Promise kept! Bartkiewicz wins state title!
By Zachary Dzurick
Sports
Published June 7, 2006

Westlake senior Molly Bartkiewicz's winning vault Saturday at the state track championship in Columbus. (Photo by Larry Bennet)

Westlake senior Molly Bartkiewicz, who finished third in the state in the pole vault as a junior, laid it all out on the line before the track season even started. In the March 29 West Life spring sports preview, she put her goals in print, "I want to win the state championship and I want to set the state record."

One dream became a reality at the state track meet at Jesse Owens Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, while the other ended up just millimeters away.

The pole vault competition was the final D-I field event to start. Most of the state media was focused on defending champion Carries Kayes of Green High School. Kayes had established a state record the week before with a mark of 12 feet nine inches. Both Kayes and Bartkiewicz passed until the height of 11'0, which they both cleared.

At 11 feet six inches, only five competitors remained. Kayes failed on her first attempt at the height, but because of an officials mix-up her standards were wrong. The miss was declared a no-jump and she cleared her next attempt. Bartkiewicz cleared the height easily and with a great deal of room to spare.

At 12 feet, four competitors remained, the other three all failed on their first attempt before Bartkiewicz had her opportunity. She applied pressure when again she cleared the height easily. Bartkiewicz, trying to remain focused said she did not watch her opponents' attempts.

Bartkiewicz hugs her coach, Alan Roark, after winning the D-I state pole vault championship.

"I knew I had the advantage when they missed their first attempt," Bartkiewicz said. "I didn't even watch the other girls when they vaulted because I knew if they made it everyone would go 'aww.' When they missed their second attempts, I didn't want to count my chickens before they hatched, but that is pretty darn close. And when they all missed again, I was so excited."

So with a state championship in hand, Bartkiewicz celebrated with her coach Alan Roark. But immediately had to refocus.

"When I first got it I was overwhelmed but I had to concentrate because I still had to jump again," she said. "I wanted to scream but I couldn't because that would be embarrassing."

Her jump of 12 feet tied the state meet record. Together they decided to attempt to break the state record and set the bar at 12 feet 9 and one-quarter inches. On her second attempt, Bartkiewicz cleared the height and landed on the mat. It appeared she had broken the record, but the bar bounced and then fell. It was that close.

"I thought I had it actually when I looked up," she said. "I got excited and then the bar bounced off."

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Despite not setting the state record, Bartkiewicz was thrilled.

"I knew I could. It was just a matter of everything working," she said. "We planned for this and we were ready. I owe my coach so much. It was all him and I was just there."

Roark, the Amherst pole vault coach, has worked with Bartkiewicz since her sophomore year. He has helped her with technique and Saturday he helped her mentally as well.

"Alan told me I jumped better when I am laughing and joking. I tend to over analyze things," Bartkiewicz said. " I have been asking for a sunny day and a big crowd all season. And we had it today. It was pretty cool. Someone fell and it sounded like a jet. He told me 'you have your crowd, go do it.'"

Bartkiewicz, who is headed to Austin Peay University on an athletic scholarship, became the first Westlake High School female athlete to win a state championship ever. Westlake girls track coach Duane Miller was understandably proud.

"I am ecstatic for Molly," Miller said. "It is a dream come true for her. She set some goals before the season. She wanted to win a state championship and she wanted to earn a full-ride to college. Because of hard work, dedication and refusal to just be above average, she brought those goals to fruition. I am so proud of her and we will miss her."