Jada Cole

In Jada Cole’s junior track and field season with Chautauqua Lake, she made it all the way to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships at Cicero-North Syracuse High School and finished in second place reaching a height of 5 feet, 5 inches.

The winner of the Division 2 state title just barely outdid Cole with a jump of 5-6.

Returning for her final track and field season of her career, Cole’s goal was to get back to the state stage and reach the top of the podium.

It was no surprise she made it back to states as the overall Section VI champion and she did it reaching 5-6, making her the favorite for the Class C state title in her senior season.

At Middletown High School, Cole had no problem clearing the bar on her first attempts at 5-0, 5-2 and 5-4. The only person to match Cole’s efficiency was junior Vanessa Trumble of Pulaski, putting the title on the line at 5-6 with four girls jumping.

Both Red Creek sophomore Mya Deferio and Williamson junior Madyson Storey missed all three attempts at 5-6, then both Trumble and Cole missed the first two attempts at 5-6.

However, Cole cleared the bar on her final attempt and Trumble did not, making her the 2025 New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C high jump champion. She did not clear her personal best of 5-7, but her efficiency reaching 5-6 put Cole at No. 4 on the overall Federation podium.

Cole ended her high school track and field career exactly where she wanted, on top of a podium at the state championships. She wrapped not just a fine high jump career, but overall track career in which she dominated many events for the Eagles.

Cole began her final track and field season with a bang as a triple winner at the Gator Relays in April, claiming titles in the 100 meters, high jump and the triple jump. She began the year with a 12.99 in the 100, 5-4 in the high jump and 32-5.5 in the triple jump.

She then doubled in the high jump and triple jump at the Jamestown Track and Field Classic, but took second in the 100 despite improving her time to 12.80.

At the Super 8 Best of the Best Meet, Cole had the same results, but continued to improve her time and distance while her high jump stayed the same. She just narrowly lost the 100 to Frewsburg’s Grace Lennon, 12.55 to 12.57, and she won the triple jump at 36-3.5 which became her new personal best in both events.

Then, in championship season Cole shined brightest, starting with winning two titles at the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association championships in the high jump and the triple jump, while placing second in the 100. She then won the Section VI Class C title in high jump at 5-4, while taking second in the triple jump and third in the 100.

At the state qualifiers, Cole just focused on the high jump and triple jump, taking second in the triple jump with a distance of 35-1.5 and Tapestry’s Janee Long won the Class C title and overall championship with a jump of 39-3.

However, Cole’s main focus was booking a trip to Middletown and retaining her overall Section VI high jump championship. Not only did she fend off the competition in Section VI, but she blew them away with the runnerup Addie Miller of East Aurora clearing 5-4 and Cole going on for a personal-best 5-7.

That set the table for Cole to be able to finish her track and field career with a state championship medal in Middletown.

Not only is Cole leaving her track and field career behind as a state champion, but as the 2025 OBSERVER/Post-Journal Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year.