BCIAA track and field: Exeter’s Cara Miller is queen of the pole vault, plus complete conference meet results

The previous record was 12-1 by Schuylkill Valley’s Bre Manzolillo. “Breaking the county record was just something really special ...

Junior Cara Miller of Exeter continues to raise the bar in the pole vault in Berks County track and field. On Friday, May 1, at the John H. Shaner Meet Invitational hosted by Wyomissing High School, Miller broke the Berks County pole vault record by clearing 12-1¼.

The previous record was 12-1 by Schuylkill Valley’s Bre Manzolillo. “Breaking the county record was just something really special to me and I’ve worked really hard to get here,” Miller said of her new accomplishment. The junior nearly sets a record every time she competes, as she also owns the Shaner Invitational meet record and Panther Invitational meet record.

Miller has held Exeter’s school record since her freshman year and has broken her own mark four times, with districts and states still ahead. Miller, a team captain, discussed the dedication she has put into the sport, which includes not only hours of vaulting, but also sprint training and weightlifting. Her success does not come as a surprise to the Eagles coaching staff, which includes head coaches Drew Eckel and Kevan Schaeffer, along with pole vault coach Christa Steinmetz, as they understand the type of work ethic she brings on a daily basis.