By Rick Pedone

Sports Editor

So, the best pole vaulter at the 3A District 8 meet was – Jessica Harter?

That is correct.

Her district championship vault of 11-7  – breaking the county record for a female – topped the best effort of all male jumpers as well.

“I beat the guys,” she said with a grin.

She followed that by winning the 3A-2 regional championship at Harmony last week with a vault of 11-0.

Harter, a sophomore, is one of several county athletes with state championship potential Friday at the Class 3A state meet at Winter Park.

She rates among the state’s best in Class 3A, where Celebration High athletes compete. Her prime competition Friday will come from Stuart South Fork’s Mallory Johnson, who cleared 11-6 last week. The field of contenders also includes Navarre’s Chelsea Chandler, who cleared 10-6 at the regional.

“I just started (pole vaulting) last year, but I’ve been doing little stuff since I was about 6,” Harter said.

She defined “little stuff” as experimenting with the sport when her older brother, Chris, now a pole vaulter at Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, competed.

“I think his best is 15-3,” she said. “I used to watch him practice and at his meets in Indiana.”

Jessica’s dad, Joe Harter, was a high school vaulter who cleared 14 feet.

“She has one of the top vaults in the state; I think the top girl has gone 12-3,” he said.

Jessica Harter credits her quick success in the sport to competitive cheerleading.

“I learned from cheerleading endurance, and the acrobatics help,” she said.

Jessica’s mother, Celebration faculty member Lisa Clark, said her daughter excels because, “She’s a natural athlete.”

Jessica has started training under Phil Cashman, who has helped dozens of young pole vaulters since coming to Central Florida 20 years ago.

Jessica Harter surpassed last year’s best effort, 8-6, quickly this season.

“Competitive cheer ended earlier this year, and that gave me time to get more jumps in early in the season,” she explained.

She recently switched to a 13-foot, 130-pound pole, up from 120 pounds, that should help her increase her height.

“I just started using it, but it’ll definitely help once I get used to it,” she said.

Lisa Clark said the Celebration High booster club’s decision to fund poles for the team’s vaulters is paying dividends.

“We really appreciate their help. It’s making a big difference,” she said.

Celebration’s girls took the top three spots at the district meet, and the Storm boys team placed first and second in the pole vault.

Jessica Harter said her goals are evolving with her skills.

“My goal last year was to get to 8 feet,” she said. “This year, it would be to do better than last year, which I’ve already done, and to get to state. Hopefully, that will happen. I hope to get over 12 feet at state.”

Regional 110 hurdles champion Marcus George, Tyler Osorio (400 meters) and triple jumper Chilly Cancela are competing for Celebration at the boys state meet Friday.

Competition in the field events at Showalter Field begins at 1 p.m. The running finals start at 6:30 p.m.