When it comes to running at Haldane, the first person most students’ minds go to is senior Owen Powers. Powers is a Section 1 champion who has competed twice at the New York State Federation Championship, as well as placing in the top three in the New York State National Championship his senior year, and he’s a two-time all-section winner with numerous other awards. Powers began his running journey as a freshman when he joined the Haldane Spring Outdoor Track and Field Team after previously being a baseball player. He noted, “Originally, I planned on doing nothing, but my mom convinced me to join track. I started as a sprinter, but I wasn’t that good, so I switched to distance, and I wasn’t really that much better, but I enjoyed distance a lot more!” The following summer, Powers joined the Northeast Kingdom Running Camp, or NKRC, where he fell in love with distance running, continuing it in the Cross Country and Indoor/Outdoor track seasons for the rest of high school.
Powers’s joy of running stems from his experiences with his teammates; “The thing I enjoy most about running is just running with other people. A 50-minute run just goes by so quickly because you are connecting the whole time, and they keep you company, with the same motivation that you have.”
One of the most important meets Powers competed in was the state championship. During the week leading up, he knew that making the top three or even winning it was a bright possibility. “I was pretty anxious… but right when that gun goes off, you just forget all about it,” said Powers.
Sophomore Eli Hudson reflected on Powers’s effect on his running career and the team. “He changed my perspective on running from a personal struggle to a team effort. His dedication to the sport influenced my decision to dedicate as much time and effort as I could to running,” he said. Hudson continued, stating, “There is one particular aspect of Owen that even when you don’t perform to your best ability, or are at your lowest point in a race, he nonetheless convinces you to persist.”
To get to this level of running, it takes a community, coaches, staff, family, and teammates. 2025 graduate Jack Illian was a big part of Powers’s track experience. “He’s been there for every single workout, every single race… and he’s always there to push me through it if I’m not doing too hot. He’s just always there to help me get through it and get to the next one,” Powers stated.
Additionally, Powers thanked his parents for their emotional support, helping him get through the rough patches. Powers has just committed to running at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, and he is thrilled with what he has accomplished. “If you told me as a freshman that I would be running these crazy times, placing, and medaling at feds, I honestly would not believe you.”
