Sanford Should Have More Jumps for Joy

Don’t ever count out Michelle Sanford in an athletic competition. Just when everything appears gloomy, Sanford delivers the required extraordinary effort.

She won the state girls’ long jump championship two years ago as a freshman at Irvine Woodbridge High on her final jump. She earned a bronze medal at the World Youth national championships in Hungary last summer in the triple jump on her final jump.

“It’s not over until the fat lady sings,” Sanford said.

It’s almost as if Sanford enjoys keeping her supporters in suspense by waiting until the last possible attempt to pull out victory.

“Of all the things that make her special, she competes so well and can come up with a big performance,” Coach George Varvas said.

In Hungary, Sanford was in sixth place until she jumped a career-best 43 feet 4 inches on her last attempt.

“That was not natural ability or form, just pure competitiveness,” Varvas said. “She’s just a tiger when it comes to wanting to accomplish something.”

Said Sanford: “I like it when it comes down to your final jump. I tell myself, ‘I’m going to jump this right now.’ When I’m on the runway, I have a clear mind, take off and hope for the best.”

And how does it feel to accomplish your goal?

“It’s pure blissful celebration,” she said.

At the Sea View League championships May 3, she jumped a nation-leading 42-5 1/2 to win the triple jump. She also won the long jump and 100 meters and finished second in the 200. She figures to be one of the top athletes at the Southern Section Division II finals on Saturday at Cerritos College.

Her talent certainly is helped by good bloodlines. Her father, James, won the 440-yard state championship in 1977 while attending Pasadena High. James went on to become a top sprinter at USC.

Sanford uses speed to give her the momentum to soar on her jumps.

“I have a lot of speed on the runway and my speed stays with me the whole jump,” she said.

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Chatsworth High’s baseball team started 19-0 and was ranked No. 1 in the nation in one poll. Then the Chancellors lost four of their next six games, causing Coach Tom Meusborn to take drastic action.

After a 4-3 loss to rival Woodland Hills El Camino Real on Monday, Meusborn walked back to school while his players and assistant coaches went on the bus. It was a 10-mile, 21/2-hour walk in his uniform.

“I just started walking, just trying to figure things out,” he said.

Along the way, people offered him a ride. He declined.

It wasn’t the first time he passed on a bus ride home. He did it in the early 1990s after a similar loss to El Camino Real.

His wife left him dinner on the stove.

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The Northern Regional individual golf qualifying tournament is Monday at Sterling Hills in Camarillo. Keep an eye on junior Brandon Beck of Oak Park. Sterling Hills is his home course and he’s coming off a Tri-Valley League season in which he won the individual title by 26 strokes over his nearest competitor. Beck shot a 65 at Soule Park in Ojai.

“His driving and iron accuracy have really catapulted him,” Coach John Vogel said.

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Spring football practice begins Monday for many Southern Section schools.

Los Angeles Cathedral, which has won six consecutive league championships, could have one of its best teams because it picked up several players from L.A. Verbum Dei, which has dropped football.

The key transfers are quarterback Tim McDaniel and free safety Duran Cooley.

McDaniel will allow Cathedral to scrap its double-wing offense and return to a spread passing game.

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The Avengers are sponsoring a four-on-four flag football tournament next weekend at Victory Park in Pasadena. The championship game of the high school division will be played at Staples Center next month. Information: (310) 838-1422.

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How many brother-sister combinations make it to Division I schools? The Shoops from Malibu have pulled it off.

Taylor Shoop, a senior pitcher at Los Angeles Loyola with a 4.1 grade-point average, will attend Davidson College on a baseball scholarship. Shoop’s sister Evan, a senior with a 4.0 GPA who plays volleyball at L.A. Marymount, will attend Duke as a walk-on.

They’ll be living two hours apart in North Carolina.

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Jeremy Boyle can’t remember the number of times people told him to transfer during his high school career.

“A bunch,” he said.

Boyle was an All-City receiver and defensive back at El Camino Real. College coaches judged him a step too slow, so he’s going to attend College of the Canyons this fall to prove them wrong.

He doesn’t believe the argument that if he had attended a more successful football school he would have earned a scholarship.

“It doesn’t matter where you play--it’s the player,” he said.

He stayed at El Camino Real to be with his friends and play baseball.

Last week, he had the game-winning single to give El Camino Real its win over Chatsworth and a West Valley League championship.

He was mobbed, hugged and congratulated.

“It’s all worth it,” he said.

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com