Opening act sets a record

Wiseman jumps to new PHS mark

By: Justin Feil
   Megan Wiseman is a newcomer to the Princeton High School girls’ track and field team, and early indications are that she may just be a difference maker.
   Wiseman, who moved to Cranbury from Hightstown before the school year began, opened her sophomore spring season by breaking the PHS school record to win the long jump with an 18-feet, ½-inch personal best leap. She also won the triple jump as the Little Tigers beat Hamilton, 76-64, Thursday.
   "Last year," said PHS head coach Jim Smirk," we lost to them by six or eight. It was one of those meets we needed one athlete to change our record. That’s where this season started, how do we get that one athlete?"
   Wiseman gives PHS an athlete that will be a factor at any meet. At the Wrobo Relays on Saturday, she won the long jump over several Mercer County competitors, taking just one jump in sloppy conditions.
   "We lucked out this year," Smirk said. "We’re getting that instant talent. She goes out in the first meet and breaks the school record. And it’s not just her.
   "Molly Lynch is a freshman, and we’ve got some talent there. Ashadaya Patterson, another freshman, ran 13.1 or 13.2. The team is starting to come together and act as a team. We’re starting to move in that direction where it’s not just something fun to do. Now we’re doing it for a purpose. It’s guided. It’s a challenge. There’s that vibe that we’re starting to put it together and we’re starting to get these athletes that are pushing themselves harder than ever."
   Wiseman has been thrilled to see her work pay off so quickly. Last year, her first year of long and triple jumping, she had personal records of 16-6½ in the long jump and 34-4½ in triple jump.
   "I just wanted to do better than last year," Wiseman said. "I wanted to improve my long jump by about a foot and my triple jump by about a foot."
   It took her just one meet to accomplish the long jump feat, and she was within an inch of her best in the triple jump already. Now, she hopes to continue building on her bests, particularly after making such an improvement in the long jump.
   "I had been jumping in the 16s," Wiseman said. "I was really surprised when I jumped 18. That’s something I never accomplished before.
   "Mr. (Jeff) Clark is a very good (jumps) coach. He’s helped a lot. I didn’t get a lot of coaching at my old school."
   Wiseman showed early after transferring that she was serious about contributing for the Little Tigers. She did cross country in the fall to establish a fitness base, then started tuning up in the winter for the spring season.
   "She’s done a wonderful job," Smirk said. "She got herself in really good training condition this fall. The winter she used for sprints. She sprinted well and improved her starts. She improved her overall explosiveness. It’s always nice to have an athlete ready to dedicate themselves at that level.
   "She’s excited to come to practice every day. She brings an enthusiasm to practice that is contagious. These kids put in a hard day in school. She still comes in with a ton of energy. And she doesn’t just go and jump. She always watches how people do different things. She’s learning to become a student of the sport."
   Wiseman got her start in track in field in middle school, but didn’t get into jumping until her Hightstown coach urged her to try it last spring. She started working on the triple jump, then toward the end of last spring moved into long jumping. She medalled at the long jump at the Mercer County Championships.
   "I’ve found I’m a tiny bit better at the long jump," Wiseman said. "I like the long jump better. The triple jump is really hard. The technique is really hard and there’s a lot to get down."
   Wiseman figures to shore up the Little Tigers’ jumping crew and gives PHS an even more complete team. In the win over Hamilton, the Little Tigers had winners in the sprints with Elesha Casimir and Hannah Davis, in the 800 with Lynch and mile with Susanne Hansen. Kelly Curtis won the high jump and javelin and was third in the long jump. PHS won without one of the state’s top pole vaulters, Natalie Gengel.
   "We have a lot of standout athletes," Wiseman said. "We have a lot of talent on our team."
   To that mix, the Little Tigers have added Wiseman. It’s something that should make them more competitive, not just for this season but beyond as she continues to imrpove.
   "With her," Smirk said, "one of the next big steps is getting her exposed to the next bit step of competition. Bernards will be a good level. It’s a good chance for her to see high quality competition. If she makes a qualifying distance, she should go to nationals. It’d be great exposure for her.
   "She popped 18 and it wasn’t a great day to compete. We’ve seen better in practice, but we know it’s got to come meet-time. When you see those things occur, though, in less than ideal conditions, you expect to see some improvement. She really works hard. I see no reason why she shouldn’t improve over the year."
   Wiseman isn’t content to rest on her new school record, and she’d also like to move beyond her best prior triple jump mark.
   "I’m still trying to do my best at practice," she said. "I’m trying to practice hard. I know there’s a lot of good competition out there in our county. I know Trenton has some good jumpers. I still want to do my best."
   Her best so far has been good enough to lift PHS to a solid win and it’s brought her a first-place finish at an invitational. It’s only a start for Megan Wiseman and the Little Tiger girls’ track and field team.
   "Last year, we walked into a lot of meets saying it’s going to be a stretch to win," Smirk said. "There’s already a different attitude. We came into that first meet with a fire."