Freeman high jumper Trenton Sandborn clears 7 feet, breaking school record | Track and field

May 23-Trenton Sandborn achieved a dream Saturday.

The Freeman senior cleared 7 feet in the high jump at the District 6 2B track and field meet at Whitworth.

"It felt really rewarding just to see all the work that I have put in finally pay off," said Sandborn, who has signed to continue his career at the University of Montana. "The last times I've been jumping at 7, I would be in my head so much (thinking) it looks so high. Today, I just looked at it and I was like I'm clearing it."

As it turned out, Sandborn broke his school record twice Saturday. He started the event by hitting 5-10 and 6-0 on first attempts before he passed until 6-6, which he made on the first attempt. He then made 6-10, equaling his previous best, and 6-11, both coming on first jumps.

The bar was placed at 7-0, and Sandborn missed on his first two jumps before clearing on the final attempt. He took three jumps at 7-1.

"Literally the whole meet stopped and (the crowd) was clapping," Freeman coach Isaac Swillie said about the moment Sandborn soared over the bar at 7-0. "Two out of three attempts (at 7-1) were close. It's makeable."

Sandborn told his coach he was going to do 7-0 Saturday.

"A little bit of manifestation there," Swillie said.

Sandborn is now tied for 15th in the nation in a year when there are multiple talented jumpers. He became the 31st jumper in Washington history to go 7-0 and the first to clear that height since 2018. The all-time record is 7-2 1/2 , set by the late Jakobe Ford of Shadle Park in 2017.

"I was really close at 7-1," Sandborn said. "I think I can go another two inches. And if I got 7-2, I'd raise the bar to 7-2 3/4 so I could get the (overall) record."

About 45 minutes after the historic jump, Sandborn won the 110-meter high hurdles in 14.23 seconds, breaking his school record (14.41) he set in a preliminary heat Thursday.

Next up for Sandborn is to break the 2B state meet high jump record (6-9). Bob Swannack, a Reardan High teacher and girls basketball coach, set the mark in 1989.

"He might beat it," Swannack said when contacted Saturday. "It's stood for almost 30 years, so it's about time."

Sandborn will go for a threepeat in the high jump when state is held Thursday through Saturday in Yakima. The high jump final is Friday afternoon.

He's the defending state champ in the 110 hurdles. The state meet record is 14.29.

"He unofficially broke the (2B) state records in both events," Swillie said. "It doesn't count because he has to do it at state."

Freeman won the state title last year and will be in the mix to repeat.

Sandborn qualified for state in two more events. He helped the 4x400 relay win and finished second behind teammate Tyson Gilbert in the 300 hurdles.

The Scotties won the boys and girls district titles.

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