Flanagan, Ritzenhein win USA Cross Country Championships

Shalane Flanagan

SPOKANE – American record holders Dathan Ritzenhein (Portland, Ore.) and Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.) dominated the open men’s and women’s fields at the 2010 USA Cross Country Championships Saturday at Plantes Ferry Recreation Park in Spokane, Wash.Running 34 minutes 34 seconds for the open men’s 12- kilometer race, Ritzenhein won his third U.S. Cross Country title. Flanagan’s 25 minutes 10 seconds for the open women’s 8-kilometer was good for her fourth national cross country crown.

In addition to the national titles, the top-six open men and women and junior men and women qualified to represent Team USA at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships on March 28 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Flanagan cruises to women’s title

Flanagan took control of the open women’s 8 km from the gun with two-time USA Women’s 10 km Champion Molly Huddle (Providence, R.I.) the only one that tried to keep pace. By the end of the first 2-kilometer loop, Flanagan held a five second lead over Huddle. Over the final six kilometers Flanagan extended her lead to go to a 51-second victory. Huddle held off a late charge by Amy Hastings (Flagstaff, Ariz.) to hold on for second, running 26:01. Hastings was timed in 26:09 while Magdalena Lewy Boulet took fourth in 26:09.

Renee Metivier Baillie (Boulder, Colo.) and Sara Hall (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) rounded out the Team USA qualifiers, finishing fifth and sixth in 26:26 and 26:37 respectively.

Patience pays off for Ritzenhein in open men’s championship

Dathan Ritzenhein

In the open men’s 12 km, Ritzenhein was content to let Patrick Smyth (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Scott Bauhs (Chico, Calif.) take the pace for the first four laps of the six lap course before making his move at 9-kilometers.

While Ritzenhein’s lead grew to 18-seconds over the final lap, Smyth continued to battle with Bauhs for second before pulling away to claim the runner-up position, running 34:52. Bauhs was timed in 35:01 while Ben Bruce (Eugene, Ore.), Bobby Curtis (Ardmore, Pa.) and Ryan Vail (Gresham, Ore.) completed the qualifiers for the U.S. team, running 35:16, 35:22 and 35:25 respectively.

Greany takes junior women’s title

In the junior women’s race, Providence College freshman Shelby Greany (Providence, Rhode Island) broke away from pack of four runners to secure the victory on the final lap of the 6-kilometer race.

Greany ran 20:27 to finish five seconds clear of high school senior Emily Sisson (Chesterfield, Missouri), who ran 20:32.

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Alex Aoki becomes a 4 time BIIF wrestling champion

Kamehameha's Justin Hirae became a 3 time BIIF champion on Saturday

   What could be sweeter than to win a league title in wrestling?  How’s about winning four titles during an illustrious prep career?

   Such was the case for Konawaena’s Alexandra Aoki as the senior won her fourth Big Island Interscholastic Federation wrestling title on Saturday at Keaau while adding layers of icing to her super sweet season.

   Aoki, who has not lost a match to a BIIF competitor in more than three years, special day became even more special when her younger brother, Sage Aoki, won the boys 108 weight class.

   “This was my last year of high school wrestling so it was our goal to both win at BIIF’s,” Alexandra Aoki said.

   Aoki has dominated the league at 103 the past four seasons and during the finals on Saturday pinned Kealakehe’s Mindy Lorance in 58 seconds of the first period to maintain her supremacy.

   “I did it today for my dad, Mark,” she said.  “It is also Coach Wally’s (Nakashima) last year as head coach and Sage and I wanted to win it for him too.”

   Sage Aoki wasted little time in his championship match against Kealakehe’s Ralph Ortega.  Aoki opened with several head slaps, and then caught his opponent off guard for an opening period take down before pinning him with 51.3 seconds left in the first period.

   “I had a branch modified where I grabbed his arm and flipped him over,” Aoki said of his pin.

   Moments after his match the brother and sister were seen on the sidelines embracing each other in their jubilation for reaching their goals.

