GARDNER — By the time Mason Hill landed back on the runway, history was already beneath his feet. 

The Gardner-Edgerton senior didn’t just clear the bar — he soared into rare air. 

Hill delivered one of the most remarkable pole vault performances in Kansas track and field history on April 10 at the Mike Wallace Invitational, clearing 17 feet, 6.5 inches — the second-highest vault ever recorded in the state . Only Andover Central’s Bryce Barkdull, who set the state record at 17-9 in 2024, has gone higher. 

For Hill, the moment felt almost routine — at least on the surface. 

“My initial reaction to jumping the second highest mark was how easy it felt,” Hill said. “I wasn’t too surprised that I jumped it since I knew what I was capable of.” 

That confidence didn’t come overnight. 

Hill entered his senior season with unfinished business. A year ago, he finished as the Class 6A state runner-up, part of a dominant Gardner-Edgerton sweep of the top three podium spots. Despite a Sunflower League title and a personal best of 16-9 earlier that season, the sting of second place lingered. 

“It definitely fueled me in training,” Hill said. “It hurt in the weeks to follow knowing I lost, but it made me realize that one competition didn’t decide the athlete I am.” 

That perspective has turned into production this spring. 

Head coach Brian McGee wasn’t surprised to see Hill reach historic heights — not because of the result itself, but because of the work behind it. 

“Mason has been working towards this goal for quite a long time — and I don’t mean during track season,” McGee said. “I mean every single day for years. So preparation met opportunity and he took full advantage of it.” 

McGee, a 26-year coaching veteran, didn’t hesitate to put Hill’s performance in perspective. 

“I have had the pleasure of witnessing many historic and significant events in Kansas track and field,” he said. “And Mason’s performance on that day ranks among the very top.” 

Hill’s rise is also a product of one of the most decorated pole vault traditions in the state, guided by legendary coach Thane Nonamaker. In his 50th year coaching, Nonamaker has helped produce more than 80 state qualifiers, 65 state medalists, 15 state champions and seven state meet record holders. 

“He is in my opinion the best high school vault coach in the state of Kansas and one of the very best if not the best in the United States,” McGee said. “He is an absolute Icon within our program. He is entirely without ego. He works with kids for free in the summer because he loves helping them develop their ability in their passion for this incredible event.  

“Thane’s secret to success isn’t just his incredible knowledge and ability to communicate that knowledge to his athletes. It’s the fact that he is extremely positive and encouraging while at the same time holding them individually to a very high standard of excellence. I would tell you that often times what they go through in practice is much more difficult than what they experience in track meets. The meet and the competition itself is the reward.” 

Now, Nonamaker is overseeing something even rarer. 

 

Hill (17-6.5) and senior teammate Ben Karlin (16-0) have given Nonamaker his first pair of 16-foot vaulters in the same season — a testament to both the program and the partnership. 

“Having a teammate like Ben has been nothing but a blessing,” Hill said. “If we didn’t have each other, neither of us would be going as high as we are now.” 

Karlin, who placed third at state last season, has cleared 16 feet twice this spring, giving the Blazers one of the most formidable vault duos in Kansas. 

“Ben supports Mason and Mason cheers for Ben,” McGee said. “They are truly an example of iron sharpening iron. Rivals. Best friends. Great teammates.” 

As high as Hill — the University of Kansas commit — has already climbed, he’s far from finished. 

His next target is clear — and it’s even higher. 

“My next goal to hit would be 18,” Hill said. “I personally believe that I have much higher heights waiting this season.” 

For now, though, Hill’s season has already cemented itself among the state’s elite. 

And if his mindset — and trajectory — are any indication, the bar may still be rising. 

OTHER TRACK STANDOUTS 

• St. Thomas Aquinas’ K’Lyn Curtis and Grady Richlin have been busy this past spring rewriting the school’s record books and have done so in a big way. Curtis recorded a throw of 63-11.5 to win the Blue Valley Relays, and not only broke his own school record, but broke a meet record that stood since 1989. It is currently the top throw in Kansas and the ninth best throw in Kansas history. As for Richlin, he is among the state’s best triple jumpers as he won the Blue Valley West Elite Meet with a jump of 49-5.5 and is No. 1 in all classes and the 13th best jump in Kansas history. He broke his own school record that he set a week earlier with a mark of 48-4.  
   

  

  

• The Eudora boys had a couple record breaking events. Cameren Tice broke the school record in the 100-meter dash in 10.8 seconds at the ESU Relays. Brady Von Holten broke his own school record in the discus with a throw of 167-6, which is the second-best mark in Class 4A.

• Heritage Christian distance runner Calvin Marshall made school history in the 800-meter run at the KC Relays on April 18. Marshall recorded a time of 2:02.41 and is currently sitting as the No. 1 seed in the 3A regional in Osage City. 

