Haleck Just Misses Record Vault

Thousand Oaks High pole vaulter Makisi Haleck looked up at the soar spot that had become his sore spot and grimaced.

“I couldn’t do it,” he said.

Lancer assistant Bob Yudovin laughed and said, “You still made 15 feet on a bad day.”

Haleck missed an attempt to set a career best at 15 feet 8 inches, but cleared 15-0 to win the Marmonte League championship Friday at blustery Royal High.

“I’m disappointed I didn’t do as well as I would like, but when I look around, I realize I am blessed,” he said. “The wind freaked me out a little.”

Haleck has an appointment to the Air Force Academy, which is appropriate because he is an air force. He vaulted a career best 15-7 at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays two weeks ago--the second-best mark in the state this year--and believes he can reach 16 feet before the season ends.

“I use a longer, stiffer pole when I go higher than 15 feet and I need to practice only with that pole from now on,” he said.

Royal won the boys’ team title with 137 points. Moorpark was second with 115 1/2 points and Newbury Park was third with 103.

The Highlanders tied with Newbury Park and Moorpark for the dual-meet championship.

Thousand Oaks won a share of its eighth consecutive girls’ league title by finishing second in the 1600 relay and winning the girls’ team title. The Lancers scored 96 points, followed by Agoura (88), Royal (76) and Westlake (69).

In a change this season, only the top two finishers in each event automatically qualify for the Southern Section preliminaries. Others gained at-large berths by meeting qualifying standards.

The Royal boys swept the first three places in the 1,600 meters. Tim Ramirez (4:25.70) held off Travis Pattersen (4:26.33) with Tim Hearst (4:29.38) third. Ramirez (1:57.26) and Pattersen (1:58.67) also finished first and second in the 800.

Laura Jakosky of Agoura set a track record of 5:04.71 in the 1,600 meters, more than 13 seconds better than second-place Jaclyn Pedersen of Royal.

Pedersen bounced back to win the 800 in 2:20.82, ahead of Westlake’s Daniela Padilla (2:23.86), and Jakosky won the 3,200 in 11:08.23.

Caroline Sommers of Agoura won the high jump at 5-6, the triple jump at 34-10 and the long jump at 16-1 1/2.