Notre Dame's Barber finishes 2nd in 400 meters at Class 3 state meet

Senior Jordan Barber led the way for the Notre Dame track and field team at the Class 3 state meet in Jefferson City, Mo., over the weekend.

Barber finished second in the 400 meters in 48.47 seconds behind Cardinal Ritter senior Charles Jones, Jr., to take silver and earn all-state during Saturday's meet on the campus of Lincoln University.

"It felt good," Barber said. "I warmed up, stretched really good and that's about it ... and ate a good breakfast."

Barber was also on Notre Dame's 3,200 relay team that placed 10th. Barber, along with Nick LeGrand, Rudy McClellan and Jacob Meadors finished in 8 minutes, 16.76 seconds.

Barber has often been one of the leading runners on Notre Dame's boys track and field team. He advanced to the state meet by winning the sectional 400 in 49.12 seconds.

"It was worth it at the end," he said. "I had fun and built a great relationship with my friends."

He was second only to Jones' Class 3 state meet record time of 47.01.

Junior Bobby Jansen also earned all-state in the high jump for the Bulldogs. Jansen was among four athletes that cleared 6 feet, 4 inches to tie for sixth place.

"My goal was to get all state, but I didn't know if it would happen," Jansen said, "I was trying to remain optimistic."

The competition was tough, with a pair of seniors both clearing 6-10.

"There was a great guy there," Jansen said. "He jumped seven feet and he won the whole thing. He was so fast and he had the best springs I've ever seen. He just jumped outstanding."

Jansen was referring to Southern Boone County's Landon Bartel, the defending state champion. Bartel, who improved on his junior performance by 2 inches, matched the Class 3 record set by Logan-Rogersville's Michael Greer set in 1989.

"There was another guy [Harvey Kendall] from Grandview who was right up there with him," Jansen said. "It was just very entertaining to watch once I got out."

Notre Dame finished with 12.5 points to place 18th in the team standings on the boys' side. For the girls, senior Marissa New earned all-state with a sixth-place in the discus with a throw of 118-7.

Jansen already was looking forward to next season.

"Just all the work we put in, it paid off," he said. "We're not done. I'm hoping we can do even better next year and even win the whole thing. I'm hoping I can win. I want to say that's my goal. It's a pretty big long shot, but I'm hoping I can do it and win the whole thing."

BOYS

Top 10 Team Scores -- 1. (tie) Grandview, Liberty North 64; 3. Festus 49; 4. McCluer South-Berkeley 38; 5. Warrensburg 37; 6. (tie) Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory, Southern Boone County 30; 8. John Burroughs 24; 9. St. Charles 21; 10. Helias Catholic 19

Local (Notre Dame) results

400 -- 2. Jordan Barber 48.47

1,600 -- 7. Rudy McClellan 4:29.96

3,200 relay -- 10. (Jordan Barber, Nick LeGrand, Rudy McClellan, Jacob Meadors) 8:16.76

High jump -- 6. (tie) Bobby Jansen (ND), Lamont Allen (DeSoto) 6-4; 9. Collin Boner (ND) 6-3

GIRLS

Top 10 Team Scores -- 1. Grandview 63; 2. McCluer South-Berkeley 58; 3. Ste. Genevieve 53.5; 4. Lutheran South 51; 5. Festus 41; 6. John Burroughs 34; 7. St. Clair 30; 8. Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS) 29; 9. Lincoln College Preparatory 22; 10. DeSoto 21

Local (Notre Dame) results

Discus -- 6. Marissa New (ND) 118-07