It took four years for Bandys High pole vaulter Nathan Flowers to see his hard work pay off. His senior year turned out to be the best for Flowers, capped by a state title and the Mooresville News boys’ track and field athlete of the year award. Flowers went undefeated in the boys’ pole vault in eight meets this past season, including five major meet titles during his run to the state title. Among his wins were titles at the Catawba County championships, the Appalachian High School Invitational, and the Southern District 7 2A conference championships. Then Flowers, who had won just three meet titles in his three previous seasons combined, dominated at the NCHSAA 2A West regional meet, winning with a then-personal best of 12 feet, 9 inches. The runner up, Bunker Hill’s Cody Farrant, managed a vault of 12 feet. That made Flowers the favorite heading into the NCHSAA 2A state championships, held May 10 at N.C. A&T University’s Irwin Belk Track in Greensboro. He didn’t disappoint, taking his first state title with a personal best of 13 feet, 6 inches better than North Pitt’s Johnathan Shingleton. more
