Columbia HS’ Callum Howald impresses at indoor track and field Meet of Champions

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – Columbia High School senior Callum Howald proved to be one of the best boys pole vaulters in the state.

Howald finished in ninth place with a leap of 13 feet-6 inches at the NJSIAA boys indoor track and field State Meet of Champions, Feb. 23, at the Bennett Center in Toms River.

Terrel Williams, a junior, was the other CHS competitor at the meet. He finished 27th in the 55-meter hurdles preliminaries in 804.

At the Group 4 State Championships at the Bennett Center, Feb. 15, CHS junior Megan Mosteiro and Howald enjoyed stellar performances.

Mosteiro finished in second place in the girls pole vault with a leap of 11 feet, while  

Howald took sixth place in the boys pole vault at 14-0.

The Group 4 meet consisted of the top six finishers in each event from the sectional meet.

For CHS on the girls’ side, junior Sadie Tuohy was 19th in the 800-meter finals in 2:25.21. In the 55-meter dash preliminaries, senior Lilian Williams was 12th in 7.51 and sophomore Ruth Pastuer was 20th in 7.62. Pastuer was 18th in the 55-meter hurdles preliminaries in 9.00

Williams was the only other CHS boys qualifier at the Group meet. After taking eighth in the preliminaries in 7.86, he advanced to the finals where he finished in seventh place in 7.83 in the 55-meter hurdles.

At the 85th Eastern State Championships held at The Armory Center in New York City, Columbia had a few good efforts. Tuohy finished 18th in the two-mile final in 12:10.77. Pastuer finished 18th in the 55-meter preliminaries in 7.47. She then finished 14th in the semifinals in 7.43. Pastuer also was 18th in the 55-meter hurdles preliminaries in 8.78 and finished 19th in the semifinals in 8.71. On the boys’ side, Williams was 12th int he 55 hurdles preliminaries in 7.87 and finished 16th in the semifinals in 7.73. The boys 4×400 relay finished sixth in 8.09.20. Howald was tied for 10th in the pole vault at 13-6.