PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Cade Zeolla didn't know what to expect.
The West Morris senior missed nearly eight weeks with a knee injury, and hadn't taken his full approach on the runway since he competed at the NJ Indoor Meet of Champions on March 2, so it was understandable that he was unsure of how he'd perform in the pole vault at Thursday's 129th Penn Relays presented by Toyota at legendary Franklin Field in front of a day one record record of 27,376.
So, when Zeolla finished in second place by clearing 15-8.25 in a stadium that will be his home next year, the University of Pennsylvania-bound star flashed an ear-to-ear grin.
"I'm so excited right now,'' said Zeolla,'' who made a PR of 16-0 twice indoors. "I suffered a stress reaction in my right knee and had to shut it down after the Meet of Champions. "So I feel really good about the way I vaulted today.''
Zeolla nearly became NJ's first boys' pole vault champ since another Morris County star, Andy Brethorst of Morris Knolls, won in 1990.
He was in the lead on misses when he and three other vaulters raised the bar to 16 feet. But Jackson Gray of Woodford County in Kentucky made 16-0 on his second attempt to earn the victory.
"Last year I no-heighted at this meet, so to come back after an injury and place second is a great feeling,'' said Zeolla. "This is great for my confidence and I'm looking forward to continue to the bar the rest of the season.''
Owen Keating of Pompton Lakes, who won the Indoor Meet of Champions and made 16-6 indoors, failed to clear a height.
Zeolla said that he feels he and Keating have the potential to push each other to 17 feet this season. Only two vaulters in NJ high school history have made 17 feet, Adam Sarafian of Ocean Township, who made a state outdoor record 17-4.50 in 2004, and Bll Lange of Bridgewater-Raritan, who cleared a NJ indoor record 17-0 in 1980.
"I feel that the way we push one another and with the way we vaulted indoors, that there is a chance we could make 17 feet,'' said Zeolla. "The pole vault in New Jersey is as good as it's been in a long time, and we are hoping to keep raising the bar.''
