Maine may be on the verge of having its first 7-foot schoolboy high jumper.

Brandon Hall, a senior at Foxcroft Academy, crept closer to that plateau last Friday during a track meet at Bucksport High School, clearing the bar at 6 feet, 10 inches on his first attempt.

Hall, who stands 6-foot-8, then made three attempts at 7 feet, narrowly missing on his first and third tries.

“One of the people who was working on the event said I was over it, but my calf hit the bar,” said Hall.

His 6-10 effort already stands as one of the best high jumps in state history.

The Maine Principals’ Association keeps track of state records, but only considers track and field results accomplished at regional and state championship meets because of the ability to fully verify those marks, according to MPA assistant executive director Larry LaBrie.

The state high jump record for all classes is 6-10, a mark set in 1983, while the Class B mark is 6-9 set in 1996 and the Class C standard is 6-71/2 set in 1981.

The national high school high jump record, incidentally, is 7-7, set by Andra Manson of Brenham, Texas, in 2002.

Hall is the defending Class C state champion in the high jump, long jump and triple jump, and he went on to place sixth in the high jump at the 2003 New England Interscholastic Track and Field Championships at New Britain, Conn., with a best effort of 6-4.

Hall expects to compete in all the jumping events and either the 100 dash (he has a personal best time of 11.7 seconds) or 4×100 relay at this year’s Class C state meet – which will be held June 5 on Hall’s home track in Dover-Foxcroft.

“We’re looking forward to that,” he said.

Last fall, there were questions as to whether Hall would be able to defend his track championships at all, after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee – he plants for the high jump with his right leg – during the first game of Foxcroft’s football season.

He returned to competitive sports late during the basketball season to help Foxcroft reach the Eastern Maine Class B semifinals, and now is building up toward a big finish to his high school track career.

In his first meet this spring, Hall set a personal best of 6-8 in the high jump. On April 30 at Bucksport, he soared over the bar at 6-10.

Even if Hall tops 7 feet, he won’t be content.

“I’ve set 7-2 as a goal,” said Hall, who has been recruited for track and field by Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire but plans to study engineering and play basketball at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine this fall.

“At the New Englands last year I saw the winner [Jean Washington-Morrisset of Quincy, Mass.] set the New England record of 7-11/4. That’s something I’m shooting for.”

Williams takes Central boys post

Central High of Corinth has turned to a familiar face as its new boys varsity basketball coach.

Harold Williams, who last winter was the junior varsity girls basketball coach at John Bapst in Bangor after a two-year stint as head women’s coach at Husson College, was approved by the SAD 64 board of directors at its April 26 meeting, according to Central athletic director Dick Sjogren.

“He’ll do a great job,” said Sjogren of Williams, who teaches cooperative education and one physical education class at Central. “We’re very happy to get him.”

Before taking the Husson women’s post, Williams served for one year each as head coach of the Eastern Maine Technical College women’s team and the Sumner High of East Sullivan girls team, as well as seven seasons as an assistant boys coach at Brewer High and one year as an assistant coach for the Husson men’s team.

Williams replaces Eric Smith, who resigned after four years as Central’s coach for personal reasons.

The Red Devils finished the 2003-04 campaign with a 3-15 record, and have not had a winning season since 1999.

Central will return eight of 11 players from last winter’s team – including four starters – for the 2004-05 season.

Ernie Clark may be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or eclark@bangordailynews.net