Carver breaks school record in pole vault, girls finish second at Bill Summa Invitational

by Michael Smith


Grain Valley senior Alyssa Carver had sported an ear-to-ear smile as she sat on the landing pad.

Boys track and field coach Erik Stone yelled “Let’s go!” Girls head coach Nick Small pumped his fist and started clapping.

That’s because Carver had a stellar performance in the pole vault event for the Grain Valley girls track and field team at the Bill Summa Invitational Saturday at Norman James Field in Independence.

She set a school and personal record and now has the No. 1 height in Missouri in the event as she cleared 12 feet, 3.5 inches to take first place. Her height also ranked No. 55 in the United States among high school pole vaulters.

Carver helped Grain Valley finish in second place as a team with 67.66 points. Liberty won in dominant fashion, accumulating 153.5 points.

The senior said it was a relief to finally clear the 12 feet, 2-inch mark, which she previously could not.

“It felt really good, and I feel like I have been stuck at my height for a while,” Carver said. “It was a such a great feeling. I have been working so hard since eighth grade.”

When asked is she changed the way she prepared for the event, Carver had a theory on why she had the best day of her career.

“I waited in the sun for a while, so maybe the warmth helped me out,” Carver said.

After breaking the school record, Carver is confident she can achieve her ultimate goal of becoming a state champion.

“With this jump, it shows me (winning a state championship) is possible,” Carver said. “I know my coaches would love that, I would love that, and my parents would love that.”

Small said he couldn’t contain his excitement for his senior.

Other Eagles girls to finish in the top five of their respective events were:

High jump: Izzie Salsman and Addison Wright, tied for second, 4 feet, 11.75 inches

100-meter hurdles: Nevaeh Clausen, second place, 16.32 seconds

Discus: Bailey Mason, third, 107 feet, 3 inches

Javelin: Madison Rust, third, 129 feet and 1 inch

4x400 relay: Jaslyn Myers, Melanie Marcum, Abrianna Scott, Tariyah King, second, 4:14.90

Boys
The Grain Valley boys track and field finished in 15th place with 21 points.

“I was over there just as giddy as her when she cleared that thing,” Small said. ‘She deserves it. She works so hard in the offseason.”

Senior Tyler Melton has the top performance for the boys, finishing third in the high jump with a height of 6 feet, 2.75 inches.

Jason Wilson was the lone competitor in the javelin wheelchair division and he finished with a throw of 45 feet, 5 inches. He also was the only one to compete in the shot put wheelchair event as he had a throw of 15 feet, 1 inch.

​Senior Drake Ford finished fourth in the triple jump with a distance of 43 feet, 5 inches. 

Grain Valley senior Alyssa Carver broke the school record and her own personal record by getting a height of 12 feet and 3.75 inches in the pole vault event at the Bill Summa Invitational Saturday at Norman James Field in Independence. She took first place in the event. Photo credit: Michael Smith
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