Santa Rosa Press Democrat // News for California's North Bay and Redwood Empire

Low-tech edition (About)

Wiley falls short, fourth at state meet
Sonoma High junior, with top jump during season at 5-11, fails to clear 5-9

Saturday, June 5, 2005

By RICH RUPPRECHT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

SACRAMENTO -- A stunned Mindi Wiley was slow to accept the reality Saturday night of her
fourth-place finish in the high jump at the CIF state track and field championships.

"I want another shot at 5-9. I know I can do it," the Sonoma High School junior said 30
minutes after the high jump wrapped up. The tears streaming down her face announced the
disappointment felt by the athlete with the top high school jump in state (5 feet, 11
inches) this year.

"It's very frustrating," Wiley said. "I felt real good going in and knew I had to get on
the ball."

Things went smoothly early on for Wiley as she easily cleared 5-3 and then 5-5. There was
a slight stutter at 5-7 as her feet touched the bar; it wobbled but stayed.

Wiley missed her first two attempts at 5-8. With Sonoma track coach Sherman Harris and
assistant coach Linda Patterson yelling encouragement, Wiley started her approach directly
at the bar and then circled out in the style of floppers who go head first. Wiley's body
cleared the bar and she lifted her feet at just the right moment, clearing 5-8.

There were four competitors left at 5-9 -- Wiley, Costa Mesa's Jasmin Day, Tustin's
Khristina Curtis and Stockdale's Desirae Gonder.

Wiley was the first to attempt a jump at 5-9 and missed. Gonder, a state runner-up last year,
jumped next and cleared 5-9. Day and Curtis also missed their first jumps at 5-9. Wiley went
again and just barely touched the bar with her foot, but hard enough to bring it down. Day
and Curtis both missed again.

On her final attempt, Harris was yelling for Wiley to get her speed up and elevate. It wasn't
one of Wiley's better jumps. She hit the bar hard and her day was done.

Day and Curtis cleared 5-9 on their final attempts. No one cleared 5-10. Gonder, whom Wiley
knows well, won the state championship on fewer misses at 5-9. Day was second and Curtis
third.

Wiley, who finished second in state as a freshman and was hampered last year by a hip injury,
said she thought she was ready to clear 6 feet for the first time.

"I knew there were great jumpers here, and I was expecting a good fight," said Wiley. "I had
a lot of expectations and I just wanted to hold up my end of it."

Wiley has much to look forward to. She's a junior, and many think her best sport is
volleyball. She intends to go to Cal on a volleyball scholarship, and there is a possibility
she would walk-on in track and field.

One thing is certain, volleyball will be the sport Wiley competes in next. She may not jump
again until February, the beginning of the high school track season.

"Next is a volleyball festival in Reno," Wiley said.

The only other Redwood Empire athlete to compete on Saturday was Mendocino High senior Tamma
Carleton in the girls' 3,200. She finished 23rd in 11:26.51.

The Healdsburg High boys' 400 relay team did not qualify for Saturday's final as reported in
Saturday's Press Democrat. The Greyhounds' relay team finished seventh in its heat.

The state meet usually produces a couple of state records, fast relays and a few fantastic
finishes by underclassmen, and this one was no exception.

Granite Bay junior Scott Roth set a state record in the boys' pole vault at 17-1. Heralded
junior David Klech (California High in San Ramon), who competed in four events, won the 300
meter hurdles and was second in the 110 hurdles.

Ebony Collins of Wilson/Long Beach, just a sophomore, won the girls' 100 and 300 hurdles.
Another sophomore, Mike Cybulski of Royal High, won the boys' 3,200 in 9:02.57.

Track aficionados will keep an eye on Dorsey senior Courtney Williams. He anchored a win in
the 400 relay and led off the winning 100 relay.

Attendance for the 87th California state high school track meet was 11,208 on Saturday and
8,263 for Friday's prelims.

Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht can be reached at 521-5275 and rrupprecht@pressdemocrat.com.

Email story | Print story | Subscribe to paper