RUSSELLVILLE -- Zach McWhorter wasn't sure if he was going to compete in Saturday's Meet of Champions.
The Springdale Har-Ber junior pole vaulter's uncertainty for the 59th annual Meet of Champions at Cyclone Stadium was because he wanted to try to focus on the state high school decathlon, which takes place Wednesday and Thursday in Cabot.
But McWhorter decided to compete in the pole vault and won the event with a clearance of 16 feet, 10 inches. The Class 7A state record holder defeated Lake Hamilton senior Nick Johnson, who is the current state record holder after clearing 17 feet, 3 inches in the Class 6A state track and field meet May 5 in Benton.
McWhorter's father Rick heard his son's concerns, but eventually told him to compete Saturday.
"He's a competitor," Rick McWhorter said. "He was worried about saving energy for the decathlon. But I told him to come out and have fun. Win or lose, have fun and enjoy yourself. He performed really well today."
Saturday's victory gave McWhorter more confidence going into the decathlon.
"I'm really excited for the decathlon now," McWhorter said. "Last school meet of the year for Har-Ber."
McWhorter was bothered over the past two weeks by a right leg injury, which he suffered in the 7A-West Conference meet April 28 in the 110-meter hurdles. Despite the injury, he went on to win the conference meet (16-7) and set the 7A state track and field meet record May 5 in Conway (16-9).
"I got fully recovered for this week, so I was ready today," McWhorter said.
McWhorter and Johnson, both 5-foot-9, each cleared 15 feet, 6 inches while Caddo Hills junior Matthew Standridge missed on three attempts. The top two pole vaulters in the state then competed against each other during the remainder of Saturday's competition.
Both vaulters cleared 15-10, 16-2 and 16-6. Then, McWhorter, who asked the Meet of Champions crowd to clap for him as he was going down the runway, cleared 16-10. Johnson, however, missed on his three attempts at the same height.
"I love competing against him," McWhorter said. "He always pushes me to be a better vaulter. He's an amazing vaulter. He has amazing technique. We're both left-handed vaulters. But I'm glad I got the opportunity to jump with him today."
With an opportunity to break Mount Ida's Andrew Irwin's 2001 meet record of 17-1, McWhorter attempted to clear 17 feet, 1 1/4 inches. It was the same height he tried to clear at the Class 7A state track and field. But McWhorter couldn't clear the bar, settling for his best outdoor sanctioned mark of the season.
McWhorter admitted that once he won the meet, he lost a little bit of adrenaline.
"I moved my hand grip up a little bit," McWhorter said. "I have another year, though."
Johnson was disappointed with finishing second, but he was pleased overall with how his season went, as he now heads to the University of South Dakota.
"I can't really complain," Johnson said. "You have to be grateful for what you have and the opportunities that you've had to be able to succeed over time."
Other highlights from the Meet of Champions:
• Springdale senior Ryann Goodsell set the Meet of Champions record in the girls' discus with a throw of 140 feet, 8 inches. She bested the previous mark of 139-6 set by Sonya McCutcheon of Lewisville in 1985.
• Little Rock Parkview senior Jada Baylark won three events. She won the triple jump (39 feet, 9 inches), the 100 meters (11.73) and the 100 hurdles (14.22).
• Pulaski Robinson junior Asia Anderson, the two-time Class 4A champion in the long jump, won the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 6 1/2 inches.
Sports on 05/15/2016