Andreyko soars to third place in M of C long jump

Manville resident moves up three notches

By: Rudy Brandl
   
   SOUTH PLAINFIELD — Franklin Andreyko didn’t mind finishing third in last Thursday’s NJSIAA Meet of Champions, as long as he reached a new personal-best.
   The Hillsborough High junior long jump star knew what he was up against and entered the competition with realistic expectations. Facing a pair of Olympic hopefuls and national champions for the second straight year, Andreyko figured that a bronze medal would mean he had a pretty successful meet.
   After a slow start, Andreyko soared to his best jump ever and broke his own school record to finish third in the state. Andreyko, who finished sixth at the Meet of Champs while wearing a Manville High uniform last year, moved up three notches this time with an impressive leap of 23 feet, 4 inches.
   Anthony Miles of Winslow Township edged Willingboro’s Mike Morrison by ¼-inch for the gold. Miles leaped 24-3¼, while Morrison, the national high jump champ who hit 7-0 to win another M of C gold, went 24-3.
   Andreyko surpassed his previous outdoor standard (22-8½), a mark he hit first at last year’s M of C to break his own Manville High record. He matched that distance in winning the Central Jersey Group 4 title in late May and even managed to improve upon his own HHS indoor mark (23-2) under heavy pressure last week.
   "I really like the competition," Andreyko said. "Competing with two of the best guys in the nation makes you feel good inside. It would’ve been real big if I could have won, but I’m happy jumping my best."
   Andreyko started slowly, managing a 22-0¾ mark that ranked a few notches down in the standings. Last year, 22 feet barely qualified for the finals, so Andreyko knew he had some work remaining.
   "I was kind of skeptical about making the finals," Andreyko said. "It was very tough for me to warm up. It took me a while to get into the zone."
   Andreyko called on his big-meet experience to help him focus in the finals. He had overcome much worse during his outstanding career. He knew he could pull off a big jump, much like he did to help his team at championship meets.
   After his third flight attempt, Andreyko jogged around and regrouped to prepare for the finals. He knew what he needed to do and put everything together on his first jump of the finals. Andreyko felt a good spring off the board and landed in the sand with another new personal-best.
   "I hit the board well," he said. "It was more contact with the board. I really exploded and lifted off the board. I really felt it."
   Andreyko also soared past Somerville rival Kyle Calvo, who had posted a 22-4¾ in the preliminary round. Calvo didn’t improve on that distance, but still finished considerably behind Andreyko, who asserted himself once again as Central Jersey’s top long jumper.
   "That was big," Andreyko said. "I saw him at the Group meet and he jumped 22-11. That got me angry because I always want to jump well and be the best in Central Jersey."
   Andreyko, who now holds the distinction of owning three school long jump records at two different schools, is planning another busy summer of competition. He’ll participate in the Nationals in North Carolina next weekend, the AAU meet in Detroit later this month and the Junior Olympics in Miami in July.
   He’ll return to Hillsborough for a full senior year of competition. Despite sitting out the first month of the 2003 outdoor track and field season because of the state transfer rule, Andreyko made quite an impact. He won titles at the Skyland Conference, Somerset County and Central Jersey Group 4 championship meets before taking second in Group 4 and third at the Meet of Champions.
   "I haven’t really marked a jump that long before," said Andreyko, who believes he’s gone over 23 feet several times on fouls. "Finishing third makes it even better."