Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Ender Buchanan

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior pole vaulter Ender Buchanan. This season, Buchanan qualified for the NCHSAA 5A State Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Buchanan won the 3A State Championship in the pole vault in 2025 inside Truist Stadium at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. Last month, Buchanan finished fifth in the 5A Central Regionals at Southeast Alamance High School in Haw River, despite dealing with injuries. At the 5A State Championships in Greensboro, Buchanan finished 12th clearing 12-feet against a deep field. In February, Buchanan also qualified for the NCHSAA 2026 5A State Indoor Track & Field Championships at the JDL FastTrack in Winston-Salem. He finished tied for fourth in the indoor championships by clearing 14-feet. Last year, Buchanan became the tenth men’s individual state track & field champion in Cedar Ridge history and the first since 2013. Buchanan got involved with pole vaulting just three years ago and not only became a participant, but also a fan of the sport. He frequently watches pole vaulting competitions from the around the world on various streaming sties. On Friday, Buchanan graduated from Cedar Ridge during commencement ceremonies at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill. After summer vacation, he will start classes at N.C. State to study engineering.