Nixa, Missouri's and Nixa High School junior Jackson Cantwell sported a University of Miami Football T-shirt in a nod to the school's offensive line coach, who made the trip to the Kansas City suburb of Liberty Friday. The coach wanted to keep the Hurricanes' recruiting pitch going and cheer on one of, if not the most coveted football players in the class of 2026, at the 2nd edition of the Ken Peek Invitational, formerly the Liberty North Invitational, at Liberty North High School.
Cantwell recently narrowed his college choice down to Georgia, Oregon, Miami, and Ohio State. He visits Oregon this weekend and will announce his College decision in the middle of May.
Cantwell improved on his US #1 shot put with a 22.42 meter/73-6.75" toss before a personal record and US#6 62.79 meter /206-0 discus toss, claiming two event titles.
Cantwell's fellow Nixa juniors Hayden Mays and Dylan Terry placed 3rd and 9th in the shot put at 59-9.75 and 50-2.25, just 2.25 inches from a 70-60-50' club at the school. Mays also placed 3rd in the discus with a 56.78m/186-3 toss.
Cantwell talked about the offensive tackles who were drafted Thursday night in the NFL Draft's first night, as well as the goal of becoming a first-round pick himself in a few years and being the first tackle taken. That would put him one spot ahead of what Kansas City area native, Lee's Summit North alum, and Mizzou junior Armand Membou one better, who was drafted 7th by the New York Jets, the second tackle taken behind LSU's Will Campbell who was taken 4th by the New England Patriots.
Ken Peek, the former throws coach and Liberty North Boys coach, led the Eagles to two state trophies in Class 5 in 2022 and 2023, and was diagnosed with cancer in 2023, before passing away in February of 2024. Peek helped develop many standout throwers at the great throws facility at the Liberty Public Schools' second high school that opened about 17 years ago.