Armstrong advances to this week’s state championships in
Clovis
GILROY — By the time she missed her third attempt at 5 feet, 8 inches, Stephanie Armstrong was already the last high jumper standing in the Central Coast Section Finals.
It was a fitting way for a champion to go out.
Undefeated and virtually unmatched all season, Armstrong matched her personal-record height of 5-7 Friday in Garcia-Elder Sports Complex to win Live Oak track and field’s first individual section title since 1982.
The Cal State Long Beach-bound senior took gold — and a joyful sigh afterward.
“I’ve worked hard for this, so it definitely feels relieving,” said Armstrong, who earned three consecutive trips to the section-championship flight. “I was happy. I was just happy when it was over. I was hoping to PR, but I have next week to do it, so it’s all good.”
Armstrong will get another shot at 5-8 in the CIF State Championships in Clovis. Her preliminary jump is scheduled for noon Friday in Veterans Memorial Stadium, the same time and day of Live Oak High School’s graduation ceremony.
“She’s going to have to miss that one, unfortunately,” Armstrong’s mother, Cindy, said. “She’s going to try and qualify for finals Friday. What the qualifying height will be, we don’t know. We’re hoping she can PR one more time.”
Armstrong improved her PR by almost half a foot this spring while working with Cindy and high jump specialist Patti Coulter at Aptos High School. Armstrong, who holds the ninth-best mark in state, looked forward to CCS Finals all spring while dominating league meets and weekend invitationals.
Last week passed by especially slowly.
“Even the drive over here felt like it took forever. We got struck in traffic,” she said.
Armstrong felt her first rush of emotion at 5-5, the automatic-state qualifying height. Once she “got that over with,” it was clear sailing to 5-7 and a section crown.
Aptos’ Nikki Myashita placed second at 5-5.
“Her confidence level definitely helped this year,” Cindy said. “She sees the bar and doesn’t get panicked. She’s very relaxed and comfortable. That’s her biggest advantage.”
Fellow high jumper Jacob Daw of Live Oak wrapped up a solid junior season Friday with a PR of 6-2, which was good for fifth place. Daw took eighth based on missed attempts.
“I’m going to go for at least 6-4 next year, maybe 6-6,” he said. “A lot of the guys here are seniors, so it’s going to be exciting.”
