By Kory CarpenterRecord Sports EditorThe first time Warrenton head softball coach Trevor Hibbs saw Jenny Jansen, she was a middle-school student practicing on the high school field.It didn’t take long for Hibbs to know the future was bright for Jansen, the Warrenton softball program and himself.“I knew she was going to be special,” Hibbs said. “Her and Kaylee (Anderson) were practicing up there together and I could see their footwork and said, ‘Wow, these girls are ahead of their time.’ ”Four years after that initial sighting, Jansen is fresh off her third appearance on the Class 3 All-State team and was named the 2015 GAC Player of the Year.Jansen, who verbally committed to play softball at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, hit .581 for the Warriors while anchoring the defense at shortstop.In conference play, the junior led the team with a .677 average. She collected 21 hits in 31 at-bats and drove in 15 runs while guiding the Warriors to a perfect 10-0 league record.She finished the season with 14 doubles, 42 RBIs and 51 runs scored.Hibbs said Jansen practices like she plays, hard.She also sought out tough competition over the summer to prepare her for a run at the state championship.“She played at a higher level over the summer, and I really think that helped her game,” Hibbs said. “She’s seen Division I pitchers, so when you’ve seen that, everything else becomes a little bit easier.”

Jenny Jansen connects on a pitch earlier this season. Jansen led the Warriors to the Class 3 state championship and was named GAC Player of the Year.   Bill Barrett photo.