Marina’s Odden Soars to State-Best 16-5 in Pole Vault

The standards on either side of the pole vault pit creaked as they swayed in the gusty conditions. The volunteers arched their backs and used long poles to guide the bar into place.

Marina senior Logan Odden had everything stretched to its limit at the Trabuco Hills Invitational Saturday. Then it was time to test his own.

Odden cleared a state-leading 16 feet 5 inches to win the boys’ pole vault, the third-best mark in Orange County history and the second-best mark in the nation this season. Odden cleared the height on his third and final attempt, after barely brushing the bar off during his second.

“I was hoping it would all come together finally,” Odden said. “I was just taking the time to have a big plant.”

El Dorado’s Greg Ernst holds the county record with his 16-6 vault in 1978. Brethren Christian’s Steve Michels went 16-5 1/4 in 1996. Sage Thames of Wolfforth (Texas) Friendship High leads the nation after clearing 16-8 last weekend.

Odden, whose previous outdoor best was 15-7, cleared 16-1 on his third attempt before moving the bar up another four inches.

“The wind was swirling and it wasn’t consistent,” said Kevin Magula, Odden’s coach and brother-in-law. “But when he started going I think he had more tailwind than he did crosswind, so that’s what helped him out.”

After clearing 16-5, Odden missed three attempts at 16-8.

In addition to moving him to the top of the state list, Odden’s winning vault also qualifies him for the junior nationals.

“It’s about time,” Magula said. “He’s been working hard and he’s just getting comfortable on the 16-foot pole.”

The other top mark belonged to Corona del Mar’s Liz Morse, who won the girls’ 800 in a state-leading 2 minutes 12.85 seconds. Morse, who is entered in the 800 at the Arcadia Invitational Saturday, ran the first lap in 1:01.6 and built a sizable lead on Newport Harbor’s Amber Steen, who finished second in 2:17.53.

“I was definitely surprised [with the time through the first 400 meters],” Morse said. “It might have actually been too fast, but I’ve been working on going through [the first 400 meters] a little faster.”

Morse, who finished third in state in the 800 last season, also won the 400 in a county-leading 56.18 seconds. She then capped the day with a 54.8 anchor leg in the 1,600 relay, passing two runners along the way and lifting the Sea Kings into third place behind two Long Beach Wilson teams.

Corona del Mar teammate Jenny Cummins ran the opening leg of the 1,600 relay, finished second to Morse in the 400 (59.07) and third in the 800 (2:20.28). Allison Brawner won the high jump (5-4) for the Sea Kings.

Steen won the 3,200 meters in 11:02.58, Santa Margarita’s Lori Mann was second (11:31.40) and El Modena’s Christine Eckstaedt was third (11:36.40).

Mission Viejo’s Dana Bethel went 18-4 to win the long jump. Michelle Sanford of Woodbridge was second in 17-6 1/2. Sanford came back to win the triple jump with a mark of 37-7 and she also won her heat in the 100 meters in a hand-timed 10.3.

El Modena’s Jordan Czaykowski also showed his versatility, placing second in the triple jump (44-7 1/4) and 110 hurdles (14.99) and third in the long jump (21-6).

Esperanza’s Kristen Thompson and Travis Pendleton continued their hot streaks in the discus.

Thompson, who threw a county-leading 142-2 at the Surf City Invitational in Huntington Beach last Saturday, won the event with a throw of 133-10. Pendleton, who threw a state-leading 197-8 in a dual meet Thursday, finished first with a throw of 179-10.

In the Fullerton Rotary boys’ track and field championships:

Troy 94, Sunny Hills 40, Fullerton 20--Troy’s Sean Christiansen won the triple jump (40-7), long jump (21-2 1/2) and 200 (22.4) and also ran on the winning 400 relay team.

In the Fullerton Rotary girls’ track and field championships:

Troy 92, Sunny Hills 34, Fullerton 30--Katy Ratican won the 100 in 12.9, the 200 in 26.4 and the long jump in 15-6 for Troy.