Oakcrest senior Ryan Merlino shattered his own Atlantic County indoor pole vault record Wednesday at the South Jersey Track Coaches Association Winter Meet #7 at the Bubble in Toms River.
Merlino cleared 15-3, No. 4 in South Jersey history and No. 1 in New Jersey this year.
He broke his own county mark of 14-9, which he set in March at Boston Nationals. Merlino is No. 2 in Atlantic County history in all conditions behind Brandon Kurtz of Absegami, who cleared 15-7 outdoors at the 1991 South Jersey Group 3 meet at Bridgdeton.
According to the MileSplit U.S. database, Merlino is tied for 14th in the country.
So Merlino’s clearance is best indoors or outdoor by an Atlantic County vaulter in 33 years.
His outdoor PR and previous overall PR is 15-0 from a summer beach vault event in Atlantic City in July. Because that came after the end of the school year, his official high school PR before Wednesday was that 14-9 indoors in March. Merlino missed the championship season last spring with an injury.
The only superior vaults on the all-time South Jersey indoor list came from the Morales twins of Delsea – Marco cleared 16-0 at Ocean Breeze in 2020 and Nico 15-6 at the Bubble in 2019 – and a 15-6 from West Deptford’s Dan Batdorf at the Armory in 2008.
West Deptford senior Alex Spositi – whose indoor best last year was 10-0 – placed 2nd with a 13-0 clearance, matching his lifetime best from last month.
Event progression from Wednesday is not available – same with relay splits – because Bubble results are provided in a format that was popular in the early 1950s.
All-Time South Jersey 14-6 Indoor Pole Vault List
16-0 … Marco Morales [Delsea], 2020
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2008
15-6 … Nico Morales [Delsea], 2019
15-3 … Ryan Merlino [Oakcrest], 2024
15-1 … Dylan Altland [Kinsgway], 2014
15-0 ¼ … Devon Purves [Haddonfield], 2006
15-0 … Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1985
15-0 … Mike Davis [Haddonfield], 2004
15-0 … Mike Rivard [Haddonfield], 2009
15-0 … Noah Kriesman [Cherry Hill East], 2021
14-11 ¼ … Tom Jeffers [Triton], 2011
14-9 … Ryan Merlino [Oakcrest], 2023
14-7 … Brian Banks [Eastern], 2011
14-6 ¼ … Brandon Kurtz [Absegami], 1991
14-6 … Mike Maira [Seneca], 2009
14-6 … Michael Oberg [Ocean City],
14-6 … Jarrod Brovero [Delsea], 2016
14-6 … Kyle Loveland [Moorestown], 2016
All-Time New Jersey 15-0 Foot Indoor Pole Vault List
17-0 … Bill Lange [Bridgewater East], 1980
16-7 ¼ … Bradley Jelmert [Watchung Hills], 2020
16-6 ¼ …Brian O’Sullivan [Hillsborough], 2023
16-3 1/4 … Adam Sarafian [Ocean Twp.], 2004
16-2 1/4 … Don Heyburn [Cranford], 1980
16-1 1/4 … Craig Hunter [Robbinsville], 2013
16-0 … Marco Morales [Delsea], 2020
15-10 … Bill Hartley [Southern Reg.], 1976
15-9 … Liam Landau [Pascack Hills], 2019
15-6 … Casey DiCesare [Irvington], 2006
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], 2008
15-6 … Luke Annichiarico [Northern Valley], 2014
15-6 … Nico Morales [Delsea], 2019
15-6 … Vince Reilly [St. Joe’s-Metuchen], 1977
15-6 … Eric Richard [Bridgewater East], 1981
15-6 … Brian McSweeney [East Brunswick], 2019
15-6 … Simon Schenk [Princeton], 2019
15-6 … Conor Reilly [Union Catholic], 2020
15-6 … Connor Munson [Westwood], 2022
15-6 … Max Zuckerman [Pascack Hills], 2022
15-4 … Nick Eckett [Jackson Liberty], 2013
15-3 ½ … Tyler Hrbek [Northern Valley], 2018
15-3 ½ … David Bausmith [Hunterdon Central], 2018
15-3 … Eric Geider [Northern Valley], 2013
15-3 … Bruce Wodder [Northern Hunterdon], 1975
15-3 … Dan Bertolami [Woodbridge], 1984
15-3 … Ryan Merlino [Oakcrest], 2024
15-2 … Justin Amezquita [Governor Livingston], 2010
15-1 ¾ … Bert Reppen [Highland Park], 1974
15-1 ¾ … Jordan Subai [Toms River North], 2010
15-1 ½ … Anthony Abitante [Berkeley Heights], 2005
15-1 … Dylan Altland [Kinsgway], 2014
15-0 ¼ … Devon Purves [Haddonfield], 2006
15-0 ¼ … James Zeolla [West Morris Central], 2020
15-0 ¼ … Seth Kricheff [Old Tappan], 2018
15-0 … Will Nesbitt [Millburn], 1980
15-0 … Ray Maragni [Seton Hall Prep], 1983
15-0 … Mark Murphy [Haddonfield], 1985
15-0 … Kevin McGuire [Lawrenceville], 1989
15-0 … Mike Davis [Haddonfield], 2004
15-0 … Gabe Knutson [Ridgewood], 2004
15-0 … Greg Stripe [Mahwah], 2008
15-0 … Greg Hoffman [Park Ridge], 2009
15-0 … Greg Kelly [Toms River North], 2009
15-0 … Mike Rivard [Haddonfield], 2009
15-0 … John Brinkerhoff [Veritas Christian Academy], 2011
15-0 … Peter Fagan [Westfield], 2013
15-0 … Jordan Pacheco [Morris Hills], 2013
15-0 … Mike Benz [Delbarton], 2014
15-0 … Abe Gertler [Madison], 2014
15-0 … Trevor Knowles [North Hunterdon], 2014
15-0 … Connor Bennett [Toms River North], 2020
15-0 … Brendan Sheehan [Hillsborough], 2020
15-0 … Noah Kriesman [Cherry Hill East], 2021
15-0 …Kevin O’Sullivan [Hillsborough], 2022
15-0 … Cade Zeolla [West Morris Central], 2023
15-0 … Damian Scouloukas [Hunteron Central], 2023
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 