Woepse Sets Record; Monarchs Lose

Elizabeth Woepse broke her Mater Dei school record in the girls’ pole vault Thursday, clearing 11 feet 1 inch in a nonleague track and field meet against visiting Woodbridge.

Woepse, a freshman, made the height on her third attempt, breaking by one inch the school record she set Saturday. Her winning mark was also the sixth-best vault in county history.

Woodbridge won the meet, 86-49, earning key points from sophomore Michelle Sanford, who won the 100 meters, 200 and long jump.

Sanford’s winning mark of 19-1 in the long jump caught her by surprise, since she hadn’t competed in the event since last summer. Sanford, who jumped a wind-aided 20-3 1/2 at the USATF junior nationals in June, had been playing for the Woodbridge girls’ basketball team.

“I’m very pleased,” said Sanford, who won a state title in the long jump last spring. ‘I was just hoping for 18 feet.”

Sanford began the final leg of the 400 relay about 10 meters behind Mater Dei’s Ashley Voisinet, but pulled ahead in the closing strides, giving Woodbridge the victory in 51.9.

Woodbridge senior Jessica Kanin also reached a milestone, winning the 1,600 in 5:21 and defeating Mater Dei junior Jenny Sears for the first time. Sears finished second in 5:23, but came back to win the 3,200 in 12:07.5.

In the 800, Kanin finished a half-second behind Mater Dei freshman Kristen Kovacich (2:23.2).