Leon breaks record, Optimistically

By Joe Scalzo

AUSTINTOWN — As Crestview senior Jakob Leon was leaving last week’s Poland Invitational, a woman walked up to him and said, “You don’t know me, but can I give you a hug?”

Leon, who had just set the meet record in the high jump with a leap of 6 feet, 10 inches, wasn’t sure how to react, but he gave her the hug.

“There were so many people congratulating him, it took him 30 minutes to get out of the stadium,” said his father, Jess. “Finally he looked at me and said, ‘Dad, let’s get out of here.’”

On Saturday at The Optimist at Fitch High School, Leon was again the center of attention, setting the meet record and tying the stadium mark in the event with a leap of 6-11. The jump tied his personal best and earned him field event performer of the meet.

His missed his three tries at an inch higher, but it should be just a matter of time before he ties (or exceeds) the Division III state record of 7 feet.

“It’s probably more a mental thing now,” Leon said. “I know I can clear it.”

Leon isn’t new to the spotlight, having set receiving records for the Rebels’ football team en route to All-Ohio honors, then earning honorable mention all-district in basketball.

And at 6-31‚Ñ2 with a thin frame and terrific speed, he’s a natural for the high jump, having increased his height (and consistency) every year.

“He’s getting there,” his father said. “It used to be that he’d jump 6-9 one day and 6-2 the next. Now he’s consistently jumping 6-10. And you never know when you’re going to have one of those days when you jump three inches higher.”

Jess, who is at least five inches shorter than his son, was also a high jumper, clearing 6-3 in his prime. (He can still grab the rim on a basketball hoop.) He also played free safety at the University of Hawaii.

Leon’s mother, Cindy, played basketball at Fresno State, although she’s originally from Lisbon. They met and married in California, then moved back to Cindy’s hometown.

Leon originally attended Leetonia, then transferred to Crestview in the eighth grade because (get this) he wanted to take an eighth-grade algebra class not offered at Leetonia.

He’s since emerged as one of the best athletes in Rebels history in one of the best classes in school history, joining senior running back Corey Hill (a 2,000-yard rusher) and senior forward Chelsea Bowker (a 2,000-point career scorer).

His parents have helped Leon develop his talent — his father coaches him in high jump and Jakob has eight Jump Stretch stations in his backyard to use for working out — and a recent trip to the national indoor meet in Boston, along with trips to track camps, have certainly helped.

But the Leons have always stressed academics first. When Leon recently got a C in calculus with a less-than-devoted effort, he lost cell phone and truck privileges.

Leon’s talent attracted the attention of recruiters and he had scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State, Fresno State and Akron.

When Notre Dame’s coach left for Fresno State recently, Leon thought he’d follow him there. But on the day he made his commitment, he changed his mind without telling his father first.

“I came home and I was talking to my wife, saying, ‘Do you think he made the right decision? Are you OK with seeing him twice a year?’ ” Jess recalled, laughing. “She was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ ”

With the state meet looming, Leon is focused more on his current school than his future one. And Saturday’s performance is just the latest achievement in an already heralded career.

“To break the record at a meet like this is a really good feeling,” he said.

scalzo@vindy.com