Haddonfield junior Rebecca Hoover on Saturday became only the 8th New Jersey girl to clear 12-8 in the pole vault with her historic win at the Camden County Championships.
That equals the No. 5 jump in state history and No. 2 in South Jersey history.
On her 12th jump of the day, Hoover cleared the bar at 12-8 at Haddon Township. The only South Jersey girl to get over the bar at a higher height is Shawnee’s Danielle O’Reilly, who cleared 13-5 indoors at the Armory in 2004 and 13-3 outdoors at Pennsauken.
She tied the New Jersey outdoor junior class record of 12-8 set by Leah Saifi of Governor Livingston at the 2016 East Coast Relays at Randolph and tied by Shreya Sathiyan of Morris Hills last week in a meet at Morris Hills. Caroline Dannenbaum of Pingry School cleared 12-10 ¼ as a junior indoors at Armory Nationals in 2019.
Hoover’s previous PR was 12-3 ¾ indoors at Boston Nationals in March, and her outdoor PR was 12-0 from a meet in Westfield last month.
Hoover passed until 10-6, and she cleared 10-6 , 11-0 and 11-6 on her first attempt. Meanwhile, Haddon Heights senior Quin Zacamy cleared 11-6 for the first time so Hoover had some company as the bar went up to 12-0.
Zacamy went out at 12-0 but still recorded a lifetime best for 2nd place. Hoover cleared 12-0 on her 2nd attempt and with the win secured had the bar raised to 12-4, which she cleared on her 3rd try, and then 12-6, which she cleared on her 1st. With the bar at 12-8, she missed twice before clearing. She shut down after that clearance.
All-Time New Jersey Outdoor Pole Vault List
13-5 ¼ … Hayley Horvath [Notre Dame], 2018
13-3… Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004
13-0 … Emma Keating [Pompton Lakes], 2023
13-0 … Caroline Dannenbaum [Pingry School], 2018
12-8 … Leah Saifi [Governor Livingston], 2016
12-8 … Shreya Sathiyan [Morris Hills], 2024
12-8 … Rebecca Hoover [Haddonfield], 2024
12-7 ½ … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018
12-7 ¼ … Nicole Pompei [Hanover Park], 2009
12-7 … Melissa Purcell [Pascack Valley], 2018
12-7 … Kelly Burke [Cranford], 2010
12-6 ¾ … Chelsea Vaughan [Southern Regional], 2012
12-6 ½ … Natalie Gengel [Princeton], 2004
12-6 ½ … Sydney Woods [Demarest], 2018
12-6 … Chrissy Finkel [Montville], 2008
12-6 … Jennifer Holly [Barnegat], 2008
12-6 … Riley Larson [Point Pleasant Borough], 2019
12-6 … Marlena Sabatino [Hillsborough], 2012
12-6 … Michelle Rubinetti [Demarest], 2017
12-6 … Emily Urciuoli [Clifton], 2010
12-6 … Jessica Ippolito [Fair Lawn], 2017
All-Time New Jersey Combined Indoor Outdoor Pole Vault List
13-5 ¼ … Hayley Horvath [Notre Dame], 2018 [o]
13-5… Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004 [i]
13-0 ¾ … Sydney Woods [Demarest], 2018 [i]
13-0 … Emma Keating [Pompton Lakes], 2023 [o]
13-0 … Caroline Dannenbaum [Pingry School], 2018 [o]
13-0 ½ … Leah Saifi [Governor Livingston], 2017 [i]
12-8 … Shreya Sathiyan [Morris Hills], 2024 [o]
12-8 … Rebecca Hoover [Haddonfield], 2024 [o]
12-7 ½ … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018 [i, o]
12-7 ¼ … Nicole Pompei [Hanover Park], 2009 [o]
12-7 … Melissa Purcell [Pascack Valley], 2018 [o]
12-7 … Kelly Burke [Cranford], 2010 [o]
12-6 ¾ … Chelsea Vaughan [Southern Regional], 2012 [o]
12-6 ½ … Natalie Gengel [Princeton], 2004 [o]
12-7 ½ … Chrissy Finkel [Montville], 2008 [i]
12-6 … Jennifer Holly [Barnegat], 2008 [o]
12-6 … Riley Larson [Point Pleasant Borough], 2019 [o]
12-6 … Marlena Sabatino [Hillsborough], 2012 [o]
12-6 … Michelle Rubinetti [Demarest], 2017 [o]
12-6 ½ … Emily Urciuoli [Clifton], 2010 [o]
12-6 … Jessica Ippolito [Fair Lawn], 2017 [o]
12-6 … Julianne Toto [Middletown South], 2005 [i]
12-6 … Julia Dannenbaum [Pingry School], 2017 [i]
12-6 … Michelle Rubinetti [Demarest], 2017 [i]
12-6 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024 [i]
12-6 … Francesca Porambo [Bernards], 2018 [i]
All-Time South Jersey Overall Pole Vault List
13-5 … Danielle O’Reilly [Shawnee], 2004 [i]
12-8 … Rebecca Hoover [Haddonfield], 2024 [o]
12-7 ½ … Ashley Preston [Delsea], 2018 [o]
12-6 … Hannah Byrd-Leitner [Moorestown], 2024 [i]
12-0 … Jessica Kloss [Moorestown], 2004 [i, o]
12-0 … Brittney Raffo [Seneca], 2017 [o]
12-0 … Fiona Basewitz [Collingswood], 2021 [o]
12-0 … Rebecca Hoover [Haddonfield], 2024 [i]
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 