Track : Noon Even Farther Out Front After Near-Record Toss of 65-9

Brent Noon says he’s addicted. But don’t get the wrong idea. This is different.

The Fallbrook High junior is addicted to competing, with a shot put and discus. Trouble is, Noon can’t find much competition in the county.

Already some 20 feet beyond his nearest competitor in the discus and about 14 ahead in the shot, Noon has only records to shoot for.

At Saturday’s Mustang Relays at San Dieguito High, Noon came within 2 1/4 inches of tying a 15-year-old San Diego Section record in the shot put. But his personal best throw of 65-9 did lead Fallbrook to a meet record in the shot put “relay,” combining with Terry Sherman (54-5 1/2) and Chris Chiotis (43-5 1/2) for 163-8, 7-8 1/4 better than the mark set by Vista in 1973.

In the discus, Noon again led the Warriors to a meet record, but, he said, his throw of 169-9 was somewhat of a disappointment, falling short of his personal best by eight feet.

Still, combined with Sherman’s 129-8 and Alan Mojado’s 131-8, it bettered the old mark of 426-1 (set by a 1988 Fallbrook team that included Noon) by exactly five feet.

Though somewhat disappointed with Saturday’s efforts, Noon thinks the section records (65-11 1/4 in the shot and 191-0 in the discus) are definitely within reach.

“Things are just starting to come together now,” he said.

Noon went through a fourth surgery on his left knee last August. The operation limited his training, which did not resume until late November.

But since then, Noon has spent six hours a day in the weight room getting ready for the season.

“Brent doesn’t know that there’s another way to do something other than always giving 100-and-some-odd percent all the time,” said Jim Noon, Brent’s father and coach.

It is Noon’s work ethic that has his father/coach talking of some rather lofty goals. Try 77 feet in the shot and 210 feet in the discus.

“I think those are very attainable,” Jim Noon said. In the next breath, he mentions matter-of-factly that “there are only six high school kids in the history of the sport who have thrown the shot over 70 feet.”

Noon, however, may have that kind of edge. He’s addicted.

“It’s definitely addictive,” he said. “For me, it gives me a chance to be with my family (Brent’s brother, Brad throws the discus at Point Loma Nazarene), and I like being around my family.”

Jim concurred. “Brent’s pretty much a home body,” he said.

Noon was recognized as the meet’s Outstanding Male Athlete in a poll of coaches. Rancho Buena Vista High senior Kira Jorgensen received the same honor for females because of her efforts in the distance medley relay (for which she ran a 5:19 mile) and in the invitational mile (5:17).

One notable achievement was Joe Buchanon’s high jump mark of 6-8 1/4. Buchanon, a senior at San Marcos High, surpassed his previous best by 1 1/4 inches. No big deal, except he did it in his first meet of the year and after practicing for only two days.

“As a goal, I was thinking 6-4 or maybe 6-6,” said Buchanon, the nephew of Willie Buchanon, former San Diego State and Charger defensive back. “But I thought that was a little too much to ask for.

“I can’t believe I did this.”

He had someone pushing him. Hilltop’s Kurt Klaser stayed with Buchanon every step of the way before failing at 6-8 1/4. Klaser cleared 6-6 1/4.