Senior Nick Sgarbossa truly took York High School boys pole vault to new heights Saturday.

Sgarbossa became the Dukes’ first state champion in the event as he cleared a school-record 16 feet-3 inches to capture the Class 3A title at the boys track state finals at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

The only vaulter among the 13 finalists to clear 16-3, Sgarbossa won over Normal Community senior Eric Gordon, the only other competitor to clear 16-0.

Sgarbossa is the eighth all-state pole vaulter in York history and only the third to earn the honor twice. Sgarbossa took ninth in 2011 (14-0) after clearing a then personal-best 14-3 to reach the finals. Competitors needed to clear 14-9 in Friday’s preliminaries to advance to finals.

Scott Maechtle had York’s previous highest state finish, taking second to Bloom’s Tim Johnson (14-9) in 1974. The school record entering this season was 15-5 by Mike Heidecke, who was fourth at state in 1984 and fifth in 1985. Sgarbossa initially broke that record with his 16-0 for first place at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet May 11 at Lyons Township.

Senior Paul Golen also made Saturday’s finals in shot put and finished 11th (53-7 1/2), 1-1 1/4 from ninth place. On Friday, Golen tied for 15th in discus (150-3), 6-3 from that event’s 12-thrower final.

The 3,200-meter relay of senior Billy Clink, freshman Matt Plowman, junior Jack Achen and senior Eric Glaubke finished 14th in prelims (7:55.38), just 1.53 seconds from the 12th and final qualifying berth.

Sophomore Nathan Mroz (9:36.24) and junior Scott Milling (9:43.67) were 20th and 25th in the 3,200, which only is run in two heats Saturday. Among other competitors Friday, junior Chris May (4:25.60) and Clink (4:36.64) were 21st and 31st in the 1,600, junior Shawn John tied for 26th in pole vault (14-0) and senior Adam Kosecki missed the opening height of 6-2 for high jump.