By TED SCHULTZ, for The Democrat

INDIANAPOLIS — For Ricky Stanley, competing in Friday’s Boys Track and Field State Finals was the pinnacle of his athletic career.

The Brown County senior tied for 21st in the pole vault with a leap of 12 feet, 6 inches in his final meet.

“I was just happy to be here at the state meet,” Stanley said. “It felt really good. It’s something I’ve been aiming for all of high school. I’ve been really close before, but to finally make it here felt good. It’s a really great experience, a great facility. There were a lot of people here, and I like the atmosphere.”

Stanley had cleared a personal-best 13 feet the previous week at the Bloomington North Regional to qualify for state for the first time. On Friday at Ben Davis High School, he cleared the opening height of 12-6 on his first attempt.

At 13-0, Stanley missed his three allotted attempts, although he came close on his final try.

“I think I did the best I could,” Stanley said. “I just got really unlucky on that last jump that I took. I hit it with my elbow on the way up.”

Riley Johnson of Hobart won the pole vault at 16-6. The top nine in each event score and earn medals, and ninth place in the pole vault was 14-6.

The state meet capped the athletic career for the three-sport athlete. Stanley, who also played soccer and basketball, is headed to Purdue, where he plans to major in genetics.

“It was kind of a bummer that I wasn’t able to compete last spring (when sports were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic),” Stanley said. “But I love this sport, and I love every chance I get to do pole vault. I’m pretty content with my season.”