Boys track and field: McDowell reaches Region I-5A hurdles final for Permian

LUBBOCK Ryan McDowell has reached the stage of his Permian High School boys track and field career where every race is the most important of his life.

The senior qualified for the finals of the Region I-5A Championships for the first time by running the second-fastest preliminary time Friday in the 110-meter hurdles.

McDowell, a two-time defending district champion, won his heat with a time of 14.58 seconds that will put him at the center of today's eight-person final at Texas Tech's Fuller Track Stadium shortly after 3 p.m.

"After I got done, I had the biggest smile," McDowell said. "We've been talking for years now that all we have to do is have a smooth race, just get that done and not do anything extra. Finally I made it to the finals."

Last year's regional meet ended on the opening day for McDowell after he fell early in the race after stumbling on a hurdle.

So just being alive for the second day of the meet certainly is an accomplishment for the senior.

However, McDowell doesn't want to live on the opening-day laurels.

"It's never good enough just to make it to the final," McDowell said. "I'm looking to punch that ticket to state. That's the goal, then the state title."

Coppell's Jake Wohlford had the top qualifying time of 14.49 while El Paso Eastwood's Isaac Spoon qualified in 14.63 and Wylie's Chisom Akagha advanced in 14.70.

The competition appears to be tight as the eight finalists try to earn the region's two berths to the state meet.

"For the first time in a long time after the race, he really felt comfortable with things," Permian boys head coach Jeep Shanks said. "When bad things happen, you either quit or your learn from it and try to improve. He's done a good job learning from bad things that have happened the last couple of years and he's using it to his advantage to take care of business."

McDowell has felt the effects of a foot injury most of the spring, but he said the break of more than a month since the District 2-5A Championships wasn't used just to rest.

Instead, he worked on smoothing out some technique with Shanks to give his last shot at earning a trip to state his best.

"I think it's been easier, and the biggest difference in me doing good I think has been my maturity level," McDowell said. "I think that's what has been keeping me going these additional weeks at the end of the year. I don't think I would have been able to do that (in years past). Just finally I realized this is it, this is the last year I'll be able to run for Permian."

McDowell gets his shot this afternoon to ensure the last time will be June 6 at the UIL Class 5A State Championships in Austin.