St. Thomas cleans up in the pole vault (FL)

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St. Thomas cleans up in the pole vault

By Dave Brousseau
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted May 5 2007

Winter Park · Vanessa Ziccardi and Katherine Dolph were in the same physical education class as freshmen when introduced to pole vaulting. There's actually a pole-vaulting curriculum at St. Thomas Aquinas.

Friday, at the 3A State Track and Field Championships at Showalter Field, the two finished their senior year as the top two in the event.




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"I found them both in PE class," St. Thomas coach Dave Shepherd said. "They've been great and have been vaulting ever since."

Their progression as pole-vaulters was significant in giving the Raiders the team lead through seven events. They combined for 17 points after managing only 5.5 points last year, when St. Thomas had a streak of eight consecutive state titles snapped. Ziccardi, who finished fifth as a junior, finished first with a 10-6 vault after successfully making her first attempt at that height. Dolph finished tied for second at the same height.

"It was an incredible performance by both of them," pole-vaulting coach Bobby Haeck said. "They came through big after last year, and we needed those points."

The twosome is more concerned with providing team points than extending a friendly rivalry.

"It was team effort and I couldn't have done it without her," said Dolph, who finishing tied for seventh last year. "We compete against each other, but it's a friendly competition."

"This was important because we believed in each other," Ziccardi said. "We've always wanted the best for each other."

Ziccardi will attend Central Florida next year. Dolph is heading to Tulane.