North Central's Charlize Hall surprises even herself while claiming State 3A pole vault title | Track and field

May 29-TACOMA - The look of amazement on the face of North Central junior Charlize Hall said it all Friday.

Hall went from predictable start to unforgettable finish in the 3A state pole vault at Mount Tahoma High School.

She missed on her first jump, but recovered in splendid fashion, winning with a nine-inch personal best of 12 feet, nine inches.

It was all the more impressive considering she's just in her second year vaulting and first visit to state.

"I don't even know," Hall said, when asked how she went from sharing the school record at 12-0 to possessing a firm hold on it now. "I wasn't thinking about the end, I was thinking about all the little parts in between and getting each small victory before the end."

Hall missed twice before state on attempts to take sole possession of the school mark - twice at 12-3 and twice at 12-1.

She knew she didn't get off on the right foot Friday, missing on her first attempt at 10-6. That put her behind the leaders immediately.

The 5-foot-2 Hall easily cleared 10-6 on her second jump and made 11-0, 11-6 and 12-0 on first attempts. She missed on her first try at 12-3, but secured the school mark by making it moments later.

When Hall made 12-6 on her first try and Macy Swanson of Kelso had to take two attempts to clear it, Hall secured the state title.

At 12-9, Hall stuck the pole perfectly in the plant box, projecting herself cleanly over the bar.

She took three tries at 13-0, but fatigue took over.

NC coach Kelly Harmon was amazed at Hall's speed down the runway. It gave her what he called horizontal velocity.

"She knows how to get inverted and get upside down," Harmon said. "She's fearless."

NC pole vault coach Jared Lee agreed.

"It took a while for her to get the nerves under control," Lee said. "It helps to have someone pushing you and (Swanson) was pushing her. She had to jump her best to beat her."

When Hall got to 12-0, she switched to a pole she had never used.

"I used two new poles when I got to 12," Hall said. "I was feeling ready for it and wanted to attack it."

Hall plans to jump this summer competing in the Nike Nationals in Eugene next month.

She can't wait for next season.

"I just want to take it one step at a time, but I'd like to go above 13 feet," she said.

EV's Salinas-Taylor bounds into second

Nothing on her face hinted that she missed out on a state championship by four-hundredths of a second Friday.

Seeded first, East Valley junior Weather Salinas-Taylor was edged at the finish line in the 2A state 100-meter hurdles.

She was all smiles afterward.

Salinas-Taylor entered state with the top 2A time (14.66 seconds), and she improved from 16.22 seconds a year ago when she missed out on qualifying for state.

"I had a really bad time at district last year," she said. "I had a really good chance to win (Friday). No disappointment."

The hurdles was the first event Friday and the lone race deciding medals in the 4A/3A/2A state track and field championships. All other running events were prelims for Saturday finals.

Athletes were greeted with chilly, breezy, rainy weather - akin to a season-opening meet in mid-March - but the rain abated.

"My legs are really cold," Salinas-Taylor said. "It was a good race but I kind of took a couple wrong steps between the second and fourth hurdles. Other than that it was good."

Salinas-Taylor will have gold on her mind next spring. And she wants to have a golden finish for a second straight year in the 4x100 relay.

The EV foursome that won state last year returns and will be out to top the school record (48.39 seconds) they set in the 2025 final.

"I'm excited for the relay," Salinas-Taylor said. "We're hoping to break the state (meet) record (48.12)."

Kali Rothrock of Ridgeline fouled twice in her three attempts in the long jump prelims, but made the finals.

Then the Falcons senior had a personal best on her final jump. She leapt 18 feet, 5 1/2 inches to take third, topping her previous best (17-7 3/4 ).

-Other medal winners Friday were: Natalie Richards of Cheney, sixth in the 3A 100 hurdles (15.44 seconds); Ashlynn Deaton of EV, fifth in the 2A triple jump (34-10); Cora Donley of Central Valley, sixth in the 3A discus (126-5); Karolina Flanagan of Gonzaga Prep, tied for sixth in the 4A high jump (5 - 0); Mason Bonnett of Mead, seventh in the 4A pole vault (11-0); and Alexis Doumit of Pullman, sixth in the 2A javelin (120-8).

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