TUALATIN – Cameron Ericksen was happy with the sunny day.
But it took him a bit by surprise.
He wasn’t as prepared as he could be for the dry, warm weather.
But he still soared to victory.
Ericksen, a Tualatin High School senior, placed first in the pole vault competition when the Timberwolves hosted Hillsboro in a Pacific Conference track and field dual meet held April 4 at Tualatin High School.
“I’m happy with the sun, but I didn’t think it would be like this,” Ericksen said after the competition. “I thought it would still be rainy, so I didn’t have a big enough pole with me today. There is a bigger one I could have used, but I left it at home – lesson learned.”
With his win in the pole vault, as well as in the high jump, Ericksen helped the Tualatin boys score a 76-69 win over Hillsboro. The Timberwolf girls made it a sweep as they edged Hillsboro by a 74-71 margin.
“We’re doing pretty good,” said Tualatin sophomore Laura Taylor, who, like Ericksen, triumphed in the pole vault event at last week’s meet.
Ericksen, who placed fifth in the pole vault competition at last year’s Class 6A state track and field championships, has some high hopes for his senior year.
“I’m hoping to consistently do 15 (feet) or 15-6,” he said. “Then, I’d love to hit it big at state. Going 16 feet is my state goal.”
Ericksen, who had a mark of 13-6 at last year’s Class 6A state championships, easily cleared 11-0 to start last week’s meet at Tualatin. That wrapped up first place. So, with that in hand, Ericksen decided to move the bar up to 13-6.
But, having to use the shorter pole, he missed on all three of his attempts at that height, although he did come close on his third try.
“This was a huge lesson,” he said. “But I’ll brush it off – it’s just a dual meet.”
Ericksen, who trains with the Willamette Striders, exudes optimism when talking about the rest of his senior season.
“I think it’s going to be awesome,” he said. “I just have to keep working hard. I’m really looking forward to state. I mean, it’s Hayward Field. I competed well at state last year, but not as well as I wanted to. I’m really looking forward to the competition this year. I love competition.”
While Ericksen may not have had the pole he needed at last week’s meet, he was brandishing some new spikes for the high jump.
They very well may have helped, as he won that event with a height of 5-8.
BY DAN BROOD, The Times
Retrieved From: http://www.tigardtimes.com/sports/story.php?story_id=133426962617049600
