South Hadley’s Jonas Clarke smiles next to his 100-meter dash time at the MIAA All-State Track & Field Championships on Saturday at Westfield State University.
South Hadley’s Jonas Clarke smiles next to his 100-meter dash time at the MIAA All-State Track & Field Championships on Saturday at Westfield State University. Credit: STAFF PHOTO/KYLE GRABOWSKI


WESTFIELD — Jack Vecellio stared at the bar as he descended.

The Frontier Regional senior clipped it with his right knee on his way over attempting to break the state pole vault record he’s chased since seventh grade.

“I touched it a little bit, so I was scared on my way down,” Vecellio said.

That fear transformed to ecstasy when he hit the mat and it remained suspended at the MIAA Meet of Champions on Saturday at Westfield State University. He opened his arms wide, celebrating a 17-foot, 1.5-inch vault. No one in Massachusetts had ever jumped higher. Vecellio had won the meet several attempts earlier, but he entered Saturday’s event with only one goal: that state record. That previous mark was 17-1, set by North Andover’s Eric Duffy at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in 2017.

“That was my target. I couldn’t even sleep last night thinking about it,” Vecellio said. “I knew it was gonna happen.”

The Clemson commit turned immediately to his father Andy Vecellio, who dropped everything he was holding and ran to the pit, tackling his son to the foam. Jack Vecellio rolled him over and held his father’s hands, a smile as wide as his face.

“That’s always the best moments of any track meet is being with him in that moment of overjoyed excitement,” Jack Vecellio said.

He also set a meet record and captured the pole vault All-State championship for the second year in a row.

“It was a monster accomplishment. Every year there’s only a handful of kids in the United States that make that bar,” Andy Vecellio said. “This is the time of the season these things are supposed to happen.”

His top-six placement also qualified him for the New England Interscholastic Track and Field Championship next weekend in New Britain, Conn. After Vecellio let his father off the mat, South Hadley senior Jonas Clarke wrapped him in a hug. The pair met at the New Balance Freshman Nationals three years ago and have been friends since.

Vecellio texted Clarke “State record for both of us” Saturday morning. Clarke left their embrace for the 100-meter dash final starting line. The Harvard commit has been chasing the hand-timed mark of 10.36 seconds by Ayer High School’s Mike Morris (1981) for two years.

He crossed the line in 10.395 seconds thinking he’d set the meet record but missed on the state history. Clarke won the 100 at last year’s All-State meet, and he captured the 200 championship during Day 1 action on Thursday.

“I’m just getting my race together as a whole. I always have really good individual parts of that race,” Clarke said. “I always see myself having potential to go farther.”

After he changed out of his track spikes and into comfortable clothes, Tigers coach Nick Davis informed Clarke that the 10.36 mark was hand timed and 10.4 was the fastest automatically clocked 100 in state history prior to Saturday. He did it.

“No way, you’re serious, right?” Clarke said.

Then the realization washed over him. He covered his mouth with his hand and said “Let’s go” before Davis hugged him.

“I have this thing where I always think I can do better, so I never believe it until it’s shown in front of my face,” Clarke said. “I need someone to literally confirm it to me that it is true. I will not believe it until I’m told again.”

Though Clarke qualified for the New England Championships, he said he likely won’t run next weekend. He’s either going to focus on national meets over the summer, including the U-20 World Trials, or take a break and recover with his college career waiting in Cambridge.

“My family and my coach helped me get this mindset of always wanting to be better, no matter what,” Clarke said. “Being as fast as I am, I can’t always just settle for being the best. I want to be faster.”

Amherst Regional freshman Moriah Luetjen continued her torrid postseason by taking third in the girls 400 meters (55.76 seconds).