By: centraljersey.com
Craig Hunter and Noel Jancewicz took big leaps toward bright futures by medaling at Saturday’s Meet of Champions.
Jancewicz made her pitch to be the heir apparent to gold after finishing third in the girls’ high jump championship behind a pair of seniors, Dayton’s Alexa Williams and Montgomery’s Fiona Paladino, who each cleared 5-feet-10. Jancewicz soared over 5-6.
"I feel really good about that," said Jancewicz, a sophomore. "My goal was to get third for that. I was seeded third. I really wanted to jump 5-6 and I did."
It was an improvement from last year’s 5-4 MOC clearance that landed her in a five-way tie for the fifth-best height, but finished seventh due to misses.
"My goal from the beginning of the season was to really get 5-6 consistently," Jancewicz said. "Towards the end of the season, I was getting 5-6 a lot so it went well."
Hunter again eclipsed his own goals by clearing 13-feet-6 to finish in a tie for fifth place in the boys pole vault. There were no other sophomore medalists in the event.
"It was actually really good," Hunter said. "I was not expecting it at all. I saw 13-6 up there, and I thought there’s no way I get a medal."
Hunter didn’t find out that he had officially earned a medal until he got a text message from his coach. That helped him enjoy even more his first trip to a MOC event that saw plenty of competition put up the small school entries.
"I felt like I jumped great," Hunter said. "Four out of the six in the top were Group I." Hunter never expected when the year began that he’d be one of the medalists, especially at the winter MOC.
"At the beginning of the season, I didn’t expect to progress this far," Hunter said. "My goal for the year was 13-6 and I got it at the end of the winter. That was my PR. I cleared it on my first attempt, which was big for me. That’s what got me the medal."
It also helped that he’s enjoyed a solid winter of training. He credited his success to the attention he got through the winter.
"I didn’t expect to go through as much training as I did," he said. "I jumped at least once or twice a week down in Toms River with a good coaching staff. And I had good meet coaching and everything came together for me to get 13-6 and win a medal.
"Now I’m basically going to take it slow. I’m going to take a break and come in strong."
While it would be tempting to eye medaling at the outdoor MOC, Hunter thinks that could be getting ahead of himself. He is trying to make sure that he continues to make significant strides.
"I’m not going for a specific height," he said. "I have to improve my form. I improved so much, but it’s tough to set a height for a goal when you have so much form to improve."
Jancewicz has also seen improvement in her best event. She started high jumping in eighth grade, but didn’t get serious about it until entering high school last year.
"I started to go to private classes for high jump," she said. "I was PRing a lot at meets. I really enjoyed it. Now it’s my favorite event."
Progress, and the ensuing success, has come quicker than she anticipated. Her third-place finish at the MOC further cemented herself as the favorite for the future.
"I’m really happy with it because in the spring, I got first for states which I wasn’t expecting," Jancewicz said. "I’m not even halfway through my high school career. I think I could really progress and get better by my senior year.
"I was kind of more prepared for everything this year with sectionals and states," she added. "I knew who my competition was. Last year, it was more like an experience."
Jancewicz only has to look at her main competition Saturday to see her potential. The senior duo were the only two in the competition to clear higher than 5-6, and Jancewicz is hoping to follow a similar path.
"I’m hoping by my senior year, I’ll be able to clear at least 5-10," Jancewicz said. "I was talking to Fiona and she said when she was a freshman, 5-4 was her best. I’m hoping that I could at least get 5-10."
Jancewicz already set a personal best of 5-7 at the end of January in a dual meet at Lawrenceville. That, combined with her strong MOC finish, have her looking forward to the spring.
"I’m really just hoping to jump 5-8 or even higher," Jancewicz said. "My main goal is 5-8."
She wasn’t close on her attempts at what would be a new PR at the MOC, but at the Mercer County Championships that she won at 5-6, it was a different story.
"My attempts at 5-8 weren’t that great (Saturday)," she said. "At counties, my attempts were really good. I thought I could have cleared 5-8. I think my steps were off."
Jancewicz will have the advantage of moving from indoors, where she trains in sneakers in the winter, to outdoors where she can jump in spikes that allow her to use her speed more for the run-up. In addition to high jumping, Jancewicz is an accomplished sprinter. She placed fourth in the 55 dash in 7.69 seconds and second in the 400 meters in a personal best of 1:01.06 at the Central Jersey Group I meet.
Before Jancewicz turns her focus to the spring, she has to finish the indoor season. On Tuesday, she was scheduled to compete in the Eastern States Invitational, and Saturday she will compete at national indoors.
"This is my first time going," Jancewicz said. "I’m not even sure what it’s like. I really just want to jump my best. By my senior year, it’d be cool if I placed."