Record Leap Lands Carlson on a New Level of Notoriety

Kevin Carlson gained notoriety Saturday when he won the state high jump title and became the first prep athlete in Orange County history to jump 7 feet.

But Sunday’s delayed cable telecast of the record-setting jump may have meant more to his Katella High School peers.

“Good jump, Carlson,” a passer-by said to Carlson on Monday outside the school gym. “I saw you on TV, too.”

Additional notoriety from a school-wide announcement and congratulations from teachers, administrators and students apparently hasn’t affected Carlson’s ego.

“I don’t think I’m better than all the people on the campus just because I did that,” he said. “I think more people know me and recognize me now.”

When Carlson, The Times’ Athlete of the Week, broke the 7-foot barrier Saturday, he did something no other county high school jumper had done--including two-time Olympian Doug Nordquist, who jumped 6-10 for Sonora High in 1975.

Carlson passed on a chance to jumg at 6-11 after clearing 6-10 on his second attempt. Three other high jumpers made the height, setting up a situation in which Carlson needed to jump 7 feet or settle for fourth place.

In April, Carlson tied the county record of 6-11 3/4, set in 1979 by Doug Dreibelbis of Foothill. Carlson said his desire to jump 7 feet earlier in the season was tempered by the hope that he wouldn’t peak before the state meet.

By clearing 7 feet, Carlson, a junior, jumped half a foot higher than he did last year. How much higher will he be able to go in high school?

Katella Coach Mike Cochrane said a jump of 7-4, which would break the state record of 7-3 1/4 set at the 1979 state meet by Lee Balkin of Glendale, is possible.

Said Carlson: “It just depends on how everything goes next year and how I jump,” Carlson said. “Maybe I won’t even do 7 feet again next year, you never know. But I hope that I’m back and doing real well next year.”

TOP PERFORMERS

Shawn Green hit a grand slam and had five RBIs in Tustin’s 14-5 victory over Hesperia in the Southern Section 3-A semifinals Tuesday.

Robin Lindsey had a two-run single in the seventh inning to give Marina a 6-4 victory over Diamond Bar in the Southern Section 5-A championship game Saturday.

Mark Parlin and Mark Kinney, Esperanza shotputters, finished second and third in the state meet Saturday. Parlin threw a personal best 62 feet 9 inches and Kinney threw 58-3 1/4.

Phouphet Singbandith of Magnolia won the state title in the triple jump Saturday with a mark of 51-7 3/4, which broke the county record of 51- 3/4 he set in April at the Arcadia Invitational.

Kevin Carlson

Katella High School

* Position: High jumper

* Height, Weight, Class: 6-3, 130, Junior.

* Last Week: Carlson won the state high jump championship Saturday when he became the first Orange County athlete to clear 7 feet.

* Season: Carlson cleared 6-11 3/4 in April, tying what was then the county record during a dual meet against Esperanza.