Delsea’s Nico Morales cleared a lifetime-best 17-2 ¾ in the pole vault Saturday at the Quaker Invitational at Ott Center, the 2nd-best clearance ever by a South Jersey vaulter.
Morales had just cleared 17 feet for the first time last weekend in Akron with a 17-1 ¾ clearance.
On Saturday, he was one of three Rutgers vaulters to PR and re-write the Rutgers record book.
Twins Brian and Kevin O’Sullivan both cleared a school-record 17-10 ½, matching the No. 2 clearance in New Jersey history. Bradley Jelmert of Watchung Hills and Arkansas State cleared 18-9 ¼ in December 2023 in Pittsburg, Kans.
The only superior vault by a South Jersey native is a 17-3 ½ by Cherry Hill East’s Noah Kriesman last spring in Columbia, S.C. Kriesman, like the O’Sullivan twins and Morales, competes for Rutgers. Kriesman’s best this year is a 16-8 in Akron last weekend. He cleared 15-11 Saturday.
Brian and Kevin O’Sullivan, Kriesman and Morales now rank 1st, 1st, 4th and tied for 5th on the all-time Rutgers list.
Morales passed through 15-11 Saturday, then cleared 16-4 3/4, 16-10 3/4 and 17-2 3/4, all on his second attempts, before missing three tries at a PR 17-6 1/2.
All-Time New Jersey Alumni Pole Vault List
18-6 ¼ … Bradley Jelmert [Watchung Hills], March 8, 2024, Boston
17-10 ½ … Craig Hunter [Robbinsville], June 8, 2016, Eugene, Ore.
17-10 ½ … Brian O’Sullivan [Hillsborough], Jan. 18, 2025, Philadelphia
17-10 ½… Kevin O’Sullivan [Hillsborough], Jan. 18, 2025, Philadelphia
17-9 … Kevin McGuire [Lawrenceville], May 26, 1993, Fairfax, Va.
17-8 ½ … Steve Keating [Pompton Lakes], June 12, 1993, Los Gatos, Calif.
17-6 ½ … Adam Sarafian [Ocean Township], Jan. 28, 2006, Reno, Nev.
17-4 ½ … Ed Keefe [St. John Vianney], Feb. 17, 2002, Syracuse
17-3 ½ … Noah Kriesman [Cherry Hill East], April 20, 2024, Columbia, S.C.
17-2 ¾ … Nico Morales [Delsea], Jan. 18, 2025, Philadelphia
17-2 ½ … Christian Mazza [Toms River East], Feb. 23, 2003, Syracuse
17-0 ¾ … Chris Wykoff [Toms River East], May 25, 2013, Greensboro, N.C.
17-0 … Bill Lange [Bridgewater East], 1980, Hanover, N.H.
All-Time South Jersey Alumni Pole Vault List
17-3 ½ … Noah Kriesman [Cherry Hill East], April 20, 2024, Columbia, S.C.
17-2 ¾ … Nico Morales [Delsea], Jan. 18, 2025, Philadelphia
16-1 … Mike Maira [Seneca], March 1, 2014, College Station, Texas
16-0 … Bob Green [Haddon Heights], May 1, 1992, Voorhees, N.J.
16-0 … Marco Morales [Delsea], Feb. 11, 2020, Staten Island, N.Y.
16-0 … Ryan Merlino [Oajkcrest], March 10, New York
15-9 … Nick Gilanelli [Moorestown], April 15, 2006, Charlottesville, Va.
15-7 … Brandon Kurtz [Absegami], May 25, 1991, Bridgeton, N.J.
15-6 … Matt Mancini [Cinnaminson], April 10, 2020, Princeton, N.J.
15-6 … Dan Batdorf [West Deptford], Feb. 23, 2008, Toms River, N.J
15-6 … Dylan Altland [Kingsway], May 30, 2014a.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 