LAKEWOOD | Going into her last attempt of the finals in the Class 5A girls long jump Thursday morning, Zenobia Witt called on the crowd for some help.
Eaglecrest’s fantastic freshman started a rhythmic clap that caught on in the stands at Jefferson County Stadium and she fed on the energy as she ran down the runway and launched herself to a state championship-winning jump.
Witt’s final jump of 19 feet, 9 1/2 inches, put her in front of Cherokee Trail junior Kaeli Powe at the time and the mark held up after Powe’s last attempt to give her the state title.
“I knew I really had to up my game (in the finals) because my friend Kaeli already jumped 19-8 and I knew I had to really go after it if I wanted to win,” Witt said. “I worked my way up throughout the finals and gave it all I got and stayed with my composure regardless of the result.”
The win was not only a personal record, but also a school record for Witt.
It was a very successful event for Aurora, as three of the top five placers were from local programs. Powe’s 19-8 in prelims had her in the lead for much of the event and she finished second, while Rangeview’s Maddie Kilmer jumped 17-6 to place fifth.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
