His goal was to better his previous-best jump. But Logan Renwick did better than that.

The incoming Butler Junior High eighth-grader did better than everybody at last weekend's USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis.

Renwick, 14, became the first member of the Butler Stealth Track Club ever to win a USATF national title when his triple jump of 40 feet, 11 inches topped the field of 24 competitors in that event.

"I never imagined winning it, not with the competition that was out there," Renwick said. "I was ranked No. 1 going in, but that doesn't really mean anything."

Renwick's previous-best distance in the triple jump was 40-7, which he accomplished at the regional in Allentown recently. Joey Thomas of Virginia entered nationals with a personal-best of 42-1 in the event.

Thomas finished second to Renwick, scoring a leap of 39-11.

"Everything was up to international standards at this event," said Jeff Renwick, Logan's father and coach of the Butler Stealth Club. "You never know the conditions in which kids have been jumping at other places.

"I felt coming in that Logan had a shot at winning, but he had to nail his best jump. And he did that right away."

Renwick's jump of 40-11 occurred on his first attempt.

"After that first jump, I left it up to the other athletes to get a better jump than me," he said. "I was really surprised when no one did."

Renwick set the Butler Junior High triple jump record of 39-7 last spring. He set the Western Pennsylvania USATF record for the boys 13-and-14 age group earlier this summer in a meet at Slippery Rock University.

The national record for that category is 43-2, which was set in 1998.

Other than Renwick's fourth-place finish in the hurdles at AAU nationals three years ago, a Butler Stealth Club member's previous-best finish at a national competition occurred five years ago. Francie Schmidt placed seventh in the long jump that season.

"Most of the other competitors in the triple jump were from warm-weather states where they could compete year-round," Coach Renwick said. "The third-place kid was from Charlotte (N.C.) and others were from Texas, California, Las Vegas, Mississippi - and they're going into ninth grade this year. That makes Logan's effort that much more meaningful."

Renwick also competed in the 100-meter hurdles at nationals and finished 15th.

Butler Stealth Club teammates Kristy and Emily Woods of Grove City also competed at nationals. Kristy Woods competed in the girls 15-and-16 age group and finished 10th in the shot put with a toss of 37-1¼. She was 28th in the discus with a throw of 92-4.

Emily Woods competed in the girls 13-and 14 division and finished 11th in the shot put (37-3) and 16th in the discus (85-4).

Renwick didn't have much time to enjoy his national title. He returned home from Indianapolis last Saturday and started football practice Monday for South Butler of the Butler Area Midget Football League. He plays quarterback.

He also plays basketball for the junior high team in the winter.

"You use different muscles in football, so it's tough at first," Renwick said of the transition. "But I'm used to going from one sport to another."