Little Tigers’ Adhola, Grier hope to advance
By: Justin Feil
Princeton High School alumni that returned for a recent workout were impressed by how far a pair of Little Tiger high jumpers have come.
Pinto Adhola and Mike Grier enter this weekend’s Central Jersey Group III track meet with legitimate chances to move on together.
Think it’s crazy. The two don’t have to go back that far to remember accomplishing just that feat. In the winter season, the two both advanced from the Group III state meet to the Meet of Champions with 6-feet clearances. Grier was sixth to earn the Little Tigers’ only point of the Group III indoor meet while Adhola, who had more misses but also jumped 6-feet, advanced on a wild card.
If the two can duplicate solid days, they could be headed to the Group III state meet in Egg Harbor next weekend.
"If they both jump well, they both could make it," said PHS boys’ head coach John Woodside. "That would be fun."
PHS has had a steady progression of solid high jumpers. Two of them Calvin Reed and Ryan Trupin were at practice and remarked about the progress of the current Little Tiger leapers.
"Pinto’s improved a ton," began Woodside. "This week, we had couple kids who graduated come back and work out with us. Calvin Reed from three years ago. He was saying that (Adhola) ‘was a freshman when I was a senior, and look at him now. He’s really jumping.’ Ryan was there last year. He was amazed at the progress. Ryan Trupin was like the mentor last year. He was the big man last year. This year, Pinto and Mike have stepped up."
Adhola is a senior, taking his final jumps at establishing a personal best of 6-2 and looking to make a mark that will help him move on.
"As a senior, I hope Pinto goes out on top and really goes for it," Woodside said. "Pinto has been one of our captains. It’s been important for him to lead the team. I think that’s something that has really allowed him to grow. He really has his heart in the sport now.
"He’s been with the team for four years. When he was a freshman, we were trying to figure out where to put him. We tried him in distance, sprints, middle distance. Sophomore year, we tried him in high jump and he progressed last year as a junior. He got higher and more consistent."
Grier has jumped right in since joining the program last year at the request of PHS girls’ coach Jim Smirk.
"Jim knew he could jump," Woodside said. "Mike came out and he started off slow. By the end of the season, he was figuring it out and got up to 5-8. He never cleared 5-6 until the freshman-sophomore meet. Then in the sectional meet, he cleared 5-8. That’s unusual for a first-year jumper to have his best meet at the biggest meet.
"He and Pinto jumped indoor well. At the Group III meet, both jumped 6-feet. One time or another, they’ve both made 6-feet. They’ve never made it in the same meet except that meet. Maybe they’ll do it outdoors too."
Adhola and Grier finished fifth at the Mercer County Relays, and have flip-flopped back and forth in having the better days. They both are hoping to go beyond 6-feet to ensure a berth in the Group III state meet.
"It’s hard to tell going in what it’s actually going to take," Woodside said. "Certainly you have to jump 6-feet. If you jump 6-feet and you’re relatively clear, you can move on. I would hope that Mike or Pinto would jump 6-feet and could make it.
"Maybe at the sectional meet, with a little less distraction, they can. At a dual meet, they’re asked to do so many things."
Both are coming off nagging injuries that have slowed them in practice, but they’re looking for their best as the CJ III meet begins today. Other field competitors expected to do well for PHS are Tom Hellestern in long jump and Adam Brunner in the throws, while Dan Cavallaro is the Little Tigers’ top threat on the track.
West Windsor-Plainsboro North will also compete in the CJ III meet, while WW-P South will compete in the CJ IV. Montgomery will take aim at the North Jersey, Section 2 Group III sectional.
Competitors from each of those teams will all be looking for the same thing as Adhola and Grier are the chance to advance. It’s a chance for individuals to shine, which is just why Adhola and Grier will be likely concentrating just on high jumping in this meet.
"They do all the jumps normally," Woodside said. "We needed them to do it for all the dual meets because we needed the points. They can concentrate on the high jump now. I think they had a good practice (Wednesday). I think they’re getting ready to bust out with a new best. I hope they compete well and clear it. If it gets them through, great."
If it gets them through together, even better for the Princeton high jumping duo of Adhola and Grier.

