Lily Beattie and Luke Beattie win pole vault state championships
Congratulations to Warwick Valley High School senior Lily Beattie and sophomore Luke Beattie for winning outdoor track and field state championships in the pole vault earlier this month. Both Beatties also won the pole vault at the New York Public High School Athletic Association indoor state championships.
Lily cleared 12 feet, nine inches, at the outdoor state meet in a competition that was interrupted by a rain delay.
“I actually missed the first attempt at my first height (11-6), so that was definitely a little scary,” Lily said in a video interview after the meet. “After everything that had happened that morning, I was a little worried, but I knew that I could do it. I really worked hard for it this season. I knew that my practices would come together and that I could execute in the right situation, so I’m happy that it all worked out in the end.”
Lily, who will be attending the University of Mississippi in the fall, also finished second in the New Balance Nationals (12-7.5) in the pole vault. At WVHS this year, she was named the Girls Field MVP for indoor and outdoor track. She also won the Warwick Little League Nicholas Papaceno Memorial Scholarship, the Southern Catskills Track, Field and Cross-Country Officials Sportsmanship Award and the Peg Hill Lattimer Award for the Outstanding Female Athlete.
Lily also excelled in the classroom. She was a NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete, a member of the National Honor Society and won the WVHS Mitchell E. Abramowitz Memorial Award in Physics.
Lily Beattie pole vaults on day one of the OCIAA track and field championship meet on May 17, 2024.
The boys pole vault at the state championship meet was delayed one day because of the weather, which meant that Luke had to compete in both the pole vault and the 100-meter dash on the second day of the meet.
Beattie won a showdown with defending outdoor state pole vault champ Neil Howard of Taconic Hills by clearing 16 feet on his first try. Howard cleared the bar on his second try and that was the difference in the tiebreaker after both missed their three attempts at 16-6.
“It feels amazing that we finished as we did in our last competition together,” Luke said about jumping against Neil. “I thought we really pushed each other nicely. It’s also amazing being able to do this with my sister, it really is. We both get it done and execute.”
Luke also earned a bronze medal at the state meet in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.961 seconds. He placed fifth in the pole vault at the New Balance Nationals.
Luke Beattie pole vaults at the state championship meet in 2023.