For the next few months, it’s all about the outdoor track & field season as our MA athletes look to achieve PRs, individual and/or team titles this spring on the state level and, for some, even the national level. Who are some of the top individuals we should keep an eye on this spring? Here we preview what we consider some of the best in the girls’ jumping events.
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Long Jump
The 20-foot barrier is something to keep an eye on this season. Among our top athletes, four have leaped more than 19 feet. That quartet includes indoor state titlist Emmanuella Edozien of Natick, last year’s 1-2 finishers from outdoor, Gabrielle Pierre of Lincoln Sudbury and Oliver Ames’ Lavender Kozaka, and Lexington’s Aubery Deardoff, who less than two weeks ago leaped 19-feet even in a league meet. This event could get interesting with a legit chance that we could have at least two achieving 20 feet this spring. In the final few meets of a superlative indoor campaign where she broke a long standing record in the 55-meter hurdles, Edozien was also at her best in the long jump, coming close to 19 feet with victories at the MSTCA Qualifier, Div. 1 Championships and the Meet of Champions. She achieved the milestone at the New England’s with a PR of 19-4 to place second overall. Pierre did not compete this indoor season. But during the spring campaign where she broke the New England record in the triple jump (43-0), she also twice went 19-plus for the long jump, including an all-time best of 19-7.75 to take the state crown. As a ninth-grader last year, Kozaka soared to a best of 19-2.25 to secure her silver medal at the MOC. Other top athletes include Woburn’s Nicole Gangi, Wellesley’s Annie Comella and Newton North’s Blake McNeal.
Triple Jump
After a season where she came inches from qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials, PIerre is the overwhelming favorite to make it a two-peat at the MOC this spring. The talented senior was sixth in this event at the Penn Relays Carnival and, after winning titles at the Div. 1 Championships and MOC, she struck it rich at the New Balance Nationals. She currently ranks No. 7 in the country with her winning leap of 41-1.5 at the Pepsi Florida Relays on April 5. Look for Billerica’s Nyrah Joseph to challenge the 40-foot mark. In a league meet less than two weeks ago, she registered a best of 39-5. Among other top returnees are Central Catholic’s Anya Neira, Reading’s Isabelle Lightbody, Hamilton Wenham’s Georgia Wilson and Wayland’s Caitlin Heus-Smith, who all made the podium in 2024.
High Jump
As usual, this will be a competitive event this spring. The top two contenders are the 1-2 finishers in this event from the indoor states, Norton’s Zoe Santos and Tantasqua’s Haley McCormack. Santos claimed her second straight indoor crown, winning on fewer misses against her rival with both clearing 5-6. McCormack was our outdoor titlist with a best of 5-8, a PR that Santos also attained during indoor last year. Other top leapers include Monument Mountain Regionals’ Lily Haskin-Vaughan, Milton’s Ella Turner and Diman Regionals’ Grace Flattery, just to name a few. The trio all went 5-6 this past winter.
Pole Vault
The favorite here is Acton Boxborough’s Emerson Gould, who cleared a state-leading 11-9 last spring and was third at the MOC. Coming back are two more 11-footers with Parker Charter’s Kinsley Kline and North Reading’s Hayden Maclellan. Both cleared 11-0 in 2024.
