OMAHA - Brooke Kreikemeier’s season nemesis became her ally Friday at the Nebraska State Track & Field Meet Thursday at Omaha Burke Stadium.
Kreikemeier cleared 10-foot-4 in the pole vault for a personal record and help the Fremont High girls team score 14 points for fifth place after the first day of competition.
Kreikemeier’s personal record didn’t come without a little help from the bar. On the third and final attempt at 10-4 the junior just clipped the bar and it bounced into the air but instead of falling to the ground it landed back on the pegs and remained for an official vault.
It was about time the bar was nice to Kreikemeier.
"The bar had been giving me trouble all season," she said. "It was nice that it bounced my way this time.
"Getting second was great but I was happier with the personal record."
Vicki Nielsen also earned a personal record in the pole vault clearing 9-6 to finish just out of placing in 10th.
"They started out really tight and conservative but finished up well," said FHS pole vault coach Dan Koenig. "I couldn’t ask for more; half the time you get down here kids don’t end up getting personal records and that’s a big accomplishment on a hot day like today with not a lot of tailwind."
For Kreikemeier and Nielsen, who are cousins, it was a great way to end the season.
"It was never about one beating the other," said Nielsen. "It was just fun to be able to share it with her."
Long-distance runners Kayla Fenske and Holly Bussa it was an equally rewarding day.
Fenske placed fifth in the 3,200 with a time of 11:42.17 while Bussa ended not far behind in seventh with a time of 11:49.48.
The duo topped several other runners with better state qualifying marks due in part because they were able to adjust to the warmer temperatures.
"It’s actually the first time this year that we’ve ran in heat like this; usually it’s been cold and rainy conditions," said Fenske of temperatures reaching the mid to upper 80s on the track. "It was hard to transition to right away but once we got going we got into a rhythm."
"It was a lot hotter than we’ve had this year so to be able to hang in there it was nice because there wasn’t a lot of girls that were able to do that," said Bussa. "Kayla pulled me through; it didn’t feel good but she was just there for me."
Fenske and Bussa ran side-by-side nearly the entire race. They ran in eighth and ninth place through the first four laps before reaching as high as fourth as they approached the final two laps.
The side-by-side running style is something they both feed off of and reach to that extra gear.
"I wasn’t nervous because with them running side-by-side you feel that they have support out there," FHS head coach Bryce Lambley said. "I thought they ran the right kind of race today; very evenly paced."
It was the third medal for Bussa and second for Fenske. Both are back next season, Bussa as a senior and Fenske as a junior.
"I’m satisfied; I placed fifth last year and it was good to come back and do the same again this year," said Fenske.
"To be honest I’m thrilled just to medal," said Bussa.
Also medaling for the Tigers was Gabby Maly who earned eighth place in the discus with a throw of 112-11.
The Tigers’ 3,200 relay team of Alicia Schott, Caitlin Schultz, Cassie Burnside and Lisa Poppe didn’t place but had a time of 10:26.46.
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