   The Aoki duo is also coached by their father who is a judo sensei and both credit judo with being helpful in their upward spiral in wrestling.  Alexandra is a brown belt and Sage carries a purple belt.

   Fifty girls and ninety-eight boys representing 11 schools from the Big Island Interscholastic Federation competed during a daylong wrestling tournament at the Keaau High School gym on Saturday to determine who would walk away with individual and team titles.

  In the 114 weight class it was Kamehameha’s Justin Hirae going against Laupahoehoe’s Lucky Baun in the championship match.

   Hirae came into the title bracket as the two time BIIF title holder and wasted little time getting the first take down and a quick 2-0 lead. 

   The private school Warrior caught Baun out of position and went for a cradle move.

   “I was head hunting and pinned him in a Cadillac,” Hirae said of his third BIIF title. 

   Hirae’s only loss this season came at the hands of Sage Aoki when the Wildcat was bumped up to the higher weight class earlier in the season.

   At the 130 class Kealakehe’s Dillon Cortes took on Keaau’s Jesse Huihui in a battle between two scrappy wrestlers.

   The match was a stalemate during the first period as neither could gain the advantage, but Cortes began to open things up late in the 2^nd period to gain a 5-0 lead and never looked back.

   Cortes won 8-0 and claimed his first BIIF title.

   “It feels great,” the senior Waverider said.  “I wanted to give it my all this year and it paid off.  I needed to push the pace against Jesse (Huihui) which is just what I did.”

  A pair of upsets took place when Honokaa’s Jade Perreira pinned Kamehameha’s Pomai Pohina in the girls 140 class and Waiakea’s Kawika Nihoa got past Hawaii Preps Bronson Kobayashi at the boys 145.

  Perreira had fallen behind on points during the 3^rd period against Pohina by a score of 8-4.  With time running out it looked like Pohina had the match in hand, but Perreira reversed the situation by getting Pohina in a chicken wing, half-nelson, and the pin.

   “My coach (Dan Whetstone) was yelling at me during the match saying he wanted the pin,” Perreira said.  “I never wrestled her before and I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew she was good.”

   For the boys it was Warrior Kawika Nihoa upsetting defending BIIF champ and previously unbeaten Ka Makani Bronson Kobayashi.

   Both boys were equal throughout the three periods of wrestling and needed to go into overtime when Nihoa claimed the first take down in and the BIIF title.

   “This match had to see who had the biggest heart,” Nihoa said after the match.  “My coaches pushed me hard to get this far.  Winning is all about heart, standing up to pressure and getting a lot of support.”

   Kealakehe came into the championships as the defending team title holders for the boys and girls but faced stiff competition from the Honokaa and Kamehameha.

   The private school Warriors managed to fill all 11 girl’s weight classes which gave them an advantage in claiming the overall team title.

  “I’m really happy for our girls,” third year head coach Marlon Miller said.  “I’ve been preaching all year that I want to fry some bigger fish and to focus on the state championship.”

   Miller was quick to point out that no outer island team has ever won a state title wrestling and that he’d like to see Kamehameha-Hawaii break that streak.

   The Kamehameha girls had seven of their 11 girl’s make it into the title matches which three of them taking BIIF crowns.

   “We have 14 of our 16 girls returning next year and I’m real excited about that,” Miller said.

     For the boys team crown Kealakehe filled 12 of the 14 divisions leaving vacancies in the 160 and 189 weight classes, but having enough firepower and depth to repeat.

    “One of our goals for the year was to win the BIIF team title,” ‘Rider coach Michael Ciotti said.  “Another one of our goals is to do well at states and to peak for that tournament.”

   “We’re really happy for the kids and we’re pleased that we could repeat by winning the boy’s team championship,” Ciotti said.

