Versatile Willingboro senior Jackson Murry moved into a tie for 3rd place on the all-time Burlington County indoor pole vault list in a meet Saturday at the Armory.
Murry cleared 14-0 and placed 2nd at the Coaches Hall of Fame Invitational to Pascack Hills senior Ben Mandler, who cleared 14-6. Murry’s previous indoor PR was a 13-6 at last year’s Meet of Champions at Ocean Breeze. He cleared 14-0 twice outdoors – when he won South Jersey Group 2 sectionals at Delsea and when he placed 6th at the Meet of Champions at Franklin.
Another versatile Chimera, hurdler / long jumper / vaulter Marv Forchion, held the previous Willingboro indoor school record at 13-6 when he placed 4th at 1986 Easterns at Jadwin Gym in Princeton. Forchion was the 1986 outdoor Meet of Champions and Group 3 pole vault champ at 14-6. He was also a state runner-up long jumper.
Murry also PR’d Saturday in the 55-meter dash with a 6.78. Outdoors he’s run 51.07 for 400 meters.
Murry and Oakcrest senior Ryan Merlino are tied for the No. 1 spot in South Jersey in the pole vault. Merlino cleared 14-0 in one of the Bubble meets earlier this month. He cleared 14-9 last winter and 15-0 last spring. They are tied for No. 2 in New Jersey behind Mandler.
All-Time South Jersey Indoor Pole Vault List
14-6 … Mike Maira [Seneca], 2009
14-6 … Kyle Loveland [Moorestown], 2016
14-0 … Mike Yurcho [Shawnee], 1999
14-0 … Mike Mancini [Cinnaminson], 2006
14-0 … Zach Winters [Shawnee], 2012
14-0 … Mitchell Casey [Shawnee], 2017
14-0 … Jackson Murry [Willingboro], 2024
13-7 … Jason King [Lenape], 1993
13-6 … Kai Deery [Rancocas Valley], 2020
13-6 … Marv Forchion [Willingboro], 1986
13-6 … Matt Tolstoy [Moorestown], 2006
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 