Althoff senior lineman Jason Dowell thought he had become a speed burner for a brief moment.
The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder was keeping pace with flashy teammate Dierre Hill Jr. during a recent 100-meter dash in practice.
"I was going as hard as I could and out of the corner of my eye, I looked and saw I was a little bit ahead of him," Dowell said. "I'm going, 'Wow, I'm getting a lot faster at this.' "
The joy was short lived as Hill turned on the afterburners on the way to a one-sided triumph.
Actually, Hill was just giving his friend a break.
"I was messing with him," said Hill, Althoff's standout running back. "I knew I could get him at any time."
Speed is not Dowell's game, although he is relatively fast for his size.
People are also reading…
Destroying the opposition is his forte.
Dowell has developed into one of the top defensive linemen in the Midwest over the past two seasons and has given a verbal commitment to attend Mizzou after receiving 19 NCAA Division I offers.
He served as a game-changer in helping the Crusaders reach the Class 1A quarterfinal round last season. The three-sport standout led the team with 77 tackles, including 24 for losses. His 11 sacks were among the top 10 in the area.
Most importantly, Dowell made big plays at the perfect time. He posted 19 tackles over three postseason games, including eight in a second-round win over LeRoy.
"The intangibles with him probably carry as much weight as his athleticism," Althoff coach Austin Frazier said. "He's got the physical gifts and he knows how to use them. But he's the total package, on and off the field."
Dowell came into his own last year after spending his freshman and sophomore seasons at Cahokia High. He served as a destroyer with the Comanches too and continued improving in his first season at Althoff.
"Cahokia was the experience that I needed," Dowell said. "I wouldn't trade growing up there for the world. But there were some challenges that I wanted to take on at Althoff."
Dowell, who now lives in Belleville, possesses the ability to learn quickly. He displayed that trait on the wrestling mat, where he won the 285-pound state title in Class 1A with a 32-2 record even though he just took up the sport as a freshman.
For the most part, Dowell's success on the mat comes from his size and strength.
"I know my technique is not as good as some of the others," Dowell said.
Dowell also plays baseball and hit .341 for the Crusaders in the spring.
But football is his first love. His drive to succeed and intense work ethic have played a key role in his rapid ascension.
"Every little thing I do is done to try and put myself ahead of everybody else," Dowell said. "I'm going to wake up earlier than you. I'm going to have a better attitude than you. Everything you think you're going to beat me at you're not."
Dowell sensed an immediate connection with the coaching staff at Mizzou. He bonded with coach Eli Drinkwitz because the two have similar personalities, according to Dowell.
"He's nuts, I love him," Dowell said of Drinkwitz said. "He's like me."
Dowell, who is passionate about his faith and attends church twice a week, believes the turning point in his career came late in his freshman season when he began to simplify his game.
"People try to make football complicated and it's not," Dowell said. "It's only complicated if you make it complicated. Just get out there and do what you have to do to make plays."
Dowell is looking forward to his final high school campaign and another run at a potential state title.
The Crusaders felt they had a shot at the crown last season before a disappointing 42-22 loss to eventual state champion Camp Point Central.
"We've got the talent," Dowell said. "And there's no reason we can't put it all together."
These are the top high school football players in the ºüÀêÊÓƵ region.