It is difficult to put into perspective just how special Novella DeGraaf’s performance was at the state track and field finals.
A trio of top-three finishes is something not often seen – especially the way DeGraaf did it.
The Saugatuck junior was Division 3 state runner-up in the pole vault and finished third in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles.
We have seen distance runners do well in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 before, but that is again rare for a runner to do all three events, let alone at that high of a level.
We have seen throwers do well in both throws and jumpers do well in both jumps, but there have been very few performances both as versatile and elite as DeGraaf’s was on Saturday, May 30, at Kent City.
The only person who has put together this kind of a state meet is Zeeland East graduate Suenomi Norinh, who won three events (long jump, high jump, 300 hurdles) and finished second in another (110 hurdles), leading the Chix to a state championship.
DeGraaf finished state runner-up in the pole vault (10-9), third in the 100-meter hurdles (14.83) and third in the long jump (17-2) – all three performances breaking school records (two from previous state champions). And she did all of this on her comeback from a knee injury that kept her out of action for more than a year.
“I am really just beyond happy with how everything went. Coming back from the injury, I was able to push through and exceed my own expectations of what I thought I was going to be able to accomplish,” DeGraaf said. “This was supposed to be my redemption, and I think I redeemed myself.”
The historic performance put DeGraaf as the top hurdler and long jumper in the area this year.
So how was she able to do so well in three events all going on at the same time?
“I did a couple of vaults and a couple jumps, then I had to mentally prepare myself for the hurdle prelims then my coaches said I had to pole vault again, so I run over and do that, then I come back to warm up for hurdles, then I had to run over and do it again. So for me, it was just running around between the field events and prelims,” DeGraaf said. “”It was the most stressed and chaotic I have ever been at a meet. But this shows that I am versatile. I am able to compete at my best in several events. I am really just beyond happy with how everything went.”
Pole Vault
DeGraaf broke the school record set by state champion Sydnie Avery with a vault of 10-9.
After experimenting with a longer pole, she felt comfortable at the state meet.
“Two weeks before I was put on a new pole (longer) that I was getting used to but I felt like I was flying on that thing,” DeGraaf said. “There was a couple jumps where I was really iffy. At one point, I was down to 10-6 and I finally got that. Then I got 10-9 and with that jump (I was high enough) I know I could have gotten 11 feet. I am ecstatic because I did so great. I am looking forward to getting better and better because I know I can.”
Then it was back over to the long jump.
Long Jump
DeGraaf put together a leap of 17-2 to break the school record set by state champion Jillian Johnson.
This was the event that DeGraaf was the most unsure about because of her injury comeback and the amount of training she was able to put in during the season.
“Long jump was probably my weakest event but it really showed up for me,” she said. “My coaches have really helped me with my technique but also my mentality. And I jumped 17-2. It was one of my first jumps when I was really fresh.”
100 Hurdles
The prelims of the 100-meter hurdles was during the morning while the pole vault and long jump, leading to a morning of zig-zagging and racing back and forth around the track, leading to a stressful session.
“The prelims of hurdles was like a whirlwind. I crossed the finish line taking it like the final,” she said. “I ran my heart out because I knew I had to make it to the finals. I ended up 14.92, which I was not expecting to do at all. I had really good competition in the finals and again, I ran a better time, a 14.83. I gave it my all and really happy with my performance.”
As well she should be, it was a performance that was truly historic.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: A closer look at Novella DeGraaf’s historic Super Nova state finals for Saugatuck
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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By Dan D'Addona, Holland Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
