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Keith Peterson has coached some amazing high jumpers at William Chrisman High School, including state champion Jason Clark, who won the Class 4 title five years ago.
But he’s never had an Examiner boys track athlete of the year, until now.
Unheralded junior Jordan Warner, who flew under the radar most of the season despite a stellar regular-season leading up to the biggest meet of the year, cleared 6 feet, 7 inches at the Missouri State Track and Field Championships in Jefferson City to bring home the lone Class 4 boys state title from The Examiner’s coverage area.
“Well, I’m a little bit biased, but I sure think Jordan deserves the honor,” Peterson said. “I’ve heard people say, ‘He just high jumps.’ Do you know all the hard work that goes into high jumping?
“It’s a very demanding sport, and I think that Jordan Warner is going to keep getting better and better.”
Warner enjoyed a memorable junior campaign, winning his specialty at the Liberty Invitational, the Independence City Championship, conference, sectional and state.
“He was so consistent all season. We had a good feeling going into state,” Peterson said. “And he came home with a first-place medal.”
Despite his success, The Examiner’s honor caught Warner off guard.
“I won the boys athlete of the year award?” Warner said. “That’s a surprise. I didn’t expect it, but I didn’t really expect to win state my first time (competing at the meet).
“I knew I had a good chance, but I didn’t really know if I could win. I was hoping to finish in the top two or three – but I’ll take first.”
Warner, who also plays basketball for the Bears, said he first started high jumping to improve his basketball skills.
“I was in eighth grade and I wanted to dunk the ball so I thought if I could high jump, I could dunk the ball,” Warner said. “I never really thought I’d be better at high jumping than basketball.
“I jumped five feet my first time and improved to 5-8 later in the year.”
Now, he’s constantly clearing the bar at 6-7 and has even topped 7-0 in practice.
“I’d like to go 7-0 or better at a meet next year,” he said, “but I’ll think about that next year. Right now, I’m going to enjoy this year.”
When asked if he could change anything about his state performance, he had a ready answer.
Keith Peterson has coached some amazing high jumpers at William Chrisman High School, including state champion Jason Clark, who won the Class 4 title five years ago.
But he’s never had an Examiner boys track athlete of the year, until now.
Unheralded junior Jordan Warner, who flew under the radar most of the season despite a stellar regular-season leading up to the biggest meet of the year, cleared 6 feet, 7 inches at the Missouri State Track and Field Championships in Jefferson City to bring home the lone Class 4 boys state title from The Examiner’s coverage area.
“Well, I’m a little bit biased, but I sure think Jordan deserves the honor,” Peterson said. “I’ve heard people say, ‘He just high jumps.’ Do you know all the hard work that goes into high jumping?
“It’s a very demanding sport, and I think that Jordan Warner is going to keep getting better and better.”
Warner enjoyed a memorable junior campaign, winning his specialty at the Liberty Invitational, the Independence City Championship, conference, sectional and state.
“He was so consistent all season. We had a good feeling going into state,” Peterson said. “And he came home with a first-place medal.”
Despite his success, The Examiner’s honor caught Warner off guard.
“I won the boys athlete of the year award?” Warner said. “That’s a surprise. I didn’t expect it, but I didn’t really expect to win state my first time (competing at the meet).
“I knew I had a good chance, but I didn’t really know if I could win. I was hoping to finish in the top two or three – but I’ll take first.”
Warner, who also plays basketball for the Bears, said he first started high jumping to improve his basketball skills.
“I was in eighth grade and I wanted to dunk the ball so I thought if I could high jump, I could dunk the ball,” Warner said. “I never really thought I’d be better at high jumping than basketball.
“I jumped five feet my first time and improved to 5-8 later in the year.”
Now, he’s constantly clearing the bar at 6-7 and has even topped 7-0 in practice.
“I’d like to go 7-0 or better at a meet next year,” he said, “but I’ll think about that next year. Right now, I’m going to enjoy this year.”
When asked if he could change anything about his state performance, he had a ready answer.
“I wish Pete (Peterson) could have seen me get my medal,” Warner said. “He worked so hard coaching me. I wish he could have been there when that medal was put around my neck.”
So why on earth would a dedicated coach miss the shining moment of his top performer’s season?
“I was in the back of an ambulance going to a hospital in Jefferson City with an irregular heart beat,” Peterson said. “I’d have prefered being there with Jordan, but I was having chest pains and they said I better get to a hospital.”
When Warner found out that Peterson was having health problems, he called his coach’s cell phone.
“He was there when I cleared 6-7, but he didn’t know that that wound up being the winning jump,” Warner said. “I called him and found out he was doing OK, so I felt better.
“I just hope I can win it again next year, and Pete can be there to help me celebrate.”
