Some state track records stand test of time
FARGO, N.D. -- High school boys in North Dakota and Minnesota broke 87 track and field records in the 1960s. Since then, boys have found it harder and harder to set records.
When North Dakota's state track meet opens in Bismarck on Friday, boys will again be trying to erase some of the old marks.
Two of them were set in 1987 -- when Bismarck's Howard Hausauer threw the shot put 64 feet, 1 inch and Williston's Rob Heen ran the 1,600 meters in 4:12.76.
"That's what makes track and field so fantastic," former Fargo South boys track coach Gelaine Orvik said. "You have someone setting a record on the track, and at the same time, you have someone setting a record in the shot put. It's like an orchestra, there is so much happening."
As records go, there has been less happening in recent decades. Boys in North Dakota and Minnesota averaged 31 records in the 1970s, 23 in the 1980s and 19 in the 1990s. So far this decade, 15 boys records have fallen in North Dakota and 12 in Minnesota.
Hausauer, now 36 and living in Mandan, said he's not really surprised his record still stands 19 years later.
"I know there have been some extremely talented athletes, but most of them have had to split their time with other sports," he said.
In 1990, Williston's Corey Ihmels thought he had a shot at three state records. That was before snow and wind hit Grand Forks.
"The hard thing about North Dakota track and field is you have to have a good day to set a record, and those are few and far between," said Ihmels, who is now the head cross country coach at Iowa State University.
Ihmels fell short of the 800-meter record of 1:54.48, even though he had run a 1:53 earlier in the year. He fell short of the 1,600-meter record of 4:12.76 by 4 seconds, despite running a 4:03.65 earlier in the year.
"It was irritating," Ihmels said. "I was pretty disappointed after that."
Ihmels did set a record in the 3,200 meters, with a 9:03.65.
In 1996, Fargo South's Brian McCulley focused on a team goal to help him set an 800-meter record, one his coach thinks will never fall.
"He did it so easily," Orvik said of McCulley's time of 1:52.02, shattering Killdeer's Paulo Costa's 1985 overall state record by more than 2 seconds.
McCulley's first-place finish helped spark an amazing team comeback in which South overcame a 21-point deficit with three events remaining.
"In a sense, I wasn't focused on that record," said McCulley, who the day before had missed breaking the 1,600 record by half a second. "I just wanted to win the team battle so much. It did take a little bit of the nerves out."
Minot's 3,200-meter relay record of 7:54.52 has lasted the past 25 years, but it might be in jeopardy this weekend.
"That is an impressive time," said Bismarck coach Dave Zittleman, who has a 3,200 relay team this year that has posted a time of 7:51.83.
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Information from: The Forum, http://www.in-forum.com
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index
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