San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
EASTLAKE HIGH-JUMPING TEAMMATES LOOKING AT RAREFIED AIR
In the almost half-century since there has been boys and girls high school track, only two times have athletes from the same school captured the San Diego Section high jump.
San Diego High’s Yusuf Hasan (6-foot, 8-inches) and Mesha Stallings (5-2) swept in 1992, while Rancho Bernardo’s Keno White (6-8) and Shalane Gutierrez (5-2) did the same in 2002.
It’s significant only because this year also ends in a 2, and it would surprise no one if a pair of Eastlake High jumpers accomplish the rare feat.
Marcaria Moore-bastide, who leads the section girls at 5-7 this spring, and Justin Cardoza, who cleared 6-8 last year and has already gone 6-6, are off to fast starts.
Consider that Cardoza always seems to save his best for late in the season.
“I need to get back in the groove, but 6-10 is a definite possibility and 7-foot is the ultimate goal,” Cardoza, 18, said. “I hit my 6-8 late in the season last year, and I really just started high jumping this year.
“My form is my strength. I think the physical part of high jumping is harder than the mental. I just need more meets to get back to 6-8 or better. You can’t predict what will happen, though. Whoever is better that day usually wins.”
Cardoza has what in basketball is called “hops,” as he stands just 6-foot-1. Thinking about soaring a foot over his head doesn’t intimidate him.
Moore-bastide, who is 510, has gone one better, placing the crossbar at her goal, 6 feet, and taking a few attempts, getting the upper part of her body over.
She cleared 5-2 a year ago.
“During the summer I worked with Cameron Gary and did a lot of video analysis,” said Moore-bastide, whose father Mike Ruvalcalva is the Eastlake high jump coach.
“It took a while to work things out. For example, I’d kick out instead of bringing my knee up during the jump. Although I have a goal of 6 feet, what I really want is to be consistent at 5-7 or 5-8.”
She certainly has the stature of a high jumper— tall and thin — and unlike Cardoza, she believes it’s the mental part holding her back, not the physical.
“When I jump, I try to put everything out of my mind, just go with the flow, not have a mark in mind,” said Moore-bastide, 17, who will continue jumping at San Francisco State next season.
“Normally I try to make my brain go blank. For goals, I look at the big picture, and that’s 6 feet. But I have imagined going that high in my mind.”
When Moore-bastide hit her 5-7 at the Bronco Invitational to start the season, she admits she was shocked.
“I went a PR (personal record) of 5-5, and then when I cleared 5-7 it was crazy,” she said. “I walked around in disbelief and even had a really good try at 5-8. And, while all of that is nice, my main goal is just to have fun and jump high.”
Co-head coach David Koopman is nothing if not optimistic.
“Justin should clear 6-10. He went over 6-6 by 6 inches,” Koopman said. “Macaria could easily jump her own height (5-10). At the next level (college) I expect them to get stronger and go 7 and 6 but you never know, they could do that this year.”
Koopman said the two teammates approach the event differently, with Cardoza being his own worst critic, while at the same time being eager to share what he has learned with everyone, including Moore-bastide, who does not put a lot of pressure on herself.
“They both rise to the level of competition,” Koopman said. “If it’s just a dual meet, they might stop when they win. At invitationals, they keep going.
“Justin also long and triple jumps, wanting to score points for the team, and Macaria could sprint or do something else, but we don’t want her to get injured.”
Could they become the third duo to win a section title?
“There’s a good chance,” Koopman said. “They have the talent. They’ll have to focus on the mental aspect, and anything can happen. But they’re special.”