West Linn's Warren Stanton Reflects on His Surprising High Jump District Championship

Showcasing his best at the perfect time, Stanton earns his way into the Class 6A state championships

West Linn senior Warren Stanton clears a personal-best height of 6 feet, 6 inches during the boys high jump competition at the Three Rivers League district track and field championships. / Dan Brood

OREGON CITY, OREGON – It’s said that timing is everything.

Well, for West Linn High School senior Warren Stanton, it sure seems to be.

Stanton found the absolutely perfect time to have his best-ever day high jumping. And, as opposed to two years ago, the timing is right for Stanton to travel to Hayward Field in Eugene for the Class 6A state track and field championships, which will be held this Friday and Saturday.

And Stanton will be competing at the state meet as a district champion. In what could easily be called a surprise, Stanton topped the field to win the high jump title at the Three Rivers League district championships, held Friday, May 23, at Pioneer Memorial Stadium.

“It feels great. It’s always been one of my goals,” an overjoyed Stanton said prior to receiving his district championship medal. “In my sophomore year, I got second place, so it was definitely one of my goals to come in here and do something new. It definitely feels good, because it’s my last year, and I’m jumping against a bunch of younger guys. I know they’re going to be hella good next year.”

West Linn senior Warren Stanton smiles and celebrates after clearing 6-6 in the high jump event at the Three Rivers League district track and field championships. / Dan Brood

Stanton was pretty darn good himself at the district meet.

He entered the high jump competition as the No. 4 seed with a season-best height of 6 feet, 2 inches. He ended up blowing that personal-best mark away, as he triumphed with a height of 6-6.

“I don’t know why that happened today,” Stanton said. “It’s the good weather, I had a good warm up, and I trusted myself when I got to the bar.”

Stanton cleared 5-10 and 6-0 on his first attempt at each of those heights at district. He got over 6-1 on his second try. The next height, 6-2.25, was the big one, as that was the state qualifying standard. Stanton got over that on his second attempt.

West Linn senior Warren Stanton poses with friends and teammates during competition at the Three Rivers League district track and field championships. / Dan Brood

“Every time the bar went up, I prepared myself,” Stanton said. “I didn’t expect to go this far as well. But I knew it was a good day when I qualified for state.”

But he wasn’t done yet.

Stanton cleared 6-3.5 on his first try, while no other competitor cleared the bar, making Stanton the district champion.

By that time, Stanton’s cheering section – teammates and friends – kept growing bigger and louder.

“That helps so much having that support, and it gives me a bunch of energy before each approach,” Stanton said.

With that energy, he soared over 6-5 on his third try and then got over 6-6 on his initial attempt. He ended up going out at 6-7.25, but was greeted with high-fives, hugs and plenty of smiles after walking away from the pit.

“No, I didn’t expect it. If you would have told me that I’d get 6-6 today, I wouldn’t believe you,” Stanton said. “My main goal today was to qualify for state. I wanted that to be a goal with all of my friends, too. Everybody qualifying, that’s all that matters.”

West Linn senior Warren Stanton, here barely missing at an attempt at 6-7.25, looks to be one of the top competitors in Saturday’s boys high jump event at the Class 6A state track and field championships. / Dan Brood

For Stanton, it wasn’t his first time qualifying for the Class 6A state meet. As a sophomore, he placed second (the top two placers at district automatically qualify for state) at the TRL district meet in the high jump with a height of 5-9. But Stanton wasn’t able to go to the state event that year.

“There was a little accident in the family, so I wasn’t able to make it. I was glad to qualify then, but it wasn’t the same when it was 5-9 at the time. Having gone 6-6 now, that’s definitely a huge difference,” Stanton said. “Ever since then, I feel like I missed out so bad. I’ve been hoping that I would get to go to Eugene this year, get the experience of going to state. I’m really excited.”

Even with that motivation, Stanton, who also played for the West Linn boys basketball team that placed third at the Class 6A state tournament, didn’t exactly get off to a flying start to his senior track and field season.

“I came in late because of basketball,” Stanton said. “I missed the first meet, and the next three meets after that were mediocre. I was jumping 5-8, 5-10.”

So, what kept him going?

“It was practice with (West Linn sophomore) Isaac (Compaore) and Coach Ericka (Anderson),” Stanton said. “Isaac always pushes me. Me and him have always been neck-and-neck. We always jump the same. He pushes me, I push him. We always told each other that we were going to go to state together. Now, we did it.”

Compaore will join Stanton at this year’s state meet after placing second at the district meet with a height of 6-2.25.

Speaking of the state meet, Stanton went from his “mediocre” start to the season to looking to be one of the top competitors in Saturday’s Class 6A boys high jump event.

His 6-6 mark has him as the No. 3 seed for event, behind just second-seeded Joseph Clevenger of South Medford, who also had a height of 6-6 in district competition, and top-seeded Sandy sophomore Topher Gabel, who has a state-best mark of 6-10.

“Yeah, I’m one of the top in the state now. I surprised myself,” Stanton said with a smile. “I felt like I surprised a lot of other people, too. So, when I’m there, it’s a whole new mindset. I’m going for bigger goals now. I just want to look good on the podium. If I get on the podium at all, I’d feel great.”