Long Jump Previews

Girls Long Jump:

Editor Prediction: Avery Lewis jumps 19-9 to win with only three attempts

Does a 30-year-old meet record fall at this year's championship?

In 1994, Angie Brown (Villa Maria) set the PTFCA Championship record of 20-1.25. This season, Avery Lewis set the new Pennsylvania State Record of 21-2.5.

So she should easily beat the meet record, right? Maybe not...

The caveat is that Avery Lewis is essential to her team's performance. Last year, she scored all 30 of her team's points, and they'll be in contention again this year for the same reason.

She has also jumped over two feet better than any other girl in the state this year, so it might be unlikely that she will try to rip a meet-record mark. In all honesty, she could be a one-and-done. 

To save her legs, she could hit a 19-7 on her first attempt and then rest her legs for the 60m, 200m, and 4x400m. Conversely, Lewis is a true-born competitor and may be thinking about that meet record regardless.

Behind her, we'll have a nice little battle for the scoring positions as Saige Forbes (Episcopal), Nataly Walters (Palmerton), Avery Elliott (Episcopal), and others duel it out for points-paying positions.

Forbes jumped 19-1.75 in December, but she has yet to jump further than 18-1.75 since. Her teammate, Avery Elliot, has hovered right around her as well. She jumped 18-4 at the Ocean Breeze Invitational at the beginning of February.

Walters, who won a PIAA 2A State Championship in the event last spring, will be best positioned to challenge the Episcopal teammates for second. She has jumped 18-8.5 and 18-8 in her previous two competitions.

Also, keep an eye on Rose Kuchera (Canon-McMillan), who finished second at last year's event, Madison Gee (North Penn), Jaylynn Dorsey (Susquehanna), Maya Bright (Episcopal), and Lily Hendricks (Central Mountain).

Boys Long Jump:

Editor Prediction: Kyle Moore jumps an indoor personal best of 24-7 to win the LJ title.

Kyle Moore (Emmaus) has been exceptional since finishing second at last year's PTFCA Indoor State Championship. 

Moore went on to win the PIAA 3A Outdoor Long Jump Title and then jumped a 24-2 this indoor season at the Ocean Breeze Invitational this year. He is undefeated on the campaign, and all four of his performances are better than the best of the second-ranked jumper in the state. 

That second-ranked jumper is Anthony Conrey (Conwell-Egan). He is coming off of a personal best performance at the TFCAofGP Meet of Champions. He went 23-2.25 to win the title.

Behind him, we have four boys in the 22-8 space. Mark Bridgeford (Milton Hershey), Quamere Cosby (Chester), Colton Dean (Canon-McMillan), and Daniel Ajuz (Plymouth Whitemarsh) have all jumped 22-8 or better.

Bridgeford did so to win the PTFCA Indoor Track Carnival and beat Daniel Ajuz, who cleared 22-8 at that meet.

Cosby was second to Conrey at the TFCAofGP Meet of Champions and jumped 22-8.5. 

Dean won the TSTCA Indoor Championship with his 22-8.25.

All this is to say that these boys are heating up at the right time. All of these season-best performances have come in the last two weeks.

Albert Morton (Coatesville), Jack Inglis (Southern Lehigh), and Zakiye Bright (Perkiomen Valley) are all in contention as well.