Plenty to smile about

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Jenna Frantz of Versailles clears the bar on her way to a state runner-up in the Division III girls pole vault event.

COLUMBUS — The smile never left Jenna Frantz’s face.

Which is not an indication of how the Versailles girls sophomore performed at the Division II state track and field championships Saturday at Jesse Owens Stadium.

That smile never leaves Frantz’s face, but in this case she had every reason to be beaming.

Frantz continued to soar to new heights, with a new PR that tied the Versailles school record, clearing 12-4 to finish second.

“I have to give my family a lot of credit,” Frantz said. “Whenever someone has a goal in our family, we help them achieve it with postem notes and put them all over the house. There must have been 30 postem notes this week that said 12-4 on them. There was even one on my lawn chair when I opened it up yesterday.”

After clearing 11-0, 11-4, 11-8 and 12-0 on her first attempt, she found herself at 12-4.

“I was clean all the way up to there,” Frantz said.

On her third attempt, she was able to clear 12-4.

“I was thinking about the postem notes a lot,” Frantz said. “I was thinking that you have seen that all over the house all week, I have had a great week of practice, I know I can do it. I knew that would tie the school record. I am happy t share that record with Amanda Barlage.”

Allison Plybon of Orrville and Frantz were the only two competitors left.

“To be honest, I never though about winning a state title at all,” Frantz said.

Plybon was able to clear 12-4 and 12-8 on her second attempts and Frantz just missed on her three attempts at 12-8.

“I had a feeling 12-8 was going to be difficult,” Frantz said. “I had a good feeling, but I kind of struggled a little bit when I was warming up at that height. I am pretty content with how everything went this year.”

Frantz had cleared 10-8 as a freshman. While, Plybon is a senior, Frantz isn’t putting herself in the favorite role next year.

“Not at all,” she said. “There is a freshman that looked really good. If we go back to D-III, there is a freshman there that is clearing 12-0. I went from 10-8 last year to 12-4. If I can continue to make that kind of improvement, I would be thrilled.”

And at the end of the day — as usual — Frantz had plenty to smile about.

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