Whalen going up, over

Mater Dei High junior Brian Whalen, a Newport Beach resident,

qualified for the CIF Southern Section Division II track and field

finals May 24 in the boys pole vault after clearing 14 feet, 6 inches

in the Division II preliminaries Friday night at Mt. San Antonio

College.

Whalen, who won the Serra League championship earlier this month,

broke a school record in the pole vault three weeks ago in a dual

meet against St. John Bosco, when he cleared 14-9. The previous Mater

Dei record of 14-8 was established seven years ago by his brother,

Ted, who went on to compete in the men’s pole vault at Nebraska.

In the Serra League finals, Brian Whalen went over at 15-1, but

his hand grazed the bar the way down. He hopes to crack the 15-foot

barrier in the postseason, which continues with the CIF Division II

finals at Cerritos College.

In the CIF prelims, Whalen qualified fourth in the field