Atlee junior Chris Pillow cleared a personal best height of 14'6" today at the Florida Relays in Gainesville. Pillow, a third place finisher at the AAA State Indoor Championships and Central Region runner-up, had been previously been stuck at 14 feet as his all-time best. In his five previous major meets stretching back into December at a CNU indoor meet to up until his outdoor opener last week at Harrisonburg High School, Pillow had been consistent in clearing 14 feet but nothing higher. Pillow's breakthrough height down in Florida gained him a third place finish against many of the top vaulters from the Sunshine State and moves him closer to the top three vaulters currently in Group AAA in Eric Zwarycz of Mills Godwin, Matt Hazelgren of Stafford, and Matt Hoogland of Lake Braddock. All of which are seniors and not returning in 2011 like Pillow.
Pillow's Atlee High School teammate Cameron Overstreet with her 12'0" personal best will be vaulting tomorrow in the girls' competition.