Howell figures 800 record belongs to team
Here’s the great thing about his school record: Whitworth’s Brandon Howell will always think of it as a school record, and not just his.
He’ll remember teammates Dusty Caseria and Emmanuel Bofa setting a perfect pace and serving as a needed windbreak. He’ll remember the other Pirates lining Boppell Track and urging him on. And he’ll remember the collective sigh of relief from just about everyone at Whitworth’s annual Sam Adams Classic when the official time was announced.
It was as if they all had a stake in the race, and as if the Pine Bowl for just a few minutes was Bislett or Letzigrund or one of the great tracks where world records fall.
“That’s exactly what it felt like,” Howell agreed. “It felt like I was over in Europe.”
When it was done – in 1 minute, 51.34 seconds – Howell had shaved a bare .14 from a 42-year-old Whitworth record in the 800 meters and Whitworth coach Toby Schwarz felt something of a weight lifted.
“I’ve been here 11 years and we’ve set 11 women’s school records, some of them two or three times,” Schwarz said. “But we hadn’t set any men’s records. I was starting to think we needed to fire the men’s coach. The women’s coach was great, but the men’s coach sucks.”
Or it just speaks to the legitimacy of the Whitworth record book.
Of the records in the 19 standard men’s events, only three have been established since 1990. The average Whitworth men’s record is 30 years old.
“That’s what makes it a lot more special,” said Howell, “because it’s been there for so long and a lot of guys have gone after it. My high school record in the 400 had stood for 30 some years, too. Of course, even if it had stood for only one year it would have been special to break it.”
Records aren’t part the menu this weekend when the Pirates travel to Tacoma for the Northwest Conference championships. Howell will be doubling in the 400 and 800 and the Pirates will try to muster all the points they can in hopes of climbing to the top of the conference standings for the first time since 2001.
But, as Schwarz has discovered, there are rewards beyond records and trophies in Whitworth track.
Like find a gem such as Howell. He came to Whitworth from Clarkston High School intending to play football and run track, but ripped up a knee during a passing drill his first fall and didn’t do much of anything until his second spring on campus. Then he almost immediately showed his potential, running a 1:51.93 as a redshirt freshman. The school record – Loren McKnight’s 1:51.44, converted from hand-timing – seemed certain to go.
“But we couldn’t seem to get him in the right race,” Schwarz said. “Nobody would push him, or it would be too windy. Last year he hurt his quad and missed going to nationals by two-tenths of a second.”
At the NCAA Division III indoor nationals this year, Howell was ready to slingshot himself off the last turn when he was spiked from behind and took five stitches in his ankle. But he was back down in the 1:53s within a month, and though Howell usually takes the Adams meet off, he and Schwarz looked at the rest of the schedule decided it was now or never.
Caseria and Bofa, two promising freshmen, ran a 53-second first lap and peeled off at 500 meters, leaving Howell to do the rest himself.
He may have to do so at the NWC meet, too. He’ll be the favorite in the 800 now that Willamette’s Nick Symmonds has graduated – all the way to the cover of Track and Field News. Symmonds jumped straight from Division III to world class last summer, running a 1:45.83 for second at the USATF outdoor nationals and winning indoors this winter.
“Nick’s a great guy and he works so hard,” said Howell. “It’s nice to see a small-school athlete get that kind of attention. Division III guys don’t always get noticed.”
Bell lap
Washington State stages its only home meet of the spring Saturday, the crowded Cougar Invitational. Athletes from 14 schools are expected, though Cougars discus throwers Matt Lamb and Drew Ulrick will be in San Diego hoping for some good marks in the friendly winds at the Triton Invitational. … After getting weathered-out at the Texas Relays, Cougars pole vaulter Tyson Byers – who topped 18 feet indoors at the NCAA championships – finally got over a bar outdoors with a 17-3 1/2 clearance at the Mt. SAC Relays last weekend. … Also on the pole vault front, Western Athletic Conference champ Melinda Owen of Idaho suddenly has some company. Teammate K.C. Dahlgren increased her personal best to 12-6 and 13-1 1/2 on successive weekends, the latter equaling Owen’s seasonal best. … In addition to the Cougar Invitational, a number of Inland Northwest athletes will be in Eugene for the Oregon Invitational today and Saturday.