COMMUNITY COLLEGE STATE TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS : Fullerton’s Carlson Wins High Jump Title

Kevin Carlson’s first season of high jumping at Fullerton College was pretty much a disaster.

Carlson, the State high school champion as a junior at Katella, went out for track and field at Fullerton in the spring of 1992 but struggled adjusting to new coaching and surroundings.

By the end of the year, he couldn’t even clear 6 feet 6. In 1993, he decided to concentrate on basketball.

But his second try at community college track and field ended in a State title Saturday when he jumped 7-0 1/4 in the championship meet at Cerritos College.

After winning, Carlson had the bar raised to 7-2 1/2 in an attempt to break the Fullerton record but missed three times.

“It was a little disappointing,” Carlson said. “But the State title feels great. That’s all that matters in the long run.”

The event came down to Carlson and Moses Kearney of Merced; both had jumped 7 feet earlier this season.

Carlson cleared on his first try at 6-10, but Kearney didn’t until his third jump. Carlson and Kearney both missed on their first two attempts at 7-0 1/4, but on his third jump, Carlson cleared and stood up with both hands raised as a crowd of family, friends and supporters cheered him on.

“I was confident I could make it,” Carlson said.

Carlson won when Kearney missed on his third try.

For other Orange County competitors, fourth place was the favorite position.

Saddleback’s Mark Cullum (9 minutes 35.66 seconds) was fourth in the 3,000 steeplechase. Golden West’s Mark Crowley had a javelin throw of 189 feet, which was good for fourth.

Also fourth were Golden West’s Lisa Mote in the 1,500 (4:44.01) and Rancho Santiago in the men’s 400 relay (41.42).

Saddleback’s Courtny Leonard was fifth in the 400 hurdles in 1:06.77, and Orange Coast’s Ulysses Trammell was sixth in the 100 in 10.73.

Riverside and Long Beach tied for the men’s title with 100 points, and Riverside won the women’s title with 110 points. Rancho Santiago was the top county men’s team with 11 points for 21st place; Saddleback topped the county women, finishing 23rd with eight points.