CLOVIS — Golden Valley graduates Ryan Pust and Afolabi Olabode lingered on the field and chatted with opponents after their competition ended Saturday night. They drank in every moment as their high school careers ended.The 96th CIF State Track and Field Championships, a page-turning event for each of the approximately 900 athletes who qualified to get here, meant even more to the GV stars.Pust, the gifted pole vaulter, ninth at state a year ago, topped everyone in California last week with his 16-7 in the section Masters Championship at Elk Grove. He was a member of what was billed as the best-ever field in the state pole vault.An encouraging warmup for Pust was followed by problems. He needed all three attempts before he cleared 15-6 and hit 16-0 on his second. He finished with three misses at 16-6.“I was on the pole I wanted to be on. I didn’t have the same technique I had in warmups. I think there were some nerves,” Pust said. “I came in with a lot of expectations, but a lot of guys felt the pressure.”He was right. Thousand Oaks’ Luigi Colella, one of three this season to clear 17 feet, no-heighted. The winner was Carl Johanson of Orange Lutheran at 17-0.Steven Pust, Ryan’s older brother, took fourth in the state meet in 2012.“But I jumped higher,” Ryan added.The brothers will reunite at Sacramento State while Olabode plans to continue at UC Santa Barbara. more
