Bishop Gorman’s Cunningham leaps long, not high
What happened to Bishop Gorman junior Vashti Cunningham on Saturday is the equivalent of Gordon Ramsay overcooking a steak. It’s like Beyonce forgetting the words to “Single Ladies.”
Cunningham failed to clear her opening height in the girls high jump at the Division I state track and field meet, a stunning development that left many fans at Del Sol wondering what went wrong for the Olympic hopeful.
Hey, even Stephen Curry misses a free throw now and again, right?
“My dad said it was bound to happen to me sooner or later because nobody goes through their whole career perfect,” Cunningham said. “So, I’m glad I got it out now.”
Cunningham, the daughter of former NFL and UNLV quarterback Randall Cunningham, set a national high school record in the high jump last month at 6 feet, 4¼ inches. She began the competition Saturday once the other jumpers were finished and set the bar at 5-10.
But on her first two attempts, Cunningham felt like she “stepped out of place when I jumped,” and the issue got in her head on her third and final try. That left Legacy’s Victoria Wuest, who cleared 5-3, as the state champion and the answer to a bit of trivia.
“The last one I don’t even remember that jump. My dad just said I didn’t look like I had any confidence,” Cunningham said. “I sum it up as this will never happen again. I’ll just keep my head on, and I won’t get angry at stuff like this. I’ll learn from it.”
Cunningham went directly from the high jump area to the long jump and, with the disappointment still fresh, soared 19-2½ on her first attempt to win the state title. Cunningham’s series included a mark of 19-1 and three jumps over 18 feet.
“I was really excited to long jump,” Cunningham said. “Some people only make it to state for one event, but I made it in two, and I knew I had to go win this one or go (set a personal record) because I needed the confidence. I really channeled my energy into that, and my dad really helped me get through it.”
Centennial opened Saturday’s meet with a state record in the girls 3,200-meter relay (9 minutes, 18.92 seconds) and finished with 109 points to win its fifth consecutive large-school team title.
Also, Monet Salazar continued Silverado’s rich tradition in the girls discus, as she won the state title with a throw of 132 feet, 6 inches.
Centennial’s boys held off Green Valley to win the team title with 107½ points. James Johnson won the triple jump (46-3) after entering as the No. 3 seed, and the Bulldogs set a meet record in the boys 1,600 relay (3:16.48).
Ian Mack won the boys 100 (10.66) and Brady Williams was first in the boys discus for Green Valley, which scored 80 points. Shadow Ridge set a meet record in the boys 400 relay (41.34).
In Division I-A, Cayla Nikodemus held off teammate Clarissa Maxey to win the girls 200 in a meet-record time of 24.75 and also was first in the girls long jump to propel Faith Lutheran to the team title with 125 points. Maxey tied the meet record while winning the girls 400.
Faith Lutheran also took home the boys team title with 95½ points led by 3,200 winner Chase Wood and triple jump champ Mark Rubalcaba.
Moapa Valley’s Caleb Witsken posted a meet record in the boys pole vault, clearing 16-0¼. It is the No. 3 mark in state history, regardless of class.
Abdirahman Mohamad of Desert Pines set a meet record in the boys 800 (1:55.84) and ran a leg on the Jaguars’ 1,600 relay that won in a meet-record time of 3:23.21.
In Division III, Jeneke Heerema won her fourth state title in the girls 1,600, and Delaney Gosse (high jump) and Dani Chami (pole vault) set meet records as The Meadows finished second to White Pine, 151-147, for the girls team title.
Spring Mountain won its second Division IV boys team title in the past three seasons.
Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidSchoenLVRJ.
