AOTW: Adams’ Jessica Howell is a rare breed
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — Jessica Howell had to make a change when she was 14 years old.
She transferred from Oxford to Rochester Adams after her freshman school year. Her father was already a teacher in the district but she had to sit out a semester.
Like most kids, especially athletes, it didn’t take Howell very long to fit into the mold in her new surroundings.
“It was hard at first, but I got (acclimated),” recalled Howell.
The standout track and field athlete did not skip a beat.
Rotating between multiple events throughout her entire career, the former Level 9 gymnast has emerged as one of the state’s best at her craft. Just pick the event, because there are many.
BREAKING THE TAPE: Jessica Howell has emerged as one of the state’s top track and field athletes. Courtesy Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com, lmckeephotography@comcast.net
“She runs so many events for us. She’s so valuable,” said Adams track coach Eric Lohr.
The sprinter-long jumper-relay-hurdler, or for short, multi-talented and versatile, has set two school records at Adams and ranks in the top five in many more events. She owns the long jump record (17-11 ¾) and is on the 1,600 relay record (3:58.45), both of those came last season when Adams was an all-time best fourth at the Division 1 state finals.
Last season, Howell was fourth in the state in the long jump, ran on the state runner-up 1,600 relay, finished sixth in the 200 and qualified in the 800 relay.
As a sophomore, she placed seventh in the state in the long jump and also quailed in the 100, 200 and 1,600 relay.
Her freshman year at Oxford, Howell was seventh in the long jump and also quailed in the 1,600 relay, 100 and 200 dashes. Howell also holds two records for her freshman year at Oxford (long jump, 1,600 relay).
“I run whatever they need me to run,” offered Howell.
The talented Howell has qualified individually 16 times, four events each year, for the state finals. This year she will compete in the long jump, 100 meters, 1,600 relay and 200 meters. She has a legitimate shot at placing in all four events, as the Highlanders hope to land some championship hardware with a loaded team dominated by seniors and juniors.
Her athletic prowess has led to a scholarship at Division I Middle Tennessee State. With her full-ride scholarship, she will again long jump and a sprinter, but with her versatility will also try to be a heptathlete.
“If you would have asked me in middle school, I would have thought that gymnastics would have been my sport,” laughed Howell. “My dad thought since I could leap so well and that I could run down the runway to the vault so quick that he thought I should give track a try. I did in the seventh grade.”
The rest is history.
Howell has placed high at championship-style meets numerous times in her career. She is unbeaten in the long jump and 100 meters this season. She even won the 100 hurdles at the league meet, again showing off her versatility.
This year Howell and Adams has finished undefeated leading up to the state finals, where they are considered to be one of the state’s best, along with two-time defending state champion Grosse Pointe South, Saline and Rockford.
“It’s been an incredible run. We’ve done so well as a team,” smiled Howell. “We hope we can finish top three at the state meet.”
After the state finals, Howell will run in a variety of summer meets before college. On the high school circuit, she has definitely made her mark.
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