LANDOVER -- Jess Huber spent much of the pole vault competition relaxing on the long bench adjacent to the runway. The North Carroll senior sat in her sweat suit, laughing and giggling while chatting with other girls during the Class 4A state championship meet.
She remained relaxed when her chance finally came. Huber had little trouble winning her third consecutive state championship last night at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex.
"I vault better when I'm relaxed," Huber said. "I just feel when I'm kind of sitting there doing nothing, I get kind of tense."
Huber's relaxation strategy worked nicely in this meet. She cleared 10 feet to win the title, beating South River's Jen Whitfield (9-6). Haley Paskalides of South River and Holly Bowen from Chesapeake-AA tied with Wootton's Liz Calhoun for third place with vaults of 9 feet.
Huber cleared 10-9 earlier this winter in a meet at Hagerstown and wanted to get a shot at 11 feet in this event. However, she missed on all three attempts at 10-6.
Perry Hall's Shawn Myers was the only other local athlete to win an event, capturing the boys pole vault (14-0).
The Eleanor Roosevelt girls continued their recent domination, capturing an eighth consecutive state championship and 17th in the past 19 years. Quince Orchard won the boys title.
Brendan Morales of Westminster and Dulaney's Emma Larkin were the only other local athletes who finished in the top three of any event. Morales took second in the shot put, and Larkin came in second in the 3,200-meter run.