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REACHING NEW HEIGHTS
By Jason Peake
Daily Mail Sports Editor
LAMAR -- Standing on the long, slender runway, Morgan Hold takes a deep breath, exhales and takes off in a sprint.
At the end of the runway he approaches the box, raises his arms, plants his pole and propels himself into the air.
At the height of his jump, and with a little swing at the end, the Nevada High School junior clears the bar at 13 feet, 6 inches.
He descends and lands on the cushioned pad. Hold gets up with a smile on his face.
He's just set a new personal best.
This was the scene on Tuesday at the Lamar Invitational track meet.
Nevada's Hold won the varsity boys pole vault by clearing 13-6.
He attempts 14 feet and just misses. His day is done.
He's accomplished enough for now.
"I just beat my goal for the season," Hold said. "It feels pretty good. 13-6 was my goal for this whole season."
Warren Langford, Nevada High's pole vault coach, admits that Hold's progress has been impressive thus far.
"If we can get him to turn like he was last year, he could get 14 foot in no time," Langford said. "He's coming along pretty quick. We were hoping for 13 feet eventually," Langford continues. "He just cleared 13-6. This is early...we're just two weeks into it and he's already reached his yearly goal."
Nevada Head Track Coach Robert Watts was equally impressed with Hold's performance.
"That's amazing," Watts said of the 13-6 vault. "He's doing real well and Coach Langford does a great job with the vaulters. It's just surprising that he's at that height at this point of the year."
Added Watts: "I think Morgan will continue to go up and up."
During Tuesday's event, Hold just missed clearing 14 feet.
"I was close on my first attempt today," he said, adding he's confident it will happen sooner or later.
That height -- 14 feet -- is one Hold has his sights on. Why? Because it's the NHS school record (Tyler Warner and Eric Fast both hold that mark).
Hold's best vault last year was 12 feet. He cleared 13 feet in the first meet this season. Now that one goal has been reached, another for Hold is a state berth. He was unable to advance to state last year.
"I was real close," Hold said of his sophomore season. "I was one spot away. I just want to make it to state this year."
With his early-season success, a trip to state looks like a realistic goal for Hold. For now, he'll keep working, and hopefully, keep going higher and higher -- reaching new heights.
"I need to work on my turn," Hold said. "And I just have to keep practicing."
With that, Hold walks away.
His day is done. He's accomplished enough for now.