JHS high jumper is new State Class B champion

Avery Stiles, a Jefferson High sophomore, was crowned the State Class B High Jump Champion Saturday with his leap of 6 feet 6 inches. He was the only competitor at the B State meet to clear that height, after his two nearest competitors, a Bigfork freshman and a Joliet junior, each got over 6’4”.

All six of the top finishers in the event were underclassmen who could conceivably be back next year. Three juniors, two sophomores and one freshman were in the field. Kyle Hotvedt of Manhattan was the only other point earner from the Panthers’ conference, taking fifth at six feet even.

This was the second time Stiles has finished on the high jump awards stand at State, and with two more years of high school, it is not likely to be his last. He set a new JHS record at the first meet this season by jumping 6’7”, a mark he was not able to repeat the rest of the season.