Streaks' Hafford soars to earn silver medal at NJ State Meet

By BRUCE BURATTI
The Express-Times
June 6, 2005

EGG HARBOR TWP., N.J. - Kristen Hafford keeps adding to her pole vaulting credentials with some big performances in some big meets.

The Warren Hills Regional junior turned in her best effort of the season Saturday and it earned her a second-place finish in the Group 3 girls pole vault at the 87th annual NJSIAA Track and Field Championships held at Egg Harbor Township High School .

Hafford cleared 12 feet - the second time she's reached that height this outdoor season and third counting indoors - to match Julianne Toto of Middletown South but had to settle for the silver medal on the basis of more misses. Toto, the winner of the girls high school championship at the Penn Relays in April, cleared 12 feet on her first attempt while Hafford cleared 12-0 on her second at Silver Eagle Stadium.

Hafford still had a chance to win the event by nearly clearing 12-6 after just she and Toto were left in the competition.

"On my second attempt (at 12-6), I thought I was over," Hafford said. "I saw the video of that vault afterwards and I was four of five inches over the bar. The bar hit my hip on the way down. Overall, I'm happy. I'm pleased because I really had a good look at 12-6."

Hafford and Toto know each other well personally because both are members of Mike Lawryk's Vertical Assault Club in Bath .

Coming into the competition at 10 feet, Hafford cleared that height as well as 10-6 and 11-0 on her first try. She made 11-6 and 12 feet on her second attempts.

It was also Hafford's third straight Group 3 medal. She finished third as a freshman in 2003 and fifth as a sophomore last year.

Hafford, the Warren County record-holder who's ranked fourth all-time in The Express-Times region, first cleared 12 feet at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions this past indoor season. She then made 12-0 in the Hunterdon-Warren Championships at Phillipsburg three weeks ago.

Hafford and Delaware Valley 's Tracy Fortugno were the only girls medalists Saturday from Hunterdon or Warren counties. Fortugno, competing in the Group 2 meet at Notre Dame of Trenton placed fourth by clearing 9 feet in the pole vault.