Boyle County senior Molly Wise has set a new personal best in each indoor meet this season. (Anna Garcia Photo)
At the Class AA state track meet last spring Molly Wise placed fifth in the long jump with a leap of 16 feet, 10 1/4 inches. She has spent time her senior season as my intern. I’ve had a chance not only to get to know her in media settings but also see the incredible amount of work she puts into her track career, including 6 a.m. workouts with a personal coach.
Wise, who also played volleyball, recently committed to Division I Richmond for her collegiate track career and the Spiders have to love what they are seeing from her. Every indoor meet, she has broken her personal best of 17-1 from last season.
Her best performance came Saturday at the Louisville Indoor Games at the new Norton HealthCare Sports and Learning Center that attracted about 1,200 high school athletes from 12 states.
Why was her 17-10 1/2 jump so impressive?
— It was top long jump in all three classes in Kentucky this indoor season by 11 inches.
— It broke the Boyle County High School all-time indoor long jump record by over three feet.
— It was the No. 2 jump all-time at the Louisville Indoor Games.
— It was the No. 3 all-time jump in the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Facility for a high school competitor.
— It was the No. 3 all-time indoor jump in Class AA.
— It was the No. 6 all-time indoor jump in all three state classes.
— It was only 2.5 inches away from the all-time best Class AA jump.
If that is not enough to impress you, Wise’s jump would have been good enough to place second in each of the three classes at the 2021 outdoor state championships.
Her trainer, Mark Brumett, said her first jump in Louisville was a “slight foul of about one inch” and was 18-6. He also noted that on her winning jump she took off about five inches behind the board.
Her former Boyle coach, Daylen Morris, who is now a Mercer County assistant, joked on Twitter that “someone is trying to make a name for themselves” in the state of Kentucky with her indoor performance. He predicted a jump over 18 feet, and maybe 19 feet, could be “coming very soon” for Wise.
“Most people don’t jump very well indoors because there are not as many meets and you don’t have a lot of time or facilities to train,” Wise said. “It’s more unusual to do your best indoors, so that’s why I am very hopeful about what is still to come.”
Garrard County’s Emma Lawerence won the Class AA long jump title last year with a leap of 19 feet (she’s now competing for Boston College). Kendall Burgess took Class A with a jump of 19-1/2. Marshall County’s Sophie Galloway, who is now at Kentucky, won Class AAA with an 18-10 3/4.
Wise has two indoor meets left — the UK Invitational Saturday and then the state championships back in Louisville.
“I really believe I can still do a lot more,” Wise said.
