Even before her final pole vault it started to sink.

As she stepped up to the runway for her third attempt at 12 feet, Katie Toman realized that she had already won the state pole vault title.

Bloomsburg's Rachel Brouse had already missed all three attempts at 12 feet. Because Toman made 11-6 on her first attempt and Brouse took three tries to clear that height, no matter what happened with the Salisbury senior's final attempt and she realized it just as she was ready to make that last leap.

"It went through my head that even if I don't make it, I would still win," said Toman. "It's something I've dreamed about for I don't know how long. All my hard work paid off."

Toman was one of six Salisbury athletes to qualify for the state track and field championships, held last Friday and Saturday at Shippensburg University. Four Falcons brought home medals, one even brought home a pair.

Lindsay Bauer took third place in long jump and eighth in triple jump. Holly Szita placed sixth in high jump and Kyle Gonoude earned sixth place in the 166-meter run.

Toman earned Salisbury's only gold medal. She entered the meet at the top seed after clearing 12-4 at districts. She had finished fifth and second in her last two trips to the state meet and felt the pressure of being the top seed in her final season.

"People see you're the top seed and they make comments," she said. "It's very nerve-wracking."

The nerves weren't a factor when she stepped up and vaulted. Toman started at 10-6 and cleared every height on her first try until they got to 12 feet.

She ended her high school career by winning the top honor on the state's biggest stage. And she has fond memories of it all.

"I loved my four years at Salisbury," said Toman, pointing to head coach Doug Hensinger, former assistant coach Adam Mathias and teammate Dylan Bonge as some of the main influences in her pole vault career.

While Toman can't return to states next year, Bauer plans to spend part of Memorial Day Weekend in Shippensburg next season.

The Falcon junior brought home two medals after competing in three events.

She took third in long jump at 18-0 _.

"I was really happy with that," said Bauer. "It was an improvement from last year. I went 17-7 and got fifth last year. This year I moved up two spots on the podium and I jumped three inches further."

Bauer took eighth in triple jump at 36-6 1/4. While it wasn't quite what she hoped for in that event, she wasn't too disappointed.

"I'm really happy I medaled," she said. "That's always the goal for me coming into states.

"I'm not happy with my distance. Last year I went 37 and some change. I got fourth last year. The field was definitely tougher, but I also fouled all three of my jumps in finals so that played a big part in it. I knew I had some good 37-feet jumps in me. If I just would have been a few inches back on the board I think I would have had it."

Bauer also competed in the 300-meter hurdles at states, where she placed 16th in preliminaries and missed finals by eight places, running the event in 47.09. She just began hurdling this season about midway through the season.

"I just stuttered up to too many hurdles," she said. "My speed was there. It's just the form and technique wasn't there."

Szita also earned her second straight state medal. The senior, who will join the West Chester University track team next season, cleared 5-4 in high jump for sixth place. She came within an inch of her personal best.

"I was happy finishing with 5-4 because last year I only got 5-2," she said. "Getting consistent at a height is a big deal for me. I was pretty happy with it.

"I just wanted to medal and I wanted to do better than I did last year. In my head I did a lot better, maybe not on the podium but personally I did."

Gonoude, who was also looking for his second state medal in two years, placed sixth in the 1600 in 4:21.65 this year.

"I stuck behind someone for a little bit and then in the last 500 meters made my move. I left it all out there today," he said. "I just wanted to go out and push myself as hard as I could and finish as hard and as fast as I could.

"It's really tough getting hurt for like three weeks during the year and having to come back from that and compete with the state's finest."

Gonoude battled injuries in his final high school season and missed the first half of the Falcons' scheudule.

Kelly Gonoude also competed at states. Like her brother, the senior ran the 1600 meters and finished in 17th place in preliminaries. The top 12 go to finals.

Falcon junior Tevon Weber competed in the javelin at states. He threw 166-4 to earn 13th place.

The four Falcons girls did well enough to help their team finish seventh in team points out of 82 Class AA teams that sent athletes.

"At Salisbury we don't get the recognition during the regular season," said Toman. "We don't a lot of depth like Southern Lehigh and Northwestern. But when we get to the postseason, when it's the best of the best, it really shows that we have such talented people."

Not only do the athletes enjoy having friends with them at states, they also help calm one another's nerves and help boost each other's confidence.

"We're definitely really close, me, Lindsay, Kelly and Katie," said Szta. "They're like my best friends. Being here together is a big deal. We all get nervous together and then lean on each other. It's good to know someone else knows exactly how you're feeling."

Kyle Gonoude said it's not just teammates and classmates, but the support of the entire community helps him run.

"I'd like to say thanks to anyone who's ever said good job or asked how it's going with running and all the support I've gotten from people all around," he said. "I've loved it. They're part of my motivation."