Justice Summerset lined up for his third and final attempt at high jumping 7 feet 2Β½ inches. He knew exactly what he needed to do.
The Mountain View senior took a few breaths, leaned back, paced forward and leaped his way into Arizonaβs high school record books.
Summerset set a new state record with Saturdayβs jump at the Southern Arizona Championship, topping the previous mark of 7-2ΒΌ set by Phoenix North Canyonβs Bryant OβGeorgia in 2014. His jump is the highest in the country this year by half an inch.
βGod blessed me with a great talent and Iβm just happy I was able to come out here in my last home meet and perform the way I did,β said Summerset, who will jump at the UA next year. βI just thank my coaches and all my teammates for supporting me. Itβs been awesome.β
Summerset was initially unsure of how much heβd be able to jump because of a heel injury. Heβll have a chance to break his own record at the Division II state championship meet, which begins May 4.
βItβs a mental boost, thatβs for sure,β Summerset said. βI think I can get a lot higher. I need to take care of my heel and do the things that Iβm supposed to, this week that I have off; take it easy but keep practicing and doing what Iβm doing.β
Summerset had already cleared 7 feet three times this season, giving him the best mark in the state among all four divisions. He cleared 6-9 on Saturday, then had the bar moved up to 7-1. He cleared that height on his first try, setting a new personal best.
Summersetβs celebration was just getting started.
Athletes and fans gathered around the high-jump area as the bar was moved up again, this time to 7-2Β½. Summerset narrowly missed on his first two attempts, then nailed it on his third and final try.
βMy first two jumps were both good but I knew I had to hold my arch a little longer,β Summeret said. βI had the height, so basically I had to just telling myself to jump up, throw your head back and let your body do the work.β
βWalking myself through the jump and picturing it before I went, that helps a lot.β
Summersetβs record-setting leap marked his final high school jump on his home turf. He did not attempt another height after 7-2Β½.
βI havenβt jumped here great previously,β Summerset said. βI had bad days β 6-8s, 6-6s and whatnot. But today was the best possible way to go out at home. I just couldnβt ask for anything better.β
SOUTHERN ARIZONA CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Mountain View
Boys results
Top 10 teams β Salpointe Catholic 76.5, Mountain View 58, Marana 57, Sahuarita 54, Sierra Vista Buena 51, Empire 50.5, Canyon del Oro 47, Tucson 42, Flowing Wells 41, Rincon/University 40.
3200 relay β RIN (Wyman, Hartman, Lehman, Leitner). 100 β Thompson, SAHT, 11.06. 110HH β Salaz, SAL, 15.11. 1600 β Risch, FW, 4:33.66. 400 relay β TUC (Williams, Hinton, Pierson Ross) 42.02. 400 β Ross, TUC, 49.08. 800 β Dugle, SAHT, 1:57.69. 300H β Doe, MV, 39.34. 200 β Ross, TUC, 21.70. 3200 β Risch, FW, 9:52.09. 1600 relay β EMP (Dusek, Kubo-Martin, Smith, Crain) 3:28.42.
High jump β Summerset, MV, 7-2Β½. Shot put β Washington, CDO, 57-6ΒΌ. Discus β Washington, CDO, 200-11. Long jump β Gloesslein, GREG, 20-5ΒΌ. Triple jump β Williams, SAHT, 45-0. Pole vault β Ference, SAL, 13-9.
Girls results
Top 10 teams β Salpointe Catholic 80, Flowing Wells 77.2, Tucson 68, Sierra Vista Buena 61, Canyon del Oro 61, Marana 49.5, Rio Rico 37, Catalina Foothills 35, Empire 27, Mountain View 24, Desert View 24.
3200 relay β MV (Gomez, Huber, Thomas, Vaughn) 10:21.54. 100 β Larsen, IR, 12.61. 100H β Murphy, CDO 15.93. 1600 β Alvarez-Tostado, SAL, 5:25.46. 400 relay β TUC (Wilmore, Howard, Maxey, Rodriguez-Portillo) 49.22. 400 β Pacheco, DV, 1:00.99. 800 β A. Schadler, RR, 2:11.95. 300H β Murphy, CDO, 47.32. 200 β Ugbisien, TUC, 25.45. 3200 β S. Schadler, RR, 11.23.78. 1600 relay β SAL (Dinauer, Conger, Delgado, Valenzuela) 4:15.64.
High jump β Lopez, TUC, 5-5. Shot put β Rodriguez, FW, 35-9Β½. Discus β Rodriguez, FW, 130-8Β½. Long jump β Lopez, TUC, 16-1. Triple jump β Halaβufia, MAR, 33-9. Pole vault β Daily, FW, 10-1.
