HIGH SCHOOL TRACK / MASTERS’ MEET : Speed Pays for Howard, Who Cashes In on Sprints

Bryan Howard is enjoying his status as the nation’s top high school sprinter.

After winning the 200 meters at the Southern Section Division I finals last week, the Moreno Valley Canyon Springs junior collected $500 for a bet with his grandfather, Harold Howard.

The elder Howard bet his grandson he could not break 21 seconds in the 200. Bryan’s 20.76 last week is the nation’s fastest prep time this season.

After winning the 100 and 200 at the Southern Section Masters’ meet Friday night at Cerritos College, Howard reflected on an enjoyable week.

“I got the check and put half in the bank and spent the other half on a new set of speakers,” he said. “Getting that money has been a real motivation. I wanted to break 21.”

That motivation continued Friday night when Howard edged rival Pat Johnson of Redlands in the 100 and 200 with times of 10.44 and 20.98 seconds, respectively. The two traded victories in several meets earlier this season.

Team scores were not kept Friday, but the top five finishers in each event qualified for the State meet, next Friday and Saturday at Cerritos College.

Howard is the defending State champion in the 100 and runner-up in the 200. He said he has never felt stronger.

“I’ve fully recovered from my hip injury earlier this season, and I’ve been getting stronger each week,” he said. “I expect great times at State.”

Although Howard will be the sprint favorite next weekend, Pasadena Muir is expected to win the boys’ team title.

The Mustangs had few disappointments Friday, winning the 400 and 1,600 relays. Hurdler Ken Haslip slipped to a surprising second in the 110 highs, but avenged the loss with a first-place finish an hour later in the 300 intermediates.

Obea Moore, a Muir freshman, was expected to run 400 because he had the fastest qualifying entry time of 47.79. But Moore scratched in the event to run the 800, and finished third in 1:52.91.

Michael Granville of Bell Gardens won the 800 in 1:50.76, a week after he set a national sophomore record of 1:48.98.

In the girls’ competition, Aminah Haddad of Long Beach Poly helped make her team the early State favorite with victories in the 100, 200 and on the 1,600 relay. Teammate Andrea Anderson, nursing a hamstring injury, finished third in the 100 and 200.

Joanna Hayes of Riverside North set the meet’s only record, a 14.34-second clocking in the 100 low hurdles, breaking the old mark of 14.5 set by Cheaza Figueroa of Quartz Hill last year. Hayes also won the 300 low hurdles in 43.31.