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Those present at the Greene County Track and Field Meet Monday at Dick Hamann Track in Carrollton saw history in the making as Logan Ross cleared 6-10 in the high jump.
North Greene’s Ross was over the bar at 7-0 on his third attempt, but he nicked it on the way down and initially it landed on the standards but then floated to the ground. A seven-foot high jump at the high school level, in a word, is phenomenal. Never before had Carrollton fans witnessed someone clearing 6-10 in the high jump at the Dick Hamann Track.
The fence outside the high jump was lined with people with their eyes focused on Ross battling with his hometown Carrollton opponent Cody Leonard. Ross had one way to describe his career high jump – “it was an awesome adrenaline rush.”
“Seven foot is my goal right now,” Ross said. “I am taking it one step at a time. My other goal is to win state in the high jump. The conditions were perfect for jumping today; I couldn’t have asked for better.”
Ross is only 6.75 inches away from the U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying mark and is a senior in high school with four years of college eligibility ahead.
“I would like to be a decathlete in college,” Ross said. “I think if a college coach gets a hold of me it will hopefully lead to bigger and better things.”
Ross was an exceptional football player for North Greene this past fall, running the ball, receiving and also kicking several long field goals. He was a three-sport star and also an excellent basketball player. On Monday, Ross posted three first places individually. He won the 200 meters in 23.3 seconds and the long jump with a distance of 20-1/4.
Leonard and Ross have been cross-county rivals in the high jump for several years, along with other sports. Leonard has been nursing an ankle injury for much of the track and field season, but he cleared 6-2 easily and appears destined to clear additional heights later in the season. Leonard’s goal is to make state and to continue to improve to that point, Hawk coach Kara Hurst said.
“Cody is getting there,” Hurst said. “We are hoping he will get a PR (personal record) in the high jump by the end of the year.”
Leonard won the pole vault, clearing 7-6, and also was third in the 100 meters in showing his speed with a time of 12.2 seconds. Leonard was a football and basketball star for Carrollton, helping guide the Hawks’ football team to a second-place finish at state.
One of the most impressive things of Monday’s meet was watching Leonard and Ross compete so fiercely with each other in the high jump, yet when it was over, seeing Leonard, the good sport, shaking Ross’ hand extending congratulations, and Ross also extending his encouragement back to Leonard. In essence, the two competitors showed class not always witnessed in athletics.
Wade Prough of Carrollton won the 100 meters with a time of 12 seconds. Carrollton’s Ben Baumgartner was another star of the meet, winning the 3,200 in 11:59 and 1,600 in 5:28.6. Chase McAdams won the shot put with a throw of 45-5 for Carrollton and Baily Schnettgoeke and Marcus Lippert finished 1-2 in the discus with throws of 138.-2 and 137-0.
Carrollton was first in the boys’ team standings with 68 points, slightly ahead of North Greene with 66 and Greenfield with 46. Victories like the Leonard win in the pole vault and McAdams in the shot put and relays proved to be a key factor in the team triumph.
On the girls’ side, Sydney McClenning of North Greene was a double winner in the 1,600 (6:50); and 3,200 (14:27). Shayla Reardon was a double winner for North Greene in the 100 (13.3) and 200 meters (28.1). Olivia Waters of Carrollton won the long jump with a distance of 16-1/2 and high jump with a leap of 5-0. Carrollton’s Claire Meyer won the pole vault, clearing 7-6.
North Greene won the girls meet with 68 points, followed by Carrollton with 58 points and Greenfield with 56 points.
WIVC Highlights for Carrollton on Tuesday
Claire Meyer taking first in the triple jump with a leap of 32-3.
New PR for the 4x800 girls relay team, taking first with a time of 11:37. The team consisted of Kara Evans, Maddy Custer, Claire Meyer and McKayla Schnettgoecke.
Chase McAdams and Baily Schnettgoecke went 1-2 in the shot put and Lippert and Schnettgoecke were Carrollton’s top two finishers in the discus.
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