Maltarich and Shultz soar to great heights at districts

Maltarich and Shultz soar to great heights at districts
Dave Mast

West Holmes teammates Kyle Maltarich, left, and Zander Shultz went one-two respectively in the Div. II East District high jump event to complete their intended goal coming into the competition.

                        

Coming into the Div. II West Holmes district track and field meet, West Holmes felt it had several athletes who could perform well and move on to regionals.

However, none were in better position to make a statement than Knights’ high jumpers Kyle Maltarich and Zander Shultz.

The two came in with one idea in mind — capturing the top-two spots in the meet and advancing to regionals together.

By the time athlete after athlete had knocked the bar over, the only two leapers left standing were the two Knights, who accomplished their goal of finishing one-two.

That only left the final outcome of who would reach the pinnacle, and after Shultz barely missed his final attempt at 6-02, Maltarich soared well beyond the bar to grab the title.

Maltarich then went on to attempt 6-04, and on his final attempt, he was right there, clearing the bar, only to have his calf glance off the bar, sending it wobbling off the pedestal.

“I had it,” Maltarich said. “That height has actually been the spot where I’ve struggled to get all season. I’m getting closer and closer, so hopefully it’s coming. I think I would have easily cleared that height with my good jump at 6-02. I just watched video, and I was way over the bar there.”

Maltarich said he thinks he is peaking at the right time and jumping at his best down the stretch when it’s most important. So too does Shultz, who said they only inspire each other when they compete together.

“Our goal was top two, and we did that,” Shultz said. “Both of us would love to get that 6-04, and we didn’t get that today, but we’re close.”

As for challenging each other, Shultz said both block out other competition and simply focus on battling each other throughout a competition, meaning they feed off each other’s energy to go higher.

“Iron sharpens iron; that’s what I go by,” Shultz said. “It’s only going to make us better, and that we are moving on to regionals together is going to keep us sharp and competing against each other.”

While competing against one another, both Knights like the notion that they also are rooting for one another, both urging themselves and their teammate to fly higher, perhaps all the way to state.


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