Sanford Gets Day in the Sun With Victory in Long Jump

With more than half of Michelle Sanford’s high school track and field career remaining, there’s not much left for the Woodbridge High sophomore to accomplish.

Sanford added an Arcadia Invitational title to her resume Saturday night, winning the girls’ long jump at Arcadia High.

Sanford, who won a state title in the event as a freshman last spring, went 19 feet 9 3/4 inches on her final attempt. It was the best mark in the state this season, the third best in the nation and the best effort in a high school meet for Sanford.

“I think this is equal, if not better, than winning a state title,” Sanford said.

Elzunia Wojcicka of Hollister San Benito High, the previous state leader in the event, finished second at 19-7 1/2. Sanford’s second-best jump of 19-8 1/2 was still better, and one of five marks she produced of better than 19 feet.

“It felt good to be consistent,” Sanford said.

Sanford was consistent Thursday against Aliso Niguel, fouling on all four attempts and failing to score in the event. The Warriors ended up losing the meet by two points.

“The bus left without me,” Sanford said. “So, I got to the meet late and never got a chance to do my run through.”

Sanford also finished third in the triple jump Saturday for the second consecutive year after jumping 39-4. Katella senior Cortney Stafford was a surprising runner-up in the event, leaping a personal-best 39-4 1/4.

Although Vao Faoa of Magnolia didn’t win the discus, she still produced the best mark by a county girl since 1989. Faoa finished third with a throw of 150-9, nearly 12 feet further than her previous best.

Edison junior Rachael Ziemann was one of three girls to clear 5-8 in the high jump, but she finished tied for second because she missed her first try at 5-8, while winner Chaunte Howard of Riverside North made the height on her first attempt.

“You’ve got to be clean all the way through,” said Ziemann, who also finished second at state last season after missing at an earlier height.

Newport Harbor senior Amber Steen finished second in the girls’ 1,600 behind Alicia Craig of Gillette (Wyo.) Campbell County High, producing a personal-best time of 4:47.61.

Steen reached the halfway point in 2:26, about two seconds behind Craig, who had just passed Desiree Davila of Chula Vista Hilltop.

Craig, who won the Foot Locker West Regional cross-country championship at Mt. San Antonio College last fall, pushed her lead over Steen to four seconds heading into the bell lap.

Steen was able to make a move from fifth to second in the final lap, covering it in 1:08, but couldn’t catch Craig, who won in 4:46.49.

“The third lap is always the hardest for me,” Steen said. “‘I wanted to stay as close to the lead as I could. If I had nothing at the end of the race, at least I tried.”

Woodbridge senior Jessica Kanin finished 11th with a personal-best 5:01.02 and Santa Margarita senior Lori Mann was 15th with a personal-best 5:03.25.

Tustin senior Alex Marbley finished second in the high jump to Chico’s Teak Wilburn. Both failed at 6-10 after clearing 6-8, but Wratten made it on his first try and Marbley his third.

Marbley also took three attempts to clear 6-6.

“There was a lot of pressure,” said Marbley, who twice cleared a state-leading 6-11 1/2 this season. “He was clearing his heights on the first attempt, while I was taking two or three attempts.”

Marbley said he was also somewhat affected by the cold temperatures during the event, which didn’t begin until 7:30 p.m.

“My feet are pretty cold right now,” Marbley said moments after competition ended.

Tustin junior Denny Casupanan finished third in the long jump with a county-leading mark of 23-5 1/4. Teammate Alonso Smith scratched from the 800 after running a 1,600 in which he led the first 700 meters before fading in the stretch and finishing sixth in 4:17.96, the county’s leading time this season.

Irvine senior Mario Bassani was also somewhat disappointed in his performance in the 400. Bassani finished fifth in 48.95, which was off his county-leading time of 48.23.

“It wasn’t a bad race,” Bassani said. “I just don’t think I drove as far as I wanted to.”

Bassani said it was the first time he has trailed this season heading down the backstretch, which was somewhat unnerving.

“I was like, ‘Wow,’ ” Bassani said. “I thought they would come back to me, but they didn’t.”

Huntington Beach junior Brian Ruziecki improved his county-leading mark in the discus, finishing third at 188-2. Nick Arrenhius of Orem (Utah) Mountain View High won the event, with a national-record throw of 234-3.

Corona del Mar junior Julie Allen finished ninth in the 3,200 in 10:47.63, one second off her personal best. Edison’s Scott Brandos finished 18th in the 3,200 in a county-leading 9:21.18.