Warrenton junior Ruben Varnado snuck into the Class 4 state track meet with a pair of fourth-place sectional finishes in the shot put and discus, and wanted to use the experience as a springboard for future success.

He finished 16th in the shot put but posted a personal-best toss of 141 feet, 8 inches in the discus to finish 13th overall.

“It was fun,” he said. “The competition is really hard, obviously, and it was really tough. I just wanted to P.R. in both and place.”

Kirksville’s Robert Campbell won the discus with a final throw of 186-2.

Logan Blomquist won the shot put at 58-6 3/4.

Varnado beat his previous discus P.R. by four feet, which didn’t surprise his coaches.

“He had a P.R. last week in sectionals, and his shot has probably gone up 10 feet since the beginning of the year,” Warrenton Assistant Coach J.D. Klostermann said. “He’s just a kid who works hard every day. He’s the last kid out of the circle every practice.”

Varnado was honest about his competition in both events.

“They were throwing a lot better than I was,” he said. “They were just better, and I’m ready to get better.”

He plans on spending his summer in the weight room, preparing for football and next spring, as well.

He wants to work on his speed in the ring and his technique.

“He spends a lot of time on his own and at school watching videos of people who throw,” Klostermann said. “He’s always looking to stay after at meets and pick people’s brains. He just wants to get better.”

Varnado is expected to start on the offensive and defensive lines for the Warrenton football team in the fall, and he hopes to follow that up with another trip to Jefferson City as a senior.

“They’ve got to be a little nervous to get out here and experience this type of meet and see this many people,” Warrenton Head Track Coach Steve McDowell said. “It’s the best of the best, and it’s a great experience for everyone.”