LAKEWOOD - Reegan Shay got to experience something his brother knows all too well. 

“I was thinking about the next bar, trying to beat my brother’s record,” the new 2A Pole Vault champion said. “My brother (Ron) has the school record. He won state at the end of his senior year (2023), so I’m following in his footsteps.”

Both Wray Eagles captured championships in their final competitions. Shay didn’t quite top his brother’s best of 14 feet, 9 inches, but a new personal record of 14-0 vaulted him to the top.  

“I’m still trying to come off the adrenaline rush,” he said. “It hasn’t settled in that I got first yet. It feels really good as a senior to end on a PR, end on a good note.”

What made it even more special was having his brother with him on Friday. 

“He’s inspired me really well to jump higher and work really hard,” Shay said. “He helped coach me a little bit my senior year. It was really cool to have him help me over that bar.”

The pole vault winner beamed when asked about his brother’s reaction when he first cleared 14-0. 

“He was ecstatic,” Shay said excitedly. “I could see him jumping over on the side. It was pretty awesome.”

It was a family affair at Jeffco Stadium as his Dad is the other vault coach.

Lake County had six of the 18 qualifiers in the event, and Matthew Wilson was the state runner-up for a second straight year. 

After shattering the 2A 3200m state meet record on Thursday, Golden View Classical’s Bobby Kiesewetter won the 800m in 1:54.84.

Cedaredge senior Jacob Bowler launched a throw of 162 feet, 7 inches to earn gold in discus. 

Holyoke won the 4x200m relay (1:30.40) one day after shattering the 2A record. They also qualified first in prelims of the 4x100m. 

Sedgwick County leads the team competition with 35.5 points, while Lake County is second with 28.