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http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs. ... 10336/1006

North Port vaulter sets record
Senior Seth Rohde, who has been pole vaulting just two years, easily clears 13 feet 6 inches.
By PERRY D. PENTZ
perry.pentz@heraldtribune.com
NORTH PORT -- With a spotlight brightening his path, North Port High's Seth Rohde used a new pole to set a school record in the pole vault in the North Port Invitational on Friday night at North Port High.

Rohde, who tied the school record at last week's North Port Relays with a height of 13 feet, eclipsed that mark with a jump of 13 feet, 6 inches.

The senior went over 13 feet, 3 inches for the record, then on his second attempt easily cleared 13-6 to establish the new school record.

"It feels pretty good," said Rohde. "I never thought I would get it. I nearly quit when I began and the coach nearly kicked me off because I was so bad."

However, Rohde, who has only been vaulting two years after getting talked into it by his friend Mike Miracola, stuck with it.

"I wanted to prove my coaches wrong," said Rohde.

As the sun fell, a set of spotlights were put up so the vaulters could see the crossbar and pole vault pit.

"It was my first time jumping in the dark," said Rohde. "It was something different I wasn't used to but I had to deal with."

The old record was shared by Rohde's good friend Jason Vaughn.

Rohde's goal was 14 feet but since he just cleared 13-6, his new goal is 14-6. "That would be so great," said Rohde.

This was the first meet which Rohde used a bigger pole, because he "was feeling really fast." "The stiffness of the pole is the difference," said Rohde. "It gives you more of a jump."

http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/ ... ry=sp3.htm

New pole helps Rohde break school record


NORTH PORT -- Seth Rohde finally managed a successful vault with a 14-foot, 150-pound pole.

And it couldn't have come at a better time, as the North Port senior did so while setting a new school record -- 13 feet, 6 inches -- at Friday night's North Port Invitational.

He shared the old mark of 13 feet with Jason Vaughn, now a freshman at University of Central Florida.

"The pole I was using felt too soft," Rohde said of his old 140-pound pole. "It's the first time I've vaulted successfully with (the 150)."

With 150 conquered, and the record all his, Rohde plans to keep moving up.

"We've got a 15-foot, 155, and that's what I'm hoping to use," he said. "Nobody's ever used it before."

The Bobcats compete at the Class 3A level, where 13-6 would've placed 5th at last year's state meet. Largo's Grant Scelzi took first with a vault of 15 feet.

At the Class 2A level, where North Port competed last season, 13-6 would've taken second. Crystal River's Brett Miller won with a vault of 14-6.

http://www.sun-herald.com/Newsarchive2/ ... ry=sp6.htm

Vaulting to the top

Rohde seeks

regional title

for Bobcats


By ERIC McKINNEY

Sports Writer

NORTH PORT -- Winning the regional pole vault title should be easy for North Port's Seth Rohde.

A vault of 13 feet, 6 inches just might be enough at tomorrow's Region 3A-3 meet at Clearwater High School.

It just so happens that North Port's school record is 13-6, which Rohde holds and has successfully vaulted several times this season.

Of the 16-man regional field, only two vaulted 13 feet at their respective district meet. The Bobcat senior, however, wasn't one of them. Rohde placed fourth in the District 3A-12 meet with a vault of 11-6, barely qualifying as the No. 11 seed.

"I was just having a real off day," Rohde explained. "I hadn't practiced in like two weeks. ... So I think I was just a little rusty. And I was pretty nervous going in, as well."

In retrospect, Rohde probably could have won the district. Having already qualified, he switched poles to practice and subsequently failed his next three vaults.

But most of Rohde's district struggles were attributed to a pair of late-season injuries. The first was a strained left hip flexor, which resulted in the two-week layoff. The second -- a skinned right foot -- was suffered while playing tennis barefoot just before the district meet.

The injuries threw off his timing, specifically on his run.

"I was probably a good four feet off," he said. "That's way off, actually. I have a 97-foot run, and when it's four feet off it makes a big difference. It was back and forth, which was really frustrating. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong."

But everything was back to normal following Tuesday's practice at North Port. Neither the hip or foot were a hindrance, and his timing felt good.

"I'm feeling a lot better," Rohde said following the two-hour session. "I wouldn't say I'm confident -- there's always a chance I could mess up again. But I'm certainly capable of performing better."