Chandlar Ifft only needs two to capture Boys title

By Michael Newman

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Rolling Meadows, Ill – Samantha Spencer of Providence Catholic was close to perfect as she competed in Saturday’s Windy City Pole Vault Summit at Rolling Meadows High School. When it mattered, the junior showed that perfection that was needed.

Spencer won the Girls competition setting a new meet record of 13-1.25 on her second attempt at that height. She surpassed the old record of 13-1 set by Brooke Catherine in 2015.

While others were making the lower heights in this 15-athlete field, Spencer bided her time waiting for the right moment to enter the competition. That came when she entered at the 11-6 height with four other athletes still left competing. Spencer looked smooth clearing easily on her first attempt at the height as did Yasmin Ruff of Oak Park-River Forest. The athlete that was having the meet of her life was Lakes Community’s Noelle Jones. She had come into the competition with a 9-9 seasonal best and a 11-3 personal best. She was in a joyful disbelief when she cleared a personal best 11-6 on her first attempt. Jones ended up finishing fourth.

The bar was raised three inches where Spencer and Ruff easily cleared 11-9 on their first attempt. Prairie Central freshman Lillianna Ifft cleared a personal best of 11-9 to stay in the competition.

It was Spencer that locked down the win by clearing 12-0 on her first try. Both Ruff and Ifft had three good attempts at the height but their day was over. Ruff finished second, Ifft third.

It was time for Spencer to go to work. Her first two tries at 12-6 were not her best missing both but had a strong clearance on the final try at the height. With those butterflies out of the way, she went on to clear a personal best of 12-9. Then came that meet record clearance on the second try.

“It was a great feeling,” Spencer said. “IT kind of hit the bar and I was hoping that it would stay on. That moment was so exciting. I am so happy.”

Spencer is currently ranked ninth nationally with her performance at this meet.

GIRLS RESULTS | MEET VIDEOS

Chandlar Ifft of Prairie Central only needed two attempts in the Boys competition to take home the meet title clearing 15-0. Luke Fissinger of Fremd had a personal best of 13-6 entering the season and had cleared a season’s best of 14-3 the night before at Homewood-Flossmoor. He surpassed that in this meet as he also cleared 15-0. Ifft had entered the meet at 14-6 clearing on his first attempt.

Fissinger missed his three tries at 15-3 giving the win to Ifft on fewer misses.

It was not the best meet for the Prairie Central senior who along with Fissinger and Sullivan’s Jadon Nuzzo lead the state all clearing 15-0.

Ifft had competed at the University HS Invitational at Illinois State in the morning just running the 60 Meter Dash. He was feeling the effects of that meet as he felt his calves cramping up on his first two attempts. His first try at 15-6 had him rolling out of the pit in pain as his left calf cramped up.

“On my first two tries, my calves cramped up. I did not say anything about it or do anything about it,” Ifft said after the meet. “At 15-6, I ran down the runway and it hurt pretty good. I wish I had my previous attempts back when I cramped up, but it is what it is.”

BOYS RESULTS