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By Tim Morris

Whether its soaring above the rim for a rebound or dunk shot or lifting himself over the high jump bar, Freehold Township High School’s Steve Staklinski loves elevating.

“[Jumping] comes easy to me,” he said. “I love jumping.”

As to whether he prefers dunking or clearing a high jump, Staklinski said both are an amazing feeling.

Before this spring, Staklinski would not talk about the thrill of breaking school records.

“I used the high jump for basketball,” he said. “Spring track wasn’t my thing. I would show up and surprise myself.”

Staklinski may have to change his priorities after breaking the Patriots’ school high jump record with his leap of 6-8¼ at the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV championship, which was good enough to make him the sectional winner.

The Central Jersey title provided some small consolation for the one that got away during the basketball season, when Freehold Township lost the Central Jersey, Group IV title game on a buzzer-beater to Colts Neck High School.

As Staklinski noted, it was basketball that got him into high jump. It started his freshman year when basketball coach Brian Golub, who is an assistant coach on the track team, saw some potential for jumping and hurdling and talked him into giving track a try. Staklinski did the hurdles as well as the high jump, long jump and triple jump. He narrowed his jumping to the high jump this year and improved his personal best from 6-2 to his school record of 6-8¼.

Rather than any one thing, the 6-foot-3 Staklinski credited his record to experience and working hard in practice.

“Technique is  very important,” he said. “It develops over time, and I’ve gotten stronger.”

Staklinski quickly took his personal best to 6-4 early this season but seemed stuck there until the sectional championships at Hillsborough High School.

“I felt good,” he said, looking back on the day of the competition over the Memorial Day weekend. “My legs felt great.”

He got out of his slump and won the sectional title when he lifted himself over the bar at 6-6. Next up was to give the school record a try. K.C. Acampora held the record at 6-8 since 1990, so Staklinski had the bar set at 6-8¼ to go for the mark and he made it.

“It was amazing,” he said. “It still hasn’t hit me.”

He now ranks fourth all-time among Freehold Regional High School District high jumpers and he has a year remaining to improve further. He’s also headed to the NJSIAA Meet of Champions (MOC) June 8, when he will take his place with the rest of the best jumpers in the state.

It’s a far cry from the jumper who topped out at 5-10 as a freshman and 6-2 as a sophomore.

Staklinski is finding more enjoyment in high jumping and is talking about 6-10 and above. He is no longer just going to show up and surprise himself. He now sees the potential for his high jumping taking him to college if basketball doesn’t.

The Patriots’ standout has one more chance this spring to build on his momentum and improve on his personal best at the MOC at Central Regional High School. Staklinski jumped 6-4 at the Group IV championships last weekend at Egg Harbor Township High School. It was good enough for fifth place and trip to the MOC.

“All that mattered was getting to the MOC,” he said.