Cosper leads Eagle County pole vaulters with 8th-place finish at 4A state track and field meet
The Eagle Valley junior placed eighth overall in the 4A girls competition while Battle Mountain's Quin Thuon took 11th for boys
Ryan Sederquist/Vail Daily
Some athletes crave the crowds and love performing on a big stage. Kenzie Cosper wouldn’t mind if everyone just left.
“Oh, totally,” the admittedly shy Eagle Valley junior said after finishing eighth in the girls 4A pole vault finals at the state track and field meet on Saturday. Cosper cleared 10 feet 6 inches — just off her school-record of 10-10 — and almost had 11 feet on her third attempt — after timid first and second tries.
“I was just kind of really nervous with everyone watching so I really didn’t get really into it until my last jump,” she continued. “And then I felt really good on my last one. Didn’t make it but that’s OK.”
Cosper gave herself a “10 out of 10” grade and appeared much happier than when she jumped 9-02 to finish 14th in Lakewood last year. Experiencing the Jeffco Stadium atmosphere once before helped calm her nerves on Saturday, she said.
“Because I get in my head really easily,” Cosper stated. “This time, I just — there was nothing to lose. I went to state already. I really just wanted to get a decent jump. I wanted to not worry too much about my future jumps. I just wanted to be in it.”
Support Local Journalism
Cosper was one of two Eagle County pole vaulters competing on Saturday. Battle Mountain senior Quin Thuon finished with a personal best of 12-07 to place 11th in the 4A boys competition. Grand Junction Central’s Cooper Vanmaurer (15-09) took the win.
“A lot of great vaulters here. It was great vaulting with everybody and I’m glad I made it,” Thuon said after his state meet debut. “It’s awesome; I’ve been on this team for four years so it’s great to finally have something to show for it.”
Thuon said his goal coming in was to simply get a mark.
“My last meet wasn’t so great,” he said. The Husky no-heighted at a last chance meet a week ago after switching to a new pole. He switched again before state.
“I had no idea what it was going to do for me,” he said of the longer, stiffer pole. Needless to say, it ended up working out.
“I’m glad I found this thing,” he said.
Cosper will prepare for her senior year by heading to Brisbane, Australia for a pole vault competition through Coast 2 Coast International this summer.
“That’s going to be awesome,” she said.
Thuon said he is open to competing in college and is choosing between CSU, CU and Colorado Mesa University. From hurdles and sprints to distance events, throws and pole vault, Thuon is another key member of the Huskies’ deep, departing senior class.
“I feel like this team we’ve had for four years — Porter, Will, Cooper — a whole ton of seniors,” he said. “I feel like it’s more than a track team.”
