At first glance, it's hard to figure out.

Canyon junior Kevin Enge is by no means short, but at 5 feet, 10 inches tall, he isn't the kind of guy you'd peg as an elite high jumper.

His championship medal from the CIF-Southern Section Division II finals says otherwise.

On that Saturday afternoon at Cerritos College, Enge won by clearing 6-6. In other words, he jumped over Kobe Bryant.

He also jumped above the rest of the male track and field athletes in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Our 2010 All-SCV Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year has been a force in the high jump his entire high school career. Enge won frosh/soph league titles his first two seasons, and this year he cleared 6-4 at College of the Canyons to win his first varsity league title.

After clearing 6-2 at the CIF-SS Div. II prelims to qualify for the finals, Enge became Canyon's first individual CIF champion since Alysia Johnson in 2004.

But his value extended beyond the jump pit.

Enge didn't regularly score points in the sprint events, but he still took part in them during practice and some meets. The competition he provided boosted the Canyon boys to dominate the sprints all season long.

The sprints also let Enge build the speed necessary for successful high jumps.

All together, it helped the Canyon boys return to the top of the Foothill League, familiar heights for a program that won six straight league titles from 2002-2007 before missing out the last two years.

Enge's season ended at the CIF-SS Masters Meet, where he couldn't repeat his jump of 6-6 to reach the state meet.

Next year, he'll try to go even farther individually.

Canyon, meanwhile, will ask Enge to take part in several different events to score points.

Responsibility is no problem for Enge, who lost his mother to cancer in April of 2009. He dedicated his CIF championship to her and he honors her with everything he does.

He honors her every time he takes a walk toward the sky, every time he uses his sleek 5-10 frame to clear the bar.

At first glance, it's hard to figure out.

On the second one, it's a lot easier.

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2010 All-Santa Clarita Valley Boys Track and Field Team

Joey Darko - Senior, Golden Valley
Darko made Golden Valley history this season as the school's first athlete to advance to the CIF State Track and Field Championships. His 16th-place finish in the 110 hurdles in Clovis was the final step on a journey that included a league title and a third-place finish at the CIF-SS Div. III finals.

Shane Habberstad - Senior, Canyon
What made the Canyon boys so formidable this season was their depth. Habberstad was a big contributor in that regard, winning league titles in the long jump and as the opening leg of the 4x100 relay team that wound up sixth at the CIF-SS Div. II finals. He was also strong in the hurdles.

Trevor Lien - Junior, Hart
In a lean year for the Hart boys, Lien provided points consistently in the hurdle events. He finished third in the 110 hurdles at league finals, then shattered his own personal best by more than a second to win the 300 hurdles championship.

Cody Moore - Senior, Canyon
There isn't much Moore didn't do for the Cowboys during their undefeated run through league. He won league titles in the triple jump and as a member of the 4x100 relay, and also recorded top-three league finishes in the long jump and high jump.

Darius Rudolph - Junior, Canyon
Few opponents could overcome the points scored by the Canyon sprinters, and Rudolph was one of the main reasons. The junior speedster ran a reliable anchor leg of the 4x100 relay and won the league championship in the 100 before finishing second in the 200.

Kenny Stone - Junior, Canyon
Stone essentially traded places with Rudolph at every league meet, finishing second behind his teammate in the 100 and then edging him in the 200. That's where one of his league titles came; the other was as the third leg of the potent 4x100 relay.

Seth Totten - Senior, Golden Valley
It took Totten a good portion of the season to find his stride in the 3,200, but he found it at the right time. Totten turned in an overpowering kick at the league finals and put 11 seconds' worth of distance between himself and the pack. Two weeks later, he finished seventh at the CIF-SS Div. III finals.

Daniel Whitham - Senior, Saugus
Canyon may have dethroned the Saugus boys this season, but the Centurions still handled everyone else in league. Whitham had a hand in that, winning the league title in the shot put and finishing as runner-up in the discus throw.