Track and field preview: El Dorado’s Sidney Howland looking forward to challenge in the 400

Usually a two-time defending champion headed into their senior season with a Division I scholarship waiting would be the heavy favorite to win again.

But El Dorado senior Sidney Howland, who has signed with Loyola, will have some serious competition in the 400 meters with Maize South’s Kassidy Johnson, a Kansas State signee, dropping down to Class 4A. Howland won her second consecutive title in 4A in 58.68 seconds, while Johnson won the 5A title for a second time last season in 57.73.

“The good news is that Sidney is a warrior,” El Dorado coach Gary Melcher said. “Every time she steps out on the track, she’s stepping out there for one reason and that’s to do everything she can to win. And she’s done quite a lot of that while she’s been in high school. She has never backed down from a challenge.”

Howland’s specialty has become the 400, although she finished second in 4A in the 200 as a sophomore and sixth last season. Since El Dorado likely will only focus on either the 1600 or 3200 relay this season, Howland will return her focus to the 200 as a chance to win a title.

She ran 25.62 at the state meet as a sophomore and hopes to take a few more tenths off that time, as well as dip below 57 seconds in the 400.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back to the 200 because I’ve always loved that race,” Howland said. “For one, it doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as the 400 does, so that’s a nice bonus. I’ve never been a good starter out of the blocks, so I’ve really been working harder on that.”

But Howland is also looking forward to the challenge in the 400, as she will open her season this Friday at the Winfield Invitational.

“I’ve been training really hard the last couple of weeks and I think the workouts I’ve been doing have really helped,” Howland said. “This year I’m really focusing on getting my times down before I go to college. I’m trying to think about the future, while still shooting for the here and now.”

Eisenhower senior Jaden Damon: After finishing second at the state meet last year and for the third time in her career, Damon is motivated to win her first state title in long or triple jump. Damon, who has signed with Wichita State, already broke the school record with a long jump of 17 feet, 11 inches at the team’s first meet earlier this week. Damon, an eight-time state medalist, is also a leg on Eisenhower’s 400 relay team, which placed fourth in 5A and returns all four members. “Wichita State has pretty much told her that the further she jumps, the more money she gets with her scholarship,” Eisenhower coach Stephanie Bush said. “You can already tell that she’s got some higher goals and she’s really motivated to achieve them.”

Andover Central senior Jewell Bolden: Bolden is one of the state’s top athletes in the 100 hurdles and long jump, as she has won three titles in the hurdles and two in the long jump Bolden has qualified in four events for the state meet all four year (and earned a medal all 12 times), but she says she is giving up her fourth event, the 200 dash, to focus on the 100, 100 hurdles, and long jump this season. “I want to break 14 seconds in the 100 hurdles and I want to go around 20 feet in the long jump,” Bolden said. “I want to give my legs more time, so I won’t be as tired and I think giving up the 200 is going to let me do better in my other events.”

Valley Center senior Taylor Latimer: In a breakthrough season, Latimer became one of the most versatile and accomplished throwers in the state last season. Latimer topped a loaded 5A field to win the discus title, while placing third in the javelin and sixth in the shot put. She is the top returner in the discus and javelin in 5A this season. “She has a great (throws) coach in Terry Orr and she’s mastered the technique on all three of those events,” Valley Center coach Troy Emig said. “Taylor is a pretty strong girl and she likes the competition. Anytime there’s adversity, she likes to compete.”

Maize South senior Kassidy Johnson: Johnson, who has signed with Kansas State, pulled off the trifecta on the track last season, winning the 400 (57.73), 800 (2:17), and 1600 (5:10) races in 5A. She has qualified for state in four events all three season and earned a medal all 12 times, as Johnson is a five-time state champion. But Maize South’s drop to 4A will pit Johnson against multiple-time champions in all three events, as she will now square off against El Dorado’s Sidney Howland (two-time champ in the 400) and Girard’s Callie Logue (defending champ in the 800, two-time champ in the 1600).

This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Track and field preview: El Dorado’s Sidney Howland looking forward to challenge in the 400."