SOUTHERN SECTION TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS : Another 7-Footer for Carlsons : Boys: Brian joins older brother Kevin by clearing prestigious height in the high jump.

Brian Carlson fidgeted at the edge of the high jump apron at the Southern Section track and field finals Saturday at Cerritos College. He raised up on his toes, dangled his arms at his sides and tried to remind himself that 7 feet was just another height.

Carlson, a Katella senior, had cleared every height on his first attempt except the opening 6-4, and he was confident that this elusive barrier was finally about to fall.

His sprint to the bar was relaxed, his plant was sound and his form over the bar was flawless. The bar stayed put and the crowd of 4,522 cheered.

He bounced to his feet and pointed at his older brother, Kevin. Three years ago, Brian sat in the stands and watched Kevin make history by becoming the first Orange County high jumper to clear 7 feet.

Saturday, Kevin watched Brian become the second. Later, after Brian missed three times at a county and family record of 7-2, Kevin ran to the warm-up field and thumped his brother on the back in congratulations.

“It just came together,” said Brian, who won the Division II title ahead of Jay Lim of Sonora, who cleared 6-8. “The conditions were great. I just hit it.”

After clearing 7 feet, Carlson seemed to lose his concentration. He faltered on all three tries at 7-2, each looking worse than the previous attempt.

“I just ran out of gas,” he said. “I didn’t have anything left. Once you get to that point, you can’t do anything about it.”

Jaime Martinez, a junior distance runner from Orange, experienced that same feeling some four hours after Carlson’s jump.

Trying to become the first county runner since 1984 to win the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in the same section finals meet, Martinez appeared to have a double victory firmly in hand on the final lap of the 3,200.

He had already blown away the field in the Division II 1,600, winning in a personal-best 4 minutes 13.24 seconds, the second-fastest time in the state this year.

And with less than 300 meters left in the 3,200, Martinez had only Shawn Frack of Esperanza along for company. As it turned out, Frack was in perfect position. He jumped Martinez going into the final 100 meters, roaring away for victory in a personal-best 9:10.79. Martinez hung on for second in 9:11.74, just off his section-leading best of 9:08.3.

“He’s been romping everybody,” Frack said. “I didn’t want to be another name. It was a great double for him. I wouldn’t mind that kind of double any time.”

But it’s doubtful Martinez will attempt to run both races at Friday’s Masters meet. He has said in the past that his best event is the 3,200 and it’s likely he’ll run only that Friday.

Foothill needed unexpected help in order to defeat favored Upland for the Division II team championship. None materialized, though, and Upland defeated Foothill, 67-40. Esperanza finished third with 39 points.

All things considered, it wasn’t a bad day for the Knights. Tad Heath and Mike Lynch finished one-two in the 800 meters and helped the Knights win the 1,600-meter relay in 3:18.31.

In the 800, Heath kicked past Lynch in the final 100 and won in 1:55.45. Lynch was second in 1:55.85.

Foothill’s Ethan Taub finished second in the 400 in 48.55 and brought the relay team home with a 49.06 anchor leg.

Pole vaulter John Bain finished fourth, clearing a season-best 14 feet.

Other county winners included:

--Gary Van Sluis of El Modena, who won the Division II pole vault with a county-leading clearance of 14-6. It was his second consecutive section championship.

--Chad Peare of Trabuco Hills, who won the Division III discus and shotput without much competition. His winning marks of 174-10 and 56-10 1/4 were well short of his season-bests of 191-11 (tops in the state this year) and 60-11.

Peare said Saturday he signed a letter of intent to attend Kentucky.

Boys’ Notes

The top nine finishers, regardless of division, advanced to the Masters meet next Friday at Cerritos College. Field events begin at 5:30 p.m., running events at 7. . . . Mission Viejo’s T.J. Brown was a double winner, taking first in the Division I discus (160-7) and shotput (53-8 1/2). . . . Mel Lete of Saddleback finished second in the Division II 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 38.38, the fastest time in the county this year. . . . Edward Turner led Morningside to a 58-43 advantage over runner-up Loyola in Division III, winning the long jump (23-5), 100 (10.61) and 200 (21.20) and anchoring the Monarchs’ winning effort in the 1,600 relay (3:18.23). . . . Other winners were Muir in Division I and Verbum Dei in Division IV.