Jordan Cress: Olin's 'exclamation point'

OLIN -- In all likelihood, Olin High School's athletics existence will cease in late May, at the state track meet.

"My coach (Rich Ginn) and I have talked about that," said Jordan Cress, defending Class 1A state champion in the high jump.

"We've talked about ending it with an exclamation point."

Declining enrollment -- the high school consists of about 40 students and is one of the five smallest in the state -- is forcing Olin to surrender its athletics programs after the spring. Olin students will enter a whole-grade athletics sharing agreement with Anamosa in the summer.

Assuming Cress returns to the state meet next month, his appearance probably will be the Lions' last hurrah.

Chances are good that he'll send the school out with a bang. He's that good, despite the fact that his school doesn't have a track, and that the indoor pit is inadequate.

"Our pit in the gym is just 12 feet by 6 feet, and he never jumps without me standing right there to watch," Ginn said.

Cress' sports career could have ended abruptly two years ago, when he broke his collarbone so bad that doctors advised against competing in sports again.

But after a major surgery, the collarbone was rebuilt and Cress was back at it. He even resumed playing football last fall.

Cress is four-sporter. In addition to football, he plays basketball -- "We had our first winning season (last winter) in who knows how long," he said -- and baseball.

But track is where the senior really shines. He has long jumped more than 20 feet and runs in sprint relays.

Outside of the non-classed Drake Relays and big indoor meets, Cress is undefeated in the high jump the last two years. He cleared 6 feet 7 inches to win the 1A title last year, and has gone 6-8 on several occasions this year.

He uses the lower heights as practice, making up for the lack of jumping opportunities on quality surfaces. He doesn't measure out his steps, relying more on hunch, then letting talent do the rest.

"If I can get him to 6-8, just imagine what they can do for him in college," Ginn said.

Cress will walk on at Iowa State University, where he'll major in computer science.

"The coaches there seem to think I have 7-foot potential," Cress said.

Like most high-jumpers, Cress is tall. He stands 6-4, but he's not overly leggy.

"He is longer through the torso, and he's extremely flexible," Ginn said.

"He's a heck of an athlete, and he's a good kid who keeps his nose clean. He wants to be good. He wants to be remembered."