Athlete of the Week | High heights, high hopes for Crestwood's Hunter Yoder

In back-to-back weeks in April, Crestwood senior Hunter Yoder made a statement.

Back home at Jack Lambert Stadium, Yoder captured the Don Faix Invitational high jump title, finished runner-up in the discus and took sixth in the long jump.

A week later, a short drive west on State Route 82, Yoder won another high jump championship, at Aurora's John Kudley Invitational, and added runner-up finishes in the discus and long jump.

The places and titles were one thing.

The marks were another.

Last year, Yoder mostly threw in the 110 range in the discus, capping out just above 120 in the postseason. At Veterans Stadium, he easily set a personal record with a 135-07 at a time of year when most throwers are just beginning to warm up.

Last year, Yoder occasionally cleared six feet in the high jump, but didn’t do so consistently. This season, Yoder hit 5-11 at the Don Faix Invitational (up from 5-6 last year) and 6-2 at the John Kudley Invitational, setting another personal record.

“We're certainly not surprised at his success,” Red Devils coach Josh Jakacki said. “It was something that we kind of expected. We didn't think it would come this early, but he's focused, he's worked really hard on his craft. He wants to leave a mark here and is putting himself in position to do that.”

Hunter Yoder fueled by desire to excel when it matters most

As a junior, Yoder put forward some impressive marks.

Topping 120 in the discus and clearing 6-0 in the high jump put him in contention for conference titles and regional appearances.

Yoder fell just short of both, finishing 10th in the discus (120-7) and high jump (5-8) at last year's Lakeview District meet.

His best marks last season, on the other hand, would have made him a conference champion and regional qualifier.

That setback fueled Yoder's offseason.

That setback is part of how Yoder has made such massive leaps this year.

As Yoder put his junior season in the rearview mirror, he knew he had what it takes to qualify for Austintown and beyond.

The marks were clear.

The key, according to both Jakacki and Yoder, was consistency.

The goal, to focus on the high jump for a second, was to get to the point where 6-0 and 6-2 wasn't "a hope" or a height that Yoder occasionally cleared, but, rather, a height that he hit with regularity. A height he knew that he could hit anytime, any place.

Per Yoder, consistency is "more of a mental thing." So, for as much as he worked on his steps and the way he arches his back as he clears the bar in the high jump, Yoder spent just as much time focusing on mentality, and the results have already been noticeable.

“Another thing that I can say has been impressive this year is he hasn't got in his own way,” Jakacki said. “He's really been focused, determined, has a plan and has carried it out with a lot of success up to this point.”

Hunter Yoder has a clear focus

Focusing sometimes entails hard decisions.

Yoder's focus on avenging last year's frustrating finish and getting to regionals for the first time led him to give up basketball this season.

“It was definitely a hard decision and I had thought about it for a long time,” Yoder said. “Mainly what I was thinking was, 'Do I want to be good at two sports or do I want to be great at one?’”

In addition to giving up basketball, Yoder has also let the shot put fall to the side to put extra work into the discus.

While Yoder is singularly focused on a few track events now, he first found success on the football field, according to Jakacki.

“He was noticed on the football field first and then we were able to utilize his athleticism on the basketball court,” Jakacki said. “Then, it's all translatable stuff onto track and field.”

Whether it was the gridiron, the hardwood or track and field, it's clear that Crestwood athletics run deep for Yoder.

It's not just him.

His older sister, Taylor, was a softball standout for the Red Devils.

His mom, Chavon, ran the booster club.

For Yoder, it blurs together.

There's his family and the family he's found at Crestwood, a family he hopes to represent well at districts, regionals and beyond.

“It really just means family and the bond that I've grown over the years,” Yoder said, reflecting on more than a decade of Red Devils football along with his track career. “I've played football more years than I haven't, so those bonds just growing up and always being around Crestwood and sports, just it means family and dedication.”

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Athlete of the Week | High heights, hopes for Crestwood's Hunter Yoder