Monica Pechanec becomes third Notre Dame High School girl to win PIAA track gold medal
Published: Saturday, May 28, 2011, 4:50 AM
By Bruce Buratti | The Express-Times

From her first vault, the day belonged to Notre Dame High School's Monica Pechanec at the PIAA Track and Field Championships.

Showing no jitters from being the top seed, the Crusaders senior cleared 12 feet on her second attempt to become the third Notre Dame girl to win a PIAA Class AA state title.

Pechanec entered the Class AA pole vault competition at 10 feet, 6 inches. She cleared that height by about 12 inches on her first attempt and was also clean at 11-0 and 11-6 in the competition held on the infield at Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium.

In the lead at that point, Pechanec made 12-0 on her second attempt to tie her personal best outdoors.
"I just want to thank all my friends at Vertical Assault, (director) Mike Lawryk and all the girls there," said Pechanec, who's headed to Brown University. "I only started vaulting last March (2010) after doing gymnastics for nine years."

After winning the competition, Pechanec had the officials set the bar at 12-3 1/2, but she missed all three attempts. That was a half-inch above her personal best established during this past indoor season.

"I was tired by that time," she said. "When I landed in the pit on my last jump, I just wanted to cry."