All BIIF boys track & field selections

Male Athlete of the Year       Cliff Eriksson, Sr., Keaau          

Boys Coach of the Year          Vicky Chai-Guerpo, Keaau

Avery Hardie-Jordan Jr. Kealakehe .            Luca Walter Sr. Kealakehe 

Luca Walter

Chayce Moniz Sr. Honokaa                        Jackson Halford Sr. Waiakea

Damien Packer Sr. Keaau                          Alexander Engdahl Sr. Keaau

Jesse Huihui Sr. Keaau                              Raskassa Johnson Soph. Keaau

Jason Fowler Sr. Kealakehe                      Ezra Comesario Sr. Kealakehe

Johnathan Lomberg Soph. Kealakehe        Aukai Akau Sr. Kamehameha

Alika Sr. Kaopua Ka’ u                                 Shane Brostek Sr. HPA

Katon Pestano Jr. Hilo Jr.                            Kayden Haleakala Sr. HPA

Zack Atagi Sr. Hilo                                       Shawn Correa Doll Sr. Kamehameha

Keoni Yates Soph. Kealakehe                     Michael Morikawa Jr. Waiakea

Mauna Palama-Danielson Sr. Waiakea        Ian McQuate Soph. Waiakea

Kyle Kirk Jr. Kealakehe                                Matthew Winters Jr. Keaau

Keaau Talon Ota Jr. Keaau                           Tyler Yates Sr. Kealakehe

Cyrus Cho Sr. Kealakehe

Honorable mention

HPA: Yasu Miyakawa Sr.; Joey Kailimai, Soph.; Isi Holani, Soph.

Hilo: Mitchell Medeiros, Jr.; Kristian Martinez, Sr.; Johann Kuipers, Sr.; Isreal Sims, Soph.; Stephen Hunter, Soph.; David Alvarez, Sr.;

Joshua Kirkpatrick, Jr.; Sione Holika, Soph.; Justin Freis, Fr.; Ocean Lee, Sr.

Honokaa: Robert Connors, Sr.; Brooks McVey, Jr.; Tony Conners, Soph.; Josh Tobias, Sr.; Dylan Oandasan, Jr.; Micah Kaaihue, Soph.; Kamehameha: Shaun Kagawa, Jr.; Dylan Alip, Sr.; Ryan Maka’ala Cruz, Soph.; Rihei Grothmann, Soph.; Easten Tanimoto, Sr.; Keoni Wong, Sr.; Phil Aganus, Soph.; Taylor Malu Hammond, Jr.

Keaau: Joseph Aquino, Sr.; Jonathan Segovia, Jr.; Nelson Enos, Sr.; Jeffrey Ferrell, Fr.; Greg Matias, Sr.; Lyle Shute, Sr.; Darren Olson, Keaau

Kealakehe: Scott Henderson, Soph.

Konawaena: Kahoalii Karratti; John Repogle; Kalalena Santiago; Wisarut Kanjanawanna

Pahoa: Chevas Gouveia, Sr.; Krimsen Abilla, Soph.; Jake Torres, Sr.; Isaiah Desilva, Fr.

St. Joseph: Andrew Langtry, Jr.; Dayton Kiko, Jr.

Waiakea: Dyson Sato, Soph.; Ian McKee, Jr.; Lono Leasure-Lucas, Jr.; Quinn Shiroma, Soph.

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BIIF’s Finest procduces state champions in Track & Field

Brostek

KEAAU – Five defending state champions from the Big Island Interscholastic Federation had their titles on the line as the Hawaii High School Athletic Association held the track and field championships over a two day period on Friday and Saturday.

Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Shane Brostek (shot and discus) and Zoe Sims (1500), along with Konawaena’s Ua Ruedy, Kealakehe’s Luca Walter and Kamehameha’s Kaenen Akau (long jump) all passed the qualifiers on Friday to make it into the finals on Saturday.

BIIF athletes advanced 21 boys and 19 girls into the finals with individual and team championships on the line.

The defending BIIF boy’s team champions and Coach Vicky Chai-Guerpo were looking to place within the top 5 teams during Saturday’s finals.

“The competition at this level is very stiff and I hope our kids are ready to compete,” Chai-Guerpo said.  “Baldwin is probably the team to beat and I’m impressed with them.”

The Bears from Maui came in as the heavy team favorites as their qualifiers were spread deep into the finals.

Chai-Guerpo’s time was split between hosting the state meet and coaching the Cougars.

“I had lots of help from parents, my athletic director, and many other people which made hosting easy for me,” she said.

Brostek had an off two days in the discus throw and finished the championship in 4^th place, to be the first defending champ to be unseeded from his crown.

In the shot Brostek came back with a vengeance repeating as the state champion with his toss of 55-7.25.

“I messed up in the discus with bad technique,” Brostek said.  “I’m a little disappointed tonight, even with my shot because I did better during the regular season.”

