Whitaker ups all-class pole vault record to 17-6½

By Randy Sharer

For Illinoistoptimes.com

BLOOMINGTON – The long-time motto of the Flying Dragons Pole Vault Club has been that the crossbar – not fellow entrants – is the opponent.

In the Class 1A portion of the 36th Illinois Top Times Indoor Classic at Shirk Center on Friday (March 28, 2025), the crossbar lost to Isaiah Whitaker, a Flying Dragon in his junior year at Bloomington Central Catholic High School, who cleared 17 feet, 6½ inches.

Whitaker came in as this year’s national leader at 18-1, a mark that made him the No. 2 performer in US history behind Mondo Duplantis, who cleared 19-3½ in 2018.

With more than 100 college coaches in attendance, Whitaker, who didn’t compete in this meet last year, broke his 2023 1A meet record of 16-6¾ as well as the all-class record of 17-6¼ set by 2018 3A winner Zach Bradford of Bloomington.

Joining Whitaker as a Central Illinois winner were Dwight sophomore shot putter Graham Meister, Delavan sophomore 800-meter ace Corie Green, El Paso-Gridley’s girls 800 relay and Lowpoint-Washburn-Roanoke-Benson freshman high jumper Carly Ulrich.

As he usually does, Whitaker came in after the rest of the field had gone out. He made first-attempt clearances at 15-5½, 16-8¾ and 17-6½ before missing three times at 18-2¾. Afterward, he described his mood as halfway between happy and disappointed.

“I got the record,” he said. “That’s what I came here for, but I also wanted 18-3. Overall, I’m pretty happy with first.

“I grew up watching (Bradford) vault. I’m in the same club as him. He’s just a great inspiration.”

The 6-foot-2, 155-pound Whitaker said his goals are to win a third state title outdoors, break Bradford’s IHSA state meet record of 17-6 and clear 18-6, a mark he recently made in practice. Whitaker also ran the fastest split (52.94) on Central’s fourth-place 1,600 relay (3:32.99).

In the boys shot put, the top-seeded Meister defended his title with a final-round toss of 57-1½. Coming in with a personal best of 60-5¼, he had hoped to break the 1996 1A meet record of 59-2½ set by Girard’s Matt Maddox. 

Meister won by more than four feet while far surpassing his 2024 winning toss of 51-1¾.

“A win’s a win,” said the 6-3, 230-pounder. “I did come in expecting the record because my PR (personal record) is already over the record. It was just not my day.

“My finish was a little off. I’m really focusing on technique. It will come. I’ll get more comfortable. I have a lot to work on.” 

Delavan’s Green was seeded second in the boys 800 at 1:59.26 behind Winnebago’s Nicolai Martino (1:58.56) but won, 1:57.93 to 1:59.23. Martino led until the final 50 meters as Green toured the last lap in 28.7 to Martino’s 29.9.

“It was a blast getting to run with him,” Green said. “I really wanted to have that kick in the last 200 like I did. That kind of came out of nowhere. I was so happy to see that (1:57.93).

“I really wanted to make 1:55 my outdoor goal, but after today I think I can drop it a little bit lower.”

El Paso-Gridley’s Kelly Cogdal, Kiera Stoller, Jaida Reed and Aubrey Phillips clocked 1:48.97 to win the 800 relay well clear of runner-up Monmouth United (1:50.41). Reed’s 26.3 split put the Titans in front to stay while Phillips anchored in 26.0.

“I thought there was someone right next to me,” said Phillips of her leg. “I don’t know that there actually was, but I think it pushed me. We were hoping to get the 1A record (of 1:47.50).”

The versatile Phillips warmed up with a runner-up effort in the shot put (40-5) and a fourth-place showing in the high jump (5-1) before finishing seventh in the 200 (26.61). Her personal best in the shot put was topped by Maroa-Forsyth’s Zion Young (40-10½). Phillips wishes the IHSA offered the heptathlon.

“I got to do it over the summer, and it was fun,” she said. “I just like being able to do everything all the time.”

 The girls high jump went to LWRB’s Ulrich, who cleared a personal best of 5-5 before going out at 5-6. Standing 5 feet, 6 inches tall, Ulrich’s previous best was 5-4½.

“It was kind of funny because they never really told me what the height was,” she said of her attempt at 5-5. “I just kind of went and jumped. I could tell when my family cheered (it was a PR).”

Ulrich, who came in at 4-7¾, made first-attempt clearances at five heights before needing two tries to get over 5-3¼ and 5-5. As an eighth grader, she won state titles in the high jump and long jump, placed second in the 100 and third in the 200 to singlehandedly finish second in the team standings.

Ulrich also triple jumped a personal best of 35-10 to take second behind Illini Bluffs’ Tori Brown (37-11½).

Ridgeview-Lexington’s Zane Hoffman placed second in the 60 in a personal best of 6.99 and later anchored his indoor school record setting 1,600 relay to second in 3:30.39 with a 50.76 split.

“I got out good,” Hoffman said after the 60 where he lost to Morrison’s Brady Anderson (6.91). “The prelims were a little rough (with a 7.06), but I got a good start in the finals.”

Hoffman was preceded in the 1,600 relay by Taiyveon Hanke (54.03), Micah Coffman (52.1) and Tanner Maupin (53.54). Hoffman’s 22-second opening lap vaulted the Mustangs to a 10-meter lead, but Jacob Barth (49.77) rallied Auburn to victory in 3:30.13.

Two other area runners-up were Central Catholic senior Amir Bryd in the long jump (21-9½) and Delavan senior Ryan Schmidgall in the 400 (50.65).

The seventh-seeded Bryd, whose previous season best was 21-3½, took the lead in the third round before watching Paxton-Buckley-Loda senior Robert Boyd-Meents go 21-10 in the fifth round.

“Congrats to Boyd,” Bryd said. “Me and him have been going at it since freshman year.” 

In just the second 400 of his career, Delavan’s Schmidgall beat everyone except 1A meet record setter Brian Smith II of Winnetka North Shore Country Day, who sped 50.11 to break the 2018 record of 50.42 set by Ridgeview-Lexington’s Mason Barr. Schmidgall, in his 400 debut last week, ran 51.49.

“I was gassed,” he said after his 50.65. “I was pushing so hard. I gave it everything I had the last 20 meters. I had nothing left.”

Normally a 200 specialist, Schmidgall said, “I did the 400 last week just to build my endurance. I found out I was kind of good at it. Winning outdoor state is my next goal.”

Area third-placers were Central Catholic’s T.J. Larson in the 60 high hurdles (8.60), teammate Sam Keller in the 60 (7.00) and Flanagan-Cornell’s Abbi Armstrong in the girls long jump (17-6). 

Central Catholic’s Finan Krenz tied for fourth in the high jump (6-3½). Other fourth-placers were Delavan’s Annabelle LaFary in the girls 1,600 (5:16.42) and EPG’s Reed in the girls 60 (7.84).