Mike Howell finally got the win he wanted and in the process, changed Union Springs school history.

The senior track and field standout started his endeavor by winning the IAC title in the high jump, then he took the sectional crown for the second year in a row.

Howell won the state qualifiers and then advanced the New York State Track and Field Championships where he took it all, winning the event with a jump of 6-4.

And to top it all, the state championship is the first, in any sport, in school history.

“It was a good feeling,” Howell said. “To know that I could come back and beat someone who beat me before and in a bigger space too. I was hoping that I would win but I didn't know for sure. I have always wanted to win it all and I finally did it.”

Howell won the state championships during a rainy day that did not seem to effect him in the least, but instead built his confidence.

“The surface was really wet,” Union Springs head coach Mark Gaffney said. “Many people were being conservative or slipping and I was worried about how he would do. He went out there aggressive though and won with his last jump.”

“I didn't let the rain bother me,” Howell added. “I wanted to go for it all and actually the day before the championships I had hoped it would rain so that it would get into the competitors' heads.”

The rain was not the only thing that gave Howell the confidence he needed to take the victory. Coach Gaffney's support also played a big role in how he felt going into the competition.

“My coach told me the seedings,” Howell said. “I was second-seeded so that gave me confidence because at first I was unsure that I would do well.”

Howell plays three sports for the Wolves and plays them with success. He was the most valuable player on the soccer team this past season and a captain for two years on the track and field team.

“He is a great kid,” Gaffney said. “He stayed focused and concentrated, he worked hard all season long and really deserves this. He is such a well-rounded athlete who not only plays three sports but excels at them. I wish I could take all the credit but I can't. I have worked with him for four years and to see how far he has come is a great feeling, it doesn't get any better than this.”

“It has been a lot of fun to play all three sports,” Howell said. “It kept me busy and made me keep my grades up through high school so that I could keep playing. It is so weird that it's all over now and I won't be competing anymore, I can't anticipate my next opponent or my next season, it's different.”

Howell will attend Onondaga Community College in the fall where he will study criminal justice in hopes to eventually be a law enforcement officer. He is fairly sure that he is done with track and field but is hoping to keep playing soccer in a club league and possibly try out for the basketball team at OCC.

“If I had to cut one thing out of my busy schedule it would be track,” Howell said. “I might give it a chance in college but I'm not sure it depends on how much time I have and what else I am doing. I do hope to transfer to St. John Fisher College after a year, though.”

Leaving Union Springs school with a legacy and the honor of finally achieving a state championship, Howell has been congratulated by peers and there are plans in the works to commemorate his achievement.

“Any time a team or individual wins a state championship, it is an accomplishment,” Union Springs athletic director Tim Darnell said. “Since it is a first for our school, it makes it that much more impressive. I am personally looking forward to congratulating him, he is an exceptional athlete who played three sports for us and this is like the icing on the cake for him. We are very proud of him and all he has accomplished. We will definitely do something special to commemorate his victory and he will be rightfully recognized as he deserves to be.”

Howell gives a lot of the credit for the win to his coaches and teammates, especially the senior class who he said inspired the win.

“I really like to win,” Howell said. “My coaches and teammates pushed me a lot and our class wanted to win a lot this year and break records. Winning this is like the final chapter of that. This is a really great way to end my high school career.”