Twins have single focus when it comes to raising the bar at Mifflin

Track & Field coverage presented by ATT Sports, Inc.

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

There’s always someone nearby who understands. That’s the best part for the Engle twins. The good days and the bad days are a shared experience.

Most high-level pole vaulters don’t even have a teammate who can comprehend their enormous challenge. Cory and Jacob Engle have a best friend who lives in the same house and looks the same in the mirror.

If you see Gov. Mifflin’s seniors having a conversation sometime, there’s a good chance it’s about finding new ways to raise that bar. 

“It’s very interesting,” Cory said. “To us, at least. Some people might find it annoying. Why don’t they shut up about it? We enjoy it.”

The Engles followed in the footsteps of big brother A.J. That’s how they discovered pole vault, the most esoteric element of track and field. It didn’t take long for the younger siblings to be hooked.

Cory and Jacob were attracted to the event for identical reasons. It was fun. It was exhilarating. It had a daredevil quality. The brothers enjoyed rock climbing at the gym. This brought the same kind of feeling.

“I can’t really think of any event in track, or just sports, where you have that thrill,” Jacob said. “Flying into the air and free falling back down onto the mat.”

Cory was a distance runner when he first arrived at high school but removed that from his plate so he could focus on vaulting. He never looked back.

“It’s very unique,” Cory said. “It’s kind of funny because a lot of people are like, ‘I could do that.’ Then they see it up close and they start to think, ‘Wow, it takes a lot to vault. It’s very intricate.’”

Once they were sophomores and realized they were exceptional for their age, the Engles threw more of their energy into improving. They went to VaultWorx in Camp Hill. They trained with Kutztown University assistant coach Tony Dodds.

To become a district medalist and PIAA qualifier, like the twins want, required extra work. They put about 15 additional hours a week into it.

“They’re doing an event that is something they have to take pride in outside of the three months of the season,” Mifflin coach Gary Mitzel said. “They’ve done a great job of that. They’ve spent those nine months of the offseason perfecting their event. It takes a lot of dedication.”

Jacob Engle cleared 13-6, took third in District 3 Class 3A and qualified for the PIAA meet last season. Cory’s PR is 13-0, achieved when he placed third at the Shaner Meet. The brothers finished second and third at the Firing Meet in May.

There’s always a balancing act at play for the Engles. They cheer for each other while competing against one another. They must be willing to accept finishing behind their twin. There are going to be days when one excels and the other doesn’t.

“Whoever is feeling the stronger emotion, that’s what we both feel,” Jacob said. “There have been times when he would no-height and he was emotional. I’d feel that. I’d feel his pain. If I don’t jump as well as I want that day and Cory sets a PR, I’m happy for him. My mood is suddenly boosted.”

The Engles are both a driving force and a support system. They make each other better and help each other cope with the ups and downs of a volatile event.

“I know a few times I’ve had a day when I completely mess up,” Cory said. “You’re happy for Jacob. At the same time you’re also jealous. You’re the same person so you feel like you’re held to a standard where you have to compete with him.”

The two seem to have struck the right balance. Neither can imagine going through this experience alone.

Each competition could bring a new roller coaster of emotions. Either one could finish better on a given day. That’s an interesting part of their dynamic.

“There’s definitely some competition between the two and it’s not one-sided,” Mitzel said. “They’ve been back and forth between who has the better meets and who has the better heights. They react well to each other. They don’t argue. They’re truly happy for each other when they do well.”

Although winning a county championship, claiming a district medal and reaching states are all goals on their list, the biggest one for the Engles is a number: 14-3. They want to eclipse the school record.

Both brothers have imagined their name on the plaque that hangs on the wall. Jacob envisions the perfect scenario. If they each can get to the same record-setting height, they could stand alongside each other forever. Or at least until another star pole vaulter passes through those doors.

“I’d like to have my name on the plaque,” Jacob said. “But I’d like to have Cory there with me.”

The Engles are going to stay together in college. Both are headed to Millersville, where they’ll be roommates studying engineering. MU doesn’t have a men’s track team.

That means these next few weeks are the final time Cory and Jacob will charge down that runway with the other watching closely. They’re feeling a little nostalgic about it. A precious part of their shared lives is nearing an end.

They hope they finish with a bang.

“This is kind of our last hurrah,” Cory said. “We’re going to try to make it count while it’s here.”