 

• Olathe North junior Sienna Wesley is off and running in a big way for the Eagles’ girls track and field program. Wesley is currently among the state’s best in the long jump and recorded a mark of 20-1.75 in her first meet of the season. Not only is it the top mark in the state this season, her jump is the seventh-best in Kansas history. The state record is 20-6.5, set by Little River’s Sandra Myers in 1979. Wesley also has the fifth-fastest time in the state in the 100-meter dash this season at 11.97 and the fourth fastest in the 200 at 25.12. 

• Olathe Northwest boys track has had a successful last few meets and it started at the Mike Wallace Olathe Invitational on April 10. The Ravens won the meet for the first time in school history. Then at the ESU Relays on April 17, senior Jaelen Douglas broke school triple jump record at 46-9.75 to win the event. The 4x800-meter relay of Dexter Favreau, Tyler Palangi, Bradley Stromberg and Benji Herbst ran a 7:56.61 to take second at ESU and currently has the fastest time in Class 6A. 
  
   

  

• Olathe West’s Kienyn Thomas is among Class 6A best jumpers. Thomas is tied for Class 6A’s best long jump with a mark of 23-0.5, that got him silver at the Blue Valley West Elite Meet on April 20. He also has the third longest triple jump in 6A with a mark of 47-6. 

• Both the Baldwin boys and girls teams are off to good starts to their season. On the girls side, the 4x400 relay of Shea Griffith, Emme Nigh, Cheyenne Brunker and Kami Moore have the top time in Class 4A in 4:00.68 and the second fastest time in the state as they took second at the K-State Relays. Irelyn Kennedy, Griffith, Moore and Rachel Watkins were second at the K-State Relays in the distance medely in a school record time of 12:41.77. Griffth also set the school record in the 2k steeplechase in 7:43. Moore has the top time in 4A in the 800 run in 2:17.24, while Griffith has run a 2:18, which is No. 2 in 4A. On the boys side, David Wilson broke the school’s triple jump record with a mark of 45-6. Kasey Hamrick has the second fastest time in Class 4A in the 400 dash in 49.70. In the throws, Brenden O’Connor holds the top mark in 4A in both the discus and shot put so far this season. He has a mark of 171-7 in the discus and 56-5.5 in the shot. The 4x400 relay of Kasey Hamrick, Ethan Smasal, Wrigley Hamrick and Jackson Rood has 4A’s third fastest time in 3:24.84. 

• Pleasanton’s Aiden Patrick recorded a clearance of 6-6 in the high jump recently at the Uniontown Invitational, which is good for the second-highest clearance in Class 1A. 
   

  

• Columbus freshman Jace Gaither is making a name for himself as already one of the school’s top throwers. Gaither broke the school record in the shot put at 51-9 on April 14 at the Lester Garber Relays. In the season opener at Galena on April 2, Gaither broke the school discus record with a mark of 160-8.  

• Turner’s Ti’Rell Clark won the K-State Relays in the triple jump earlier this season and broke the school record in the process with a mark of 45-11.75. It is currently the second best jump in Class 5A. 
   

  

• Baxter Springs sophomore Cole Parrish is dual-sporting in a big way this season. Not only is he one of the top golfers in Class 3A, he recently broke a pair of school records on the track. In just his second-ever long jump, he broke the school record with a mark of 22-3.75 and is the third-best jump in 3A this season. On the track, Parrish also broke the school record in the 100 dash in 11.28 seconds. 

• Riverton senior Amberly Youngblood broke school records in the 100 and 200 dashes. Youngblood raced to a time of 12.31 in the 100 and 25.64 in the 200. Her time in the 200 is currently the second-fastest in 3A. She also holds the school record in the 300 hurdles and as a member of the 4x400 relay and is currently committed to UMKC for track. Another senior, Ellie Helms, broke the school’s long jump record with a mark of 17-2.5. 
   

  

  

• Northeast-Arma junior jumper Tayven Willard broke his own school record in the long jump, that he set last year, with a new mark of 21-8. Senior Brooklyn Jackson broke her sister’s school record in the shot put with a toss of 39-1.5, which is the top mark this season in Class 2A.  

• Shawnee Mission East has broken five school records on the girls side this season. In the javelin, senior Paige Stanfield broke her own school record in the javelin with a throw of 146-11 and has the top mark in Class 6A this season. Live Simoneau recorded a toss of 40-8 in the shot put to set a new Lancers record and is the 10th best mark in the state. Distance runner Charlotte Hardy set a new top time in the 3,200-meter run in 10:33.09, which is the top time in 6A. Cate Conrad, a returning state medalist in the pole vault, recorded a new East best clearance of 12-3, which sits as the fourth best in the state. The distance medley relay of Chloe Swan, Sophia Cicero, Lyla Speicher and Hardy also set school record time of 12:29.50.