Movin’ on up
JACKSON TWP — Breaking school records in the boys triple jump and girls pole vault was a memorable accomplishment for Seneca Valley's Jonathon Price and Madison Monahan, respectively, but they've now set their sights on even better efforts.
Both athletes earned the school standards in a home meet against Pine-Richland April 13. A junior, Price went 46 feet, two inches in the triple jump, knocking Anthony Laslavic's 45-10 from the top spot after 24 years.
Monahan, a sophomore, vaulted 11 feet, nine inches. Katelyn Caccamo had the previous SV record of 11-1 from 2019.
Price jumped 41 feet last year for his high school team in Amarillo, Texas. His father is in the military and the family moved to Butler County last fall. He wasted no time getting involved at Seneca Valley.
"I joined the indoor team and worked on my bounding and steps," said Price. "Once the spring season started, someone told me that the record was 45-10, but I had no idea I'd break it. I had an adrenaline rush that day, though, after getting a (personal record) in the high hurdles earlier in the meet."
SV jumping coach Morgan Peaco immediately noticed Price's potential.
"The first time I saw him, I noticed he was tall and just looked like an athlete," she said. "I could tell he had a lot of raw talent, it just needed to be refined.
The indoor season really helped with that."
Price is hoping to break his own record by the time this season is finished.
"I'd love to hit 48 or 49 feet," he said. "I want to keep getting better. I love this sport and want to compete in college."
Monahan picked up the pole vault last year "to see if it was something I could enjoy. I was involved in gymnastics and a lot of gymnasts end up vaulting."
Her top height as a freshman was 7-6, but work put in last summer for Steel City Pole Vaulting proved very beneficial.
"Things started to click when it came to my technique and I kept improving," said Monahan. "I was thinking that breaking the school record could happen for me this spring."
Monahan now has vaulting 12 feet and reaching the state championship meet as her goals.
"We're working on her becoming more consistent," said SV pole vault coach John Cashdollar. "At that height, reaching or missing states can come down to number of misses.
"You're only as good as your last jump and that can change from day to day. She is a good athlete and just needs to keep at it."
