(Feb. 15, 2013) Two pole vaulters, a high jumper and a shot putter will represent Stephen Decatur at the 3A state championship indoor track meet on Tuesday at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover.
The Seahawks earned a spot to compete Feb. 19, because of their top performances on Feb. 5, at the 3A East Regional meet at the Baltimore 5th Regiment Armory.
“I am really excited about the group that we have going. Sometimes, kids get up to the state meet and are overmatched and don’t really have a chance in their events,” said Decatur Coach Jody Stigler. “This year, I think all four of our qualifiers have a really good chance to place in their events. It is a great accomplishment to qualify for the state meet out of the 3A East Region, but I think that our athletes will have a very good chance to have personal bests and if that happens I’m sure that they will place well after looking at the other regional meet results.”
All four Decatur athletes will make there state competition debut.
Sophomore Lucas Duker was seeded No. 1 in the regional high jump event. He won the competition with a jump of 5 feet 9 inches to advance to states.
“I think I did pretty well for the conditions. The floor was really slippery,” he said.
Duker said he hopes to place in the top three at states. His best high jump this season is 6 feet. Duker’s goal is to jump 6 feet 2 inches at the championships.
“Anything higher would be great,” he said. “I’m excited. Kind of nervous, but I think I’ll be ready.”
Senior Patrick Phillips finished in third place in the shot put event, with a throw of 45 feet 3.5 inches.
“I felt I could have done better. I don’t like coming in third,” he said. “The competition was good. With regionals going how they did, I feel good about states.”
Phillips’ best throw of the season is 46 feet 6 inches. He wants to hit a distance at least that far at states.
“It’s going to take a lot of focus. I’ve just got to go out and keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I’m excited. I don’t really get nervous. It’s more like ‘let’s do it, let’s win.’”
On the girls side, Katie Collins, a junior, placed second in the pole vault competition (7 feet 10 inches).
“I did OK. It was not my best day, though,” Collins said of her regional performance. “I didn’t have a right runback (because of the slippery floor) so my steps were off.”
Collins said she is looking forward to states. Her goal is to vault over 8 feet, which is her best height this season.
Junior Kacie Moore came in third place at regionals, with a vault of 7 feet 6 inches.
“I think I did alright. It wasn’t my best day ever,” Moore said. “I was a little off, but I did well enough to qualify.”
Moore said she is excited and a bit nervous for the state meet. Her best vault this season is 8 feet 2 inches. She hopes to make that height or better at states.
“From what we saw at regionals, there was not much competition, but you have to expect more at states,” Moore said.
