In a nail-biting finish that had spectators on the edge of their seats, Pompton Lakes’ Owen Keating secured his second consecutive NJSIAA Meet of Champions pole vault title on June 4, 2025, at Pennsauken High School. The senior clinched victory through a dramatic jump-off against Cinnaminson’s Ed Frey after both athletes initially cleared 15-6 but failed at 16-0.
“I’ve never had a jump off before, so that was that was a crazy way to win a state title,” Keating remarked after his victory. “It was more jumps than I wanted to take if I’m being honest. It would have been nice to just make that 16 and be good, but I mean, we took like six extra jumps or something like that.”
Background
Keating, a Binghamton University commit, also won the indoor Meet of Champions title earlier in the year. He is coached by his dad, Steve, who also vaulted at Pompton Lakes. His outdoor season-best is 16-3, ranking second in the state this spring, demonstrating he is poised for success in collegiate track and field.
Significance
This win marks Keating’s second Meet of Champions title in pole vault, making him a back-to-back champion. It capped off a stellar senior year, where he also secured Passaic County and North 1, Group 1 titles in both indoor and outdoor seasons. This level of success in local county track championships makes him one of the premier vaulters in state history. Winning back-to-back titles is a testament to Keating’s consistent performance and resilience under pressure, a feat achieved by only a few athletes in NJSIAA pole vault history. While specific records of back-to-back winners are difficult to pinpoint without extensive archival research, it is an uncommon achievement indicative of sustained excellence.
Challenges/Conditions
Keating had recorded his worst performance this spring with a vault of 14-0 at the Group 1 championship. This added pressure and required him to make significant adjustments to his technique before the Meet of Champions. He had to shake off that bad performance and come back stronger, which he did! He focused on visualizing success and trusting his training to overcome this mental hurdle, highlighting the importance of the mental game in high-pressure situations.
The intense jump-off
The jump-off was a nerve-wracking experience for both competitors. After multiple failed attempts at various heights (16-0, 15-3, and 15-0), Keating finally cleared 14-9 while Frey missed, securing the championship in dramatic fashion.
“I was starting to get really worried every single jump, which also added to the fact that I had to jump first. Every time I missed, I just had to watch and hope I was still in it,” Keating explained, revealing the psychological pressure of the situation.
Technical adjustments
What makes Keating’s victory even more impressive is how he overcame technical difficulties just before the championship. Following his disappointing 14-0 performance at the Group 1 championship, Keating and his father implemented a strategic technical correction.
“My last jumping practice on Monday, we had two cameras set up to try and figure out what was going wrong. We pretty much nailed it,” Keating shared, demonstrating his analytical approach to the sport.
Conclusion
Keating’s double championship caps an outstanding high school career that includes multiple county, sectional, and state titles. His ability to perform under pressure and make critical technical adjustments when needed speaks to his potential for future success in the collegiate ranks.
The dramatic jump-off victory not only cements his legacy as one of New Jersey’s premier pole vaulters but also provides a perfect ending to his high school career. With a personal best of 16-6 indoors (the fourth-highest mark in New Jersey indoor track history) and his proven championship mettle, Keating’s future in the pole vault looks exceptionally bright.
