In the earliest years of track and field, the triple jump was known as the hop, skip and jump.
West Aurora senior DaVion Cross has taken the event to new heights at the state level.
“At the (DuPage Valley) Conference indoor meet — I guess it would have been his freshman year — he jumped 44 feet,” Blackhawks jumps coach Chuck Hilby said. “That was by far the best freshman jump I have ever coached. I knew then he was going to be pretty special.”
Cross has only improved in the last three years. He’s the two-time defending state runner-up in Class 3A triple jump.
Two years ago, Cross was defeated by his teammate, Chris Walker. The two would have continued the course last year had Lakes’ Cameron Ruiz not spoiled the party with a 50-6 effort on his final attempt.
That denied Cross a state championship. He had to settle for a second straight runner-up finish with a school-record leap of 49-9.25.
In the team standings, the Blackhawks were five points behind Sandburg for the third-place trophy. But the program still remains renowned among coaches in the Aurora area.
“They are just a solid, solid track team, especially in the jumps,” Batavia coach Dennis Piron said. “The nice thing about them is the level of competition they bring. It brings an excitement, because they are so good. They are a fun team to go against.”
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West Aurora junior Camron Donatlan is the defending state champion in the high jump. Cross’ twin brother, DaQuan, also was all-state in the high jump, finishing eighth.
“I feel so blessed,” Hilby said. “There are 500 coaches in the state who would like to have my job.”
DaVion Cross will be forever indebted to Walker, the state champion in the triple jump when Cross was a sophomore.
“He pushed me through because of the great athlete he was,” Cross said.
DaVion has been one of 12 state finals qualifiers in the triple jump all three years. He missed all-state status by two slots as a freshman.
“Freshman year was when it came that (the triple jump) was something I could do,” Cross said. “It’s not as easy as it seems. It is something you have to have.”
Cross will seek his ever-elusive first state title in the triple jump this spring.
As a running back/cornerback on West Aurora’s first football team go undefeated in the regular season in 68 years, Cross is up for the challenge.
“My ultimate goal is to finally get first place in the triple jump,” Cross said. “My goal is to get the triple jump state record.”
Cross, who also his eyes set on a state medal in the long jump, has one final wish for his last season as a three-sport athlete.
“I just want to have fun for my last months with the team,” he said.
There has been a widespread lament about the specialization of athletics at the high school level. Cross did not want to fit in that category.
“Being a three-sport athlete was being a student-athlete to me,” Cross said.
This will be Cross’ fourth varsity year of track. He also played three years in football and two years in basketball on the varsity level.
“I always knew I was going play football, basketball and track in high school,” Cross said.
Kevin McGavin is a freelance writer for the Beacon-News.