Mallory Peck Article (SD)

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http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 002/SPORTS

Records crushed at Lennon

Kavan, Peck dominate as high school track season starts up

Brent Zell
Argus Leader

published: 03/29/05
VERMILLION - Ramsey Kavan and Mallory Peck started the new track and field season the way they ended the last one - shining in their signature events.

Yankton's Kavan, 10 months removed from setting the state record in the 1,600-meter run, and O'Gorman's Peck, the state pole valut record holder, obliterated their competition and the record books Monday during the first day of the Dan Lennon Relays at the DakotaDome.

Kavan's 1,600 time of 4:55.98 seconds lapped the old meet record by nearly 12 seconds. Meanwhile, Peck's winning mark of 12-0 in the pole vault topped the previous Lennon mark by a foot.

Kavan and Peck's new standards were two of 10 Class A meet records that were broken or tied.

For Peck, hitting the 12-foot mark is nothing new. She went 12-5 last year at Sturgis just before the state meet, and topped 12-6 at the John Dalton Open in Vermillion in January. She recently attended a vaulting camp in Arkansas to help with her technique.

It all carried over to Monday, where she easily topped the 11-foot mark to tie the record, then slipped past 12-0 to smash the record by Huron's Brittany Speirs in 2004. The record vault also put Peck well past runner-up Janelle Stickler of Huron, who vaulted 11-0.

Going 12-0 in her first meet may be a sign of things to come for Peck, the defending Class AA champion.

"It's pretty good," said Peck of her record. "I usually go a foot and a half higher during the year than at the first meet."

Topping the charts in South Dakota high school sports is nothing unusual for Peck. She was a standout on O'Gorman's gymnastics dynasty the past few years. She said that experience aids her pole-vaulting career.

"It definitely helps with body control, knowing where I'm at," said Peck.

She made three attempts at 12-7, but fell short.

"I could tell that I would maybe not make it to the pit, so I stopped," said Peck. "I took a chance on using a bigger pole and it didn't work out."