Carson’s Walsh Heads Back to West Torrance : Preps: Quarterback transfers again after leading Colts to City 4-A football title.

Quarterback John Walsh, who set the state high school passing record with 4,226 yards and 48 touchdowns for Carson last season, transferred back to West Torrance Monday.

Walsh, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior, played quarterback at West Torrance for three years before transferring to Carson last summer. After leading Carson to the City 4-A Division championship, Walsh made an unwritten commitment to attend Brigham Young.

“I left Carson because my personal life had a change for the better,” Walsh said. “I can’t tell you what that is because it’s personal. I’m just glad to be back at West Torrance.”

Walsh withdrew from Carson Monday morning and later attended classes at West Torrance.

Walsh played third base on the West Torrance baseball team last spring, but he would not say whether he plans to go out for the team this year.

“I’m not sure if I’m eligible, and I’m not sure if I’m going to play,” Walsh said.

Harry Jenkins, West Torrance baseball coach, did not return calls Monday.

West Torrance competes in the Pioneer League of the Southern Section. Stan Thomas, commissioner of the Southern Section, said Monday that it would be difficult to grant Walsh eligibility for spring athletics.

“John Walsh’s father called me last week and told me of his plans to transfer his son back to West Torrance,” Thomas said. “I told Mr. Walsh that I did not like the way he used our system.

“I can’t make a ruling now because I haven’t received any paperwork yet from West Torrance. There are a lot of extenuating circumstances to consider here.”

Last summer, Walsh told Hal Harkness, City athletic commissioner, that his parents had filed for divorce and that he was moving with his father, John Sr., to Carson. Harkness said he made John Sr. and John Jr. sign a notarized document in September stating that the two would reside in the city of Carson for the entire 1990-91 school year.

John Jr. would say only that his family is now residing in Torrance.

Harkness said the matter is out of his hands now that Walsh has transferred. He said he gave a copy of the document to Thomas to use for a ruling on eligibility.