Kevin Beacham did not win the long jump title at the California State High School track and field meet last Friday and Saturday at Buchanan High School in Clovis, but he will still go down in history as having one of the greatest athletic years at Culver City High School. He finished his athletic career by placing 10th in the state long jump.
Finishing 10th in the State of California in any contest was still a remarkable feat even if not the goal Beachman had set for himself.
“I wanted place in the top sixth and win a medal for the school and the city of Culver City,” said Beacham last Saturday. “I am disappointed but I think I had a good track season.”
For four weeks Beacham kept everyone on the edge of their seats as he competed in the CIF prelims, finals, masters and state meet. During the CIF Finals he set a school record with a leap of 24 feet and ¾ inches.
On Friday night Beacham jumped 23 feet 9 inches on his first jump in the preliminaries which put him in second place among the 32 jumpers from all over the state. In the finals on Saturday he jumped 22 feet 6 inches. The winning jump was 25 feet 8 ¾ inches by Nate Moore from Castro Valley in the northern California area.
“We are extremely proud of Kevin,” long jump coach Derrick Huezo, who made the trip to Clovis along with girls coach Rayfield Beaton, said. “Tonight he did not have that extra pop in his jump but overall he had a tremendous season in the long jump. To be great you have to pay attention to detail and that’s what Kevin did. Finishing in the top ten of all of the long jumpers in the state is something most kids dream about. Of course we wanted him to place higher but this is still a great way to end the season.”
The Indiana Sate recruit was a star defensive back on the football team that made it to the playoffs and he also played guard on the basketball team that made it to the playoffs. Setting a school record in the long jump and making it to the state finals was just icing on a sweet cake.