
District-champion Mariana Sigala made it past the prelims at the regional meet in the 800-meters, but wasn’t one of the top two finalists that qualified for state.
Lehman also had several athletes qualify for regionals, but only the Lady Lobo girls 800-meter relay team made it past the preliminary round on Friday against the ultra-tough competition in Class 4A Region III.
Lehman’s team of Monique Johnson, Michelle Hernandez, Cydney Ervin and Kerry Robinson clocked a school-record time of one minute, 45.19 seconds to finish in sixth place in the regional finals in the event.
