Yelm High schooler Jordan Lasher isn’t a typical senior student. As a junior, the multi-sport athlete became a multi-sport state champion as part of the 2022 3A WIAA state football championship team and won first place overall in the pole vault competition in May of 2023 at the WIAA’s state track championships.
Now a senior, Lasher looks to finish his YHS athletics career on top by adding another state championship to his resume. Lasher won his state championship in pole vault after he vaulted 15 feet, 6 inches in May of 2023, improving from fifth place in 2022 with a measure of 13 feet and 6 inches.
“I’m preparing to defend my state championship by trusting my coaches and continuing what I’ve been doing, which should lead me to another state title in pole vault,” Lasher said. “I’m also looking to place in the top three in hurdles this year. After that I’m striving to compete in the USA U-20 meet.”
At the 3A state championship track competition last year, Lasher competed in the 110-meter hurdle competition, where he finished in sixth place with a time of 15.04 seconds.
The defending 3A pole vault state champion started his senior campaign on a hot note, as he broke the YHS school record in the pole vault competition during the program’s first meet of the season on March 13 at the Olympia High School jamboree event. He vaulted 16 feet and broke a 17-year record of 15 feet, 6 inches, set by Justin George in 2007. He tied George’s record at the WIAA 3A track and field state competition in 2023.
Lasher credited his offseason work, repetitions during practice and the coaching he received to breaking the record in the first meet of the season.
“I’ve had a great offseason. The anticipation and excitement (of breaking the record) was extremely high,” Lasher said. “When the season started and I was able to make those final adjustments with my coaches Gabe Cadero and Bryan Zaglauer, we knew a record was on the way.”
Lasher added that every practice with the pole vaulting crew has been a “great time,” which makes it easier to get work done. He’ll continue working throughout the 2024 season to meet his goal of obtaining a 16-foot, 6-inch pole vault by the start of the postseason.
“Breaking the school record has been a surreal experience. I felt tons of accomplishment and relief,” Lasher said. “The record would still be standing without the support of my mom and the coaching of Mike Strong, Gabe Cadero, Bryan Zaglauer and Pat Licari.”
Lasher and the Tornados will host the team’s first home meet of the season on Thursday, April 11, when the River Ridge Hawks and Peninsula Seahawks come to town. The team will compete again on April 17 at Capital High School before returning home on April 25 to host the Gig Harbor Tides and the Timberline Blazers.
The South Sound Conference championship meet is scheduled from Tuesday, May 7, through Thursday, May 9, at North Thurston High School.
