CHARLESTON — Chase Black finished off a stellar career at Charleston by earning second place in the pole vault, while classmate Taylor Garrett earned eighth place in the 800 Saturday in the IHSA Class 2A boys’ state track finals at Eastern Illinois’ O’Brien Stadium. Black cleared 14-0, 14-3 and 14-6 all on his first attempts before making 14-9, 15-0 and 15-3 on his third and final vaults. “I started missing and pulling some out of my butt,” said Black. “By the end I had run out of poles. I used three poles I don’t usually go on. I would have liked to get 15-6, but you can’t always get what you want.” The 15-3 is a school record and a personal record for Black, who won the Illinois Top Prep Top Times Indoor Classic (14-6) in what is considered the indoor state meet by many. Black, who is to continue his career at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, said there was a good tailwind and it was pretty good conditions. “Going from fourth to third to second is quite an accomplishment,” said Charleston coach Chad Miller. “He had to use bigger poles and that just shows the guts of a pole vaulter, he jumped on a pole and had his personal best.” One of the poles he used was that of fellow Apollo Conference team Salem as Tyler Jourdan, also a senior, won the state title going 15-6. “I used one of his poles to compete against him,” said Black. “We are both in the same conference. So we battle it out all of the time. We got to know each other.” more
