Pottsville Republican & Herald News
April 12th, 2006
By Tom Denko
TAMAQUA — Tom Kanger calls Bryant Butala a pleasant surprise.
So far this year, the Tamaqua junior pole vaulter has not only been a surprise, but a dominating jumper.
A week ago against Pottsville, he set a school record by jumping 12 feet, 10½ inches.
Though Pine Grove defeated the Blue Raiders 90-60 Tuesday afternoon in a Schuylkill League Division I meet, Butala led all jumpers with a top vault of 12-6.
“It’s just an example of his hard work in the offseason,” Kanger said afterward. “He’s 100 percent committed to the sport and I catch him doing all sorts of agilities on his own time to get better.
“He’s brought himself to that level of commitment that other athletes are at. Every time he goes out to compete, he’s going after the record.”
As impressive the Cardinals’ performance was in the boys’ meet, the Tamaqua girls continued their Schuylkill League Division I dominance by thrashing Pine Grove 107-43 to win their 43rd straight Division I meet. |
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Lauren Wenzel and Casey Wagner each won three individual events as the Blue Raiders moved their lineup around to adjust to missing students.
Butala is enjoying the fruits of his offseason dedication.
Twice a week, he attended jumping sessions with the Vertical Assault Jumping Club in Bath.
In just his first week of instruction at the Lehigh Valley training center, Butala began learning new and better techniques.
“It’s not your average type of sport, not everybody can do it,” Butala said. “Vertical Assault has helped me so much, especially with my technique. There’s so much I didn’t know, like when I was running with the pole and planting the pole, I was doing it all wrong.
“Mike (Lawryk) just kept on telling me about it and finally I got it right. I’m so much better now.”
Prior to last Wednesday’s record-setting performance, Butala had jumped 12-10 two days earlier against Blue Mountain.
He indicated that after initially setting the record against the Eagles, he didn’t get too excited by going a half inch higher.
“I wasn’t really excited when I got it (the record),” Butala said. “But overall, I was pretty happy that I got it (a new record).”
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