claim as the fifth best high school pole vaulter in Pennsylvania. Smith's 15 foot clearance is just one inch shy of his own stadium and school record established at War Memorial Field this April as West defeated crosstown rival Central Bucks East.
This year's crop of ennsylvania pole vaulters was exceptionally strong, featuring seven vaulters
clearing 15 feet - a height typically lofty enough to place a competitor in the top three, as well as three vaulters above 16 feet - a height often incredible enough to take the crown. Strath Haven's Chris Williams, after becoming a State Champion in both the 110 high hurdles and the 4x100 meter relay just a few hours prior, added a State Championship record to the list by clearing the winning
height at 16'6". A credit to Smith's consistency, Smith defeated the state recorder holder three times this year.
West senior Nico Metzler became West's first medalist in over a dozen years in one of track and field's most beloved events, the 1600 meter run. The first question always asked of a runner is, "how fast can you run a mile?" Because of this, the mile consistently draws the best of the best competitors, and Nico Metzler proved on Saturday that he is one of them.
Despite heat and humidity that Coach Sherwood coined best as "uber-uncomfortable", Metzler bravely pressed into the top five amongst his twelve competitors with a lap to go. Metzler was able to hang tough to become a seventh place individual PIAA State Championship Medalist with his
time of 4:18.94. Metzler's effort was just three seconds away from 2010 graduate Nick Scarpello's school record of 4:15.4 and one second away from his personal best of 4:17.57, which places him third all-time at Central Bucks West.
Also competing for the Bucks was junior Chris Berry, who performed bravely in the 3200 meter run. Despite the sweating-in-the-shade weather, Berry followed the throwdown pace of 65 seconds
through the first 400 meters and 4:35 through the first mile as he placed himself in medal-contending 8th place for the first six laps. Although Berry struggled in his last 800 meters, he still managed to place 19th amongst the best 31 distance runners in Pennsylvania and gains the experience of competing at the mountaintop. Berry is the 9th returning runner in the field. Berry
defeated cross-country state medalists Brett Kelly (3rd), Jack Macauley (17th), and Tim Appman (20th).
The track and field team returns to action to celebrate this week at the covered-dish banquet (bring your clean uniforms!) on Wednesday, May 30th at 6pm in the CBW Cafeteria and doubles back for
additional celebrating at the Conboy Estate (604 Covered Bridge Road, Doylestown) from 3pm until who knows on Saturday, June 2nd.