From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Delsea senior Ashley Preston, one of the top pole vaulters in state history, cleared 12-6 Saturday to place second in the Meet of Champions at the Bennett Center in Toms River.

Preston took second to Haley Horvath of Notre Dame on misses. Both tied the meet record originally set in 2008 by Barnegat’s Jen Holly and matched in 2009 by Montville’s Chrissy Finked and in 2012 by Southern Regional’s Chelsea Vaughan.

Preston’s 12-6 is the top non-winning jump in meet history. The previous best second-place finish was 12-0, achieved three times, most recently by Marlena Sabatini of Hillsborough in 2012.

Preston is the Gloucester County record holder indoors with her 12-7 earlier this at a meet at the Bennett Center in January. The previous Gloucester County record was just 10-6.

Preston ranks No. 4 in state history indoors and No. 5 in state history on the combine indoor and outdoor list. She’s second to Shawnee’s Danielle O’Reilly, the former indoor national champion, on both lists. O’Reilly had clearances of 13-5 indoors and 13-3 outdoors in 2004.

The indoor Meet of Champions PR didn’t start until 2005, so O’Reilly never had a chance to compete indoors in the M-of-C.

Preston’s 12-6 is the best ever by a South Jersey girl in the Meet of Champions pole vault indoors. The previous best was an 11-6 by Melissa Gale of Millville for second place in 2006.

Preston’s PR coming into this season was 11-0.

Preston’s outdoor best is 11-0 from sectionals in 2016. She’s been over 12-6 or higher in four of her last six meets — state relays, a SJTCA  meet at the Bennett Center, sectionals and Meet of Champs. She placed eighth on Tuesday at Easterns with an 11-7 clearance.

She and teammate Madison Mamounis [10-0] set a meet record of 22-6 to win the state Group 2 relays title.

Here’s the all-time state indoor list
13-5 … Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004
13-0 1/2 … Leah Saifi [Governor Livingston], 2017
12-7 1/2 … Chrissy Finkel [Monroe Twp.], 2008
12-7 … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018
12-6 1/2 … Emily Urciuoli [Clifton], 2010
12-6 1/4 … Melissa Purcell [Pascack Valley], 2018
12-6  … Julianna Toto [Middletown South], 2005
12-6 …  Jennifer Holly [Barnegat], 2008
12-6  … Chelsea Vaughan [Southern Reg.], 2012
12-6 … Michelle Rubinetti [Northern Valley-Demarest], 2016
12-6  … Haley Horvath [Notre Dame], 2018
12-6 … Francesca Porambo [Bernards], 2018
12-6  … Julia Dannenbaum [Pingry], 2017

And the all-time New Jersey combined indoor and outdoor list:
13-5 … Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004 [i]
13-0 1/2 … Leah Saifi [Governor Livingston], 2017 [i]
12-7 1/2 … Chrissy Finkel [Monroe Twp.], 2008 [i]
12-7 1/4 … Nicole Pompei [Hanover Park], 2009 [o]
12-7 … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018 [i]
12-7 … Kelly Burke [Cranford], 2010 [o]
12-6 1/2 … Emily Urciuoli [Clifton], 2010 [i]
12-6 1/2 … Natalie Gengel [Princeton], 2005 [o]
12-6 1/4 … Melissa Purcell [Pascack Valley], 2018 [i]
12-6  … Julianna Toto [Middletown South], 2005 [i], 2008 [o]
12-7 1/2 …  Jennifer Holly [Barnegat], 2008 [i]
12-6 1/2  … Chelsea Vaughan [Southern Reg.], 2012 [i]
12-6 … Michelle Rubinetti [Northern Valley-Demarest], 2016 [i], 2017 [o]
12-6  … Haley Horvath [Notre Dame], 2018 [i]
12-6 … Francesca Porambo [Bernards], 2018 [i]
12-6  … Julia Dannenbaum [Pingry], 2017 [i]
12-6 … Marlena Sabatino [Hillsborough], 2012 [o]
12-6 … Jessica Ippolito [Fair Lawn], 2017 [o]
12-6 … Anna Heim [Moorestown], 2010 [o]