Rancocas Valley senior La’el Yates cleared 11-6 for the first time and won the Burlington County Open pole vault with the 3rd-best mark in meet history.
Yates improved her PR from 11-3, which she just cleared two weeks ago at the Olympic Conference Championships on her home track in Mount Holly.
Yates’ mark ties No. 11 in South Jersey history and No. 6 in Burlington County history. The only vaulters to go higher at a County Open are former indoor national record holder Danielle O’Reilly of Shawnee, who cleared 12-0 in 2004, and Moorestown All-America Hannah Byrd-Leitner, who cleared 12-0 last year.
Yates had cleared at least 11 feet in 12 meets before her breakthrough on Thursday at R.V.
She’s the only South Jersey vaulter to clear 11-6 this year and her 11-6 is tied for 4th in New Jersey and No. 2 in Group 4.
Yates is the 2nd R.V. girl to win the County Open pole vault since it was added in 2001. Mia Paolone cleared 9-0 to win the 2022 meet, also at R.V.
Yates passed through 9-6 and then cleared 10-0, 10-6 and 11-0 on her 1st attempt and 11-6 on her 2nd. She finished by taking three attempts at 11-8.
Rancocas Valley won the team title 109-94 ½ over Willingboro. It was R.V.’s 8th consecutive team title following wins in 2017, 2019 and 2021 through 2025. There was no team champion in the incomplete 2018 meet and the meet was not held in 2020.
All-Time County Open List
12-0 … Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004
12-0 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2025
11-6 … La’el Yates [Rancocas Valley], 2026
11-6 …….. Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2023
11-0 …..… O’Reilly, 2003
11-0 …..… O’Reilly, 2002
11-0 …..… O’Reilly, 2001
11-0 … Anna Heim [Moorestown], 2006
11-0 … Lauren Tauscher [Moorestown], 2007
11-0 … Colleen McDowell [Seneca], 2011
11-0 … Julia Greeley [Seneca], 2021
10-7 … Kristen Visconti [Cherokee], 2014
All-Time South Jersey List
13-3… Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004
13-2 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024
12-8 … Rebecca Hoover [Haddonfield[, 2024
12-7 ½ … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018
12-0 … Jessica Kloss [Moorestown], 2005
12-0 … Brittney Raffo [Seneca], 2016
12-0 … Fiona Basewitz [Collingswood], 2021
12-0 … Quin Zacamy [Haddon Heights], 2024
11-10 … Kate Derman [Millville], 2014
11-9 … Julia Greeley [Seneca], 2021
11-6 … Lauren Tauscher [Moorestown], 2009
11-6 … Gabby Vetere [Washington Twp.], 2022
11-6 … Abigail Boggs [Ranocas Valley], 2021
11-6 … Reese Gebhard [Delsea], 2023
11-6 … La’el Yates [Rancocas Valley], 2026
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 