Jonathan Alder senior Joey Walker goes up toward the bar during the Division II boys state high jump competition on Saturday. Walker went out of the event at 6-4. The state meet was held at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Just because an athlete wins a state championship one year, doesn’t necessarily mean the same type of success the following season.
Jonathan Alder High School senior Joey Walker went into the Division II boys state high jump championship on Saturday as the defending champion.
Walker captured the state title in 2021 with a leap of 6-8.
A repeat performance wasn’t meant to be this past weekend at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Walker bypassed the opening height of 5-10 and also waited until the bar had gone from 6-0 and 6-2 to 6-4.
He made three attempts at that height, but knocked the bar down each time.
That eliminated him from further competition and placed him 12th out of 18 jumpers. His height was listed at 6-2, even though he bypassed that bar setting.
“It’s very disappointing… I really don’t know what happened,” said Walker.
After a few minutes, he said. “My form was off.
“I didn’t rotate my hips or have a good pop off the ground.”
Those were two factors he said he would need when he talked to the Journal-Tribune last week.
Sean Kaminski of Huron won the event with a jump of 6-6, a height that Walker cleared three times during the 2022 season.
Brandon Cromer of Taft was the runner-up at 6-5.
The other competitors and their heights were as follows:
-Jermaine Foster, Glenville, third, 6-5;
-Josh Martin, Eaton, fourth, 6-5;
-Lucas Ray, Zane Trace, fifth, 6-5;
-Dariyonne Bryant, sixth, 6-4;
-Ayden Bath, Vermillion, seventh, 6-4;
-Dominic Malito, Girard, eighth, 6-4;
-Kayden Davis, Swanton, ninth, 6-4;
-Grant Butler, River Valley, tenth, 6-4;
-Logan Saylor, West Liberty-Salem, 11th, 6-2;
-Devon Bellomy, Fairland, 13th, 6-2;
-Kyle Maltarich, West Holmes, 14th, 6-2;
-Sam Lee, Toledo Central Catholic, 15th, 6-2;
-Micah Oliver, Elmwood, 16th, 6-0;
-Jaycob Kolleda, Brookside, 17th, 6-0;
-Cooper DeFrange, 18th, Woodridge, 5-10.
Although Walker’s prep career is over, his high jumping days are not.
Walker will become a member of the men’s track and field team at Penn State University.
“I feel Penn State is going to be a good fit for me,” he said. “They’ve got another high jumper who is also coming in as a freshman.”
Walker said he feels he’ll grow as a high jumper.
“I will go up against great competition in practices,” adding that will make him better in the event.