Big Dog’s Valentine’s Day run/walk results

115 runners and walkers took part in the Big Dog's Valentine's Day event

pre race instuctions

BIG DOG’s Valentine’s Day 3.2-mile run/walk results

1. Billy Barnett         17:33
2. Chris Mosch         17:53
3.  Jason Braswell    18:02
4. Johan Dana          18:48
5. Justin Pang          18:52
6. Louie Perry          18:57
7. Mike Daly             19:15
8. Jomar Matias       19:45
9. Bryce Harada        20:03
10. Roycen Deymer   20:16    
11. David Santiago     22:53
12. Josh Stallsmith     23:01
13. KC Stallsmith        23:02
14. Melissa Braswell  23:17
15. Dawn Velasquez 23:20
16. Jarred Yates          23:36
17. Arjun Clarry          23:43
18. Isabel Camp         23:51
19. Rick Camp            23:51
20. Nick Mildon         24:02
21. Katie Mennenga 24:02
22. Eric Helmes          24:15
23. Cameron Anderson 24:20
24. Bill Hubbard        24:25
25. Nina Caiserman   24:32
26. Paul Booth           25:10
27. Dena Rae              25:45
28. Glen Ishii              25:53
29. Esther Kanehailua 26:05
30. Shea Pitoy             26:10
31. Kelly Freitas        26:10
32. Lisa Bryant         26:14
33. Carla Marzi        26:38
34. James Hank        26:45
35. Big Dog               26:47
36. Melissa Schad    26:54
37. Joanne Pocsidio  27:12
38. Lauren Pacheco   27:20
39. Micah Kanehailua 27:31
40. Missing                   27:32
41. Toru Ikeda               27:45

1. Andrew Misitano   27:55
2. Gina McGuire          28:03
3. Joel Trusdell            28:13
4. Kiko Camp               28:14
5. DJ Sekiya                  28:18
6. Asia Addlesberger  28:33

Imelda Tamayo   28:36, Dawn Patterson       28:50,    Richard Kerr             29:51,    Pomai Evans-Baustista 29:56

Rachel Addlesberger  29:58,  Brie Corpuz                  30:09    Magnus Namohala-Roloos 30:40

Shawna Hank          31:16,   Rae Mori                  31:27,   Dave Adachi            31:32        Rudy Arzaga            31:33

Lynne Kiranka-Pitoy 31:45    Dale Sekiya         31:48     Gerard Callo       33:00      Marla Hank         33:17

Matt Lum             33:54     Richard Alderson 33:57    Brandon Morita   34:13     Mike Gleason      34:16

Joann Aurello      34:24   Aaron Morita      34:28     Amanda Zen       34:30      Marissa Salazar  34:58

Gina Durante      34:59    Joel Nathansen   35:55    Noemi Arzaga     35:55    Marissa Bryant-Manago 35:57

Jennifer Maninga  36:26   Claire Shigeoka     36:27     Calvin Pitoy           36:36      Misty Inouye         36:38

Scott Inouye          37:05     Joy Pollard           37:11     Micah Namohala   37:58       Florencio Guerpo    38:22

Kamalanai Kekuawa  38:38    Halia Evans-Bautsita  38:53     Noa Caiserman          38:54    Lorraine Hubbard     39:12

Loke Bautista             40:31    Kalei Namohala         40:37     John McGuire            40:37     Lois McGuire             40:38

Marie Kurimoto        40:39     Russell Hayashi          41:02    Mykelah Ojano-Daly 41:04    Rodney Aurello          41:11

Bryson Pavao            41:25     Virginia Alderson      41:31       Ashley Midel            42:22     Makamae Bautista   43:36

Cheryl Ostrowski  43:36     Jack Roney 43:53      Sharon Sekiya 46:02      Su Lambert 47:13

Debbie Namohala 48:43     Malcolm Maku Roloos 50:18     Betty Maku 50:25      Ariana Nussbaum 50:25

Randi Saplan 55:29      Kyle Saplan 56:17     Cindy Saplan 56:17    Eldon Lindsey 1:03:54

Mell nakao 1:03:54    Joy Nakao 1:05:15    Lorretta Nussbaul 1:05:59