DI Girls Preview: Paige Floriea Seeking LJ State Title

Jumps

The Big Names


Riley Hunt - Greenville

The returning state champ in the pole vault, Riley Hunt finished worse than second only once in nine attempts during the 2018 indoor season. Hunt cleared 12-6 for the win last March and also returns with top mark in the event. Only Beavercreek's Eileen Yang (12-3) has cleared 12 feet indoors among returners, a feat that Hunt accomplished four times. 

Outdoor, Hunt cleared 13-0, but it was only good enough for sixth. She did clear 12-0 another eight times, though, and the junior looks ready to move up from her 12-6 indoor best this winter. 


Paige Floriea - Mentor

Mentor's Paige Floriea was nearly mentioned as an up-and-comer in the sprint events, but she warrants much more recognition for what she did in the jumps this spring.

As a freshman, Floriea exploded onto the national scene with a 20-0.75 long jump personal best, an OH No. 1 and US No. 8 mark, and securing an All-American honor with a sixth place performance at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals meet. Floriea placed third at the outdoor state meet, but cleared 18 feet eight times and 19 feet six times. 

Indoor, she cleared 17-11 and finished second at the state meet before her breakout outdoor campaign. She hasn't ventured into the triple jump realm yet, but she has made her name known as a sprinter, having gone 7.80 and 25.95 in the 60 dash and 200 dash last indoor season. Outdoor, she dropped an 11.98 (wind legal) in the 100 and wind legal 24.51 in the 200. Floriea is on her way to becoming one of the top overall athletes in all of Ohio and we have three more years of watching it unfold. 


Emilia Lesniak - Strongsville

Strongsville's Emilia Lesniak helps headline a strong crop of girls in the high jump this indoor season with her indoor personal best of 5-8. Outdoor, she has cleared 5-9.5, making her one of the top high jumpers in the entire country.

Her 5-8 best has her second among returners, but she has shown the kind of consistency that makes her a virtual lock to at least clear the height again this winter. Should she replicate this March, it puts her in a good spot to compete for the gold at the state meet. In her six trips to state in the high jump, she has finished first twice, second twice, third, and fourth. After a runner-up finish last indoor season, watch for Lesniak to make the leap to the top of the podium. 


Molly Stecker - Hudson

The reigning state champ in the high jump, Molly Stecker returns as the top athlete in the event with her 5-9 clearance from the 2018 indoor campaign. She finished 11th at the New Balance Indoor meet. 

Outdoor, Stecker has yet to clear 5-5 in her career which makes this event a toss up between her and the afore-mentioned Emilia Lesniak. As a high jump specialist, keep an eye on Stecker to challenge 6 feet this winter and defend her Division 1 state title. 


Bethany Robinson - Hamilton Township

The entire top five from last year's state triple jump finals have graduated, leaving Hamilton Township's Bethany Robinson as the top returner both among state competitors and overall competitors. Her indoor mark of 32-8.25 is just over four inches ahead of Ponitz's Demeka Love. While she didn't put down any triple jump marks during the outdoor season, watch for Robinson to go for gold in the event this winter. She should also be competitive in the long jump after clearing 16-10 this outdoor season. 

The Up-and-Comers


Annika Kinley - Lakota West

Tied for the lead among Class of 2021 returners, Lakota West's Annika Kinley returns with a 5-4 clearance from last winter. This mark also has her tied for fifth among all returners. Outdoor, Kinley was unable to get over 5-4 again, but with her 5-3 clearance, she remains on the right track. Kinley will add another piece to an already uber-competitive high jump field. 


Camiyah James - Princeton

With 12.72w and 25.92 bests in the 100 and 200 respectively, Princeton's Camiyah James has the speed to get down the runway. The hops? Yeah, she's got that, too.

Last spring, James leapt 17-1, an improvement on her 16-6.5 best from the indoor campaign. This 16-6.5 mark has her eighth among all indoor returners and second among sophomores. To go along with her jumps prowess, James could also make some noise in the sprint events, particularly the 200. 


Faith Burtch - Warren G Harding

Harding's Faith Burtch is also tied for fifth among returners and tied for the top spot among sophomore returners with Annika Kinley. Burtch, however, cleared 5-4 during the outdoor season and also showed off some speed in the 100 hurdles, going 15.09 at her fastest. Burtch adds yet another piece to a stacked high jump field. 

Event to Watch

High Jump

As we've noted already, the high jumps is stacked with talent this winter.

With the afore-mentioned Emilia Lesniak and Molly Stecker leading the way, and sophomores Faith Burtch and Annika Kinley providing some youthful spring, we have yet to even mention the two athletes between them and the third athlete coming in at 5-4. Anthony Wayne's Alexa Fries (5-5), Hilliard Darby's Stacia Rispress (5-4.25), and GlenOak's Peyton Howell (5-4) tack on three more to a field of seven girls with personal bests over 5-4, a mark that earned you second place in last season's competition. 

Sophomore Faith Hunter improved a whopping six inches from indoor to outdoor and will also be competitive for gold after finishing second this spring. She makes it eight athletes with the capability to challenge for the top spot in the girls high jump. 

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