From one state champion to another

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They were a perfect match.

Lew Flinn knows all about pole vaulting. Alyssa Donner was all ears.

The result was another state champion at Princeton High School.

Fifty-four years after Flinn broke through as the IHSA one class title in 1955, Donner soared to a 1A state pole vault title over the weekend in Charleston.

The PHS senior hit a personal best 10 feet, 10 inches to capture the state title. Three days later, in the Peoria Journal Star Honor Roll Meet, she raised the bar on her Bureau County record nearly five more inches to 11-2 3/4.

Theirs could be viewed as a grandfather-granddaughter type

relationship, considering their age and generation differences. Donner is just glad to have Flinn and his wife, Doreen, on her home team.

“Coach Flinn definitely knows a lot about pole vault, so that’s a big advantage,” Donner said. “And I love Mrs. Flinn. We talk a lot. It’s nice to have fans that talk pole vault and know a lot about it, too.”

As far as the Donners are concerned, Donner’s dad, Dale, the Bureau Valley track coach, said Flinn is one of the best, if not THE best pole vault coach in the state.

“Alyssa respects him so much,” Dale Donner said. “His knowledge is amazing, and he relates so well with the kids. Alyssa would not be anywhere near as successful if Lew did not help. He always stayed positive and kept pushing Alyssa all the way. He has a passion about the vault, and it shows though the kids he coaches.

Dale Donner said the Flinns “have supported Alyssa all the way and are super role models.”

Flinn, who was first approached by Dale Donner in March of 2008 to help coach, said he’s “just lucky to be asked to come over and give her some help.”

He said Donner deserves everything she got.

“She worked very, very hard, and done an outstanding job,” he said. “She took my advice and did the things I told her to. She increased her speed and strength this year and did everything that was asked of her, and it produced a state champion. Can’t be any better than that.”

• Donner is the third pole vault championship in school history.

Flinn was the first in 1955, and Erick Wahlgren won the Class A crown in 1986.

Flinn is asked by kids around the pits, “Did you vault? Yeah, 55 years ago. They’re amazed. They didn’t think it was around.”

“They couldn’t believe I landed on sand and used a steel pole.”

Donner becomes just the second female state champion at PHS. Rebekah Faber won the 1600 meters in 2003.

The only other individual female state champions from Bureau County is Tiskilwa’s Lane Suarez (400, 800) in 1984. Suarez also anchored the Indians’ medley relay to a first-place finish in ’84, joined by Kelly Brokaw, Carol Polson and Erin Gorman.

Bureau County has had no shortage on boys’ state champions. Legendary George Meagher of DePue was our first state champion in 1932 in the long jump. Following him are:

Ken Meek, Hall, 1952, discus
Tom Swan, Princeton, 1968, 1600
Brent Barth, St. Bede, 1976, 300 hurdles
Lonnie Hewitt, Buda Western, 1977, ’78, ’79, high jump
Chet Nosalik, St. Bede, 1978, 110 hurdles
Eric Foresman, Princeton, shot put, 1981
Princeton 3200 relay, 1981, Tom Caldwell, Mike Rieker, Jaimie Dow, Tom Hodge
Adam Suarez, Princeton, 1986, 1600
Greg Groat, Princeton, 1991, shot put and discus
D.J. Glynn, Hall 1999, high jump, 100, 200, 400
Mike Behrens, Bureau Valley, 2001, discus
Jason Bill, Bureau Valley, 2002, 1600

• Baseball 101: Hey kids, be sure to get signed up for the St. Francis University Baseball Clinic on June 13 in Princeton. You’ll get some great baseball teaching right here in your own backyard. Sign up by June 4 by calling the Met at (815) 872-0840.

• Happ: St. Bede’s J.A. Happ came three outs from posting a victory in his first big league start at new Yankee Stadium. The 26-year-old Phillies left-hander left with a 4-2 after six innings of work in his first start of the season, scattering four hits and fanning four. Relief ace Brad Lidge, however, surrendered a two-run homer to Alex Rodriguez in the ninth and the Yankees won 5-5.

Happ is slated for the Friday start against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

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