Brostek is headed to the University of Washington on a football scholarship, but is also thinking of joining the track team.

“I might try to walk on in track, but those guys are pretty awesome,” he said.

Walter

Kealakehe’s Luca Walter did what he’s been dreaming of in the finals.

“I finally got my time under 50 seconds,” Walter said of his 400 meter victory.  “Breaking 50 seconds means more to me than winning the state title.”

Walter, a confident senior for the Waveriders, took the race out in lane 5 and ran his own race.

“I actually like lane 3 better because I can see my competition around me,” Walter said.  “I’m a firm believer in God so I asked him to help me.”

During the preliminary trails on Friday a Kealakehe coach timed Walter on his 4×400 anchor leg at 48.99 seconds.

Akau had no trouble defending his long jump title with his leap of 21-11.

“It’s great to repeat as state champ,” Akau said.  “I managed to work out the tension in practice and allowed my technique to carry over into the jump.”

Akau, who most of the season found himself fouling in his first two attempts was composed during the state championships and on Friday unleashed a 22-1 leap to regain his title.

“It was during my last jump on Friday that I hit the 22 mark,” Akau said. 

During the 100 dash Akau claimed third place and was satisfied with that mark.

“Third in the 100 at states, I can’t go wrong with that,” Akau said.  “My mantra coming into states was ‘run fast, jump further’.

The defending 300 hurdle champion, Kona’s Ua Ruedy dove in desperation 18 inches from the finish line to take second place.

Ruedy a real competitor gave 100 percent in her attempt to retain her hurdle crown, falling just short.

Wildcat teammate Lia Galderia won her first track state title leaping 18-01 in the long jump to outdistance the rest of the field.

“I can’t wait to play basketball,” Galderia said after winning the long.  “It was good fun with great coaches, but it’s onto basketball now.”

HPA’s Sims fell in her attempt to repeat in the 1500 when a talented Seabury Hall’s Dakota Grossman, a sophomore, ran her personal best and gave credit to the two Big Island girls for pushing her during the race.

Hilo’s Carmen Garson-Shumway tried to stay in the pack of Sims and Grossman, but as the event came to its final lap Grossman pulled away for the victory.

Two new state champions were crowned in Keaau’s Cliff Eriksson, wining the high jump going 6-2 and Alexander Engdahl taking the 300 hurdles.

Eriksson was the only competitor to clear 6-2 and he asked that the bar be raised to 6-4.

“I just wanted to see what I could do today,” he said.  “I am happy that I won the state title, but am also disappointed that I couldn’t clear 6-4.”

For Eriksson it proved to be a mental game as the senior put it all together.

“I thought I could and I wanted it,” Eriksson said of the hurdle victory.

Eriksson did have his share of disappointment as his relay team failed to pull out the victory in the 4×100.

“It was a little disappointing,” Eriksson said.  “We were all hoping we could win the relay and it just didn’t happen.”

The Keaau boys were the BIIF team champions and were looking for a top five finish at the state meet.

“I’m very proud of my team,” Coach Chai-Guerpo said.  “This was our greatest season in the history of Keaau.”

The Cougars boys finished fourth overall and was the first BIIF team.

Bright pink shoes lead way around oval in BIIF track & field

WAIMEA – Bright pink racing shoes was easy to see from anywhere on the track but it was the altitude that played the biggest role for Waiakea distance runner Jackson Halford as he ran the 3000 at the Stan Shutes track at Hawaii Preparatory Academy on Saturday.

Halford, participating in the final regular season meet in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation before running in the BIIF Qualifiers on Friday was content with his 3K performance.

“I’m okay with my time today (9:25)” Halford said.  “After all it is HPA and it’s hard to know where I’m really at because of the altitude.”

Halford, with his bright pink pair of racing flats, made it look easy as he weaved his way around the oval lapping slower runners in the process.

Halford a master at distance racing showed his strength in the 1500 finishing in 4:17 which brought a smile to his face.

“Anytime I can go under 4:19 I’m happy,” Halford said.  “The 1500 may be my best event and I will run it, along with the 800 and 3000 in BIIF’s”

On the other side of the ledger, teammate Kelsie Kobayashi did a repeat performance of her male counterpart by winning the 3K.

“My mind wasn’t into racing for most of the season,” Kobayashi said.  “Today I finally put it all together as my heart was in it and I wasn’t worried about who was in this race.”

Kobayashi ran the seven and a half lap race, distancing herself from the rest of the field with every lap.

“I was hitting my splits today and getting myself confidence back,” Kobayashi said. “This is my favorite race and I still believe I can improve on my time.”

Kobayashi’s time of 11 minutes 26 seconds was the best of her four years running varsity track at Waiakea.

“I paced myself properly and focused on my time, not my competition,” she said.  “I’ve never run this fast and believe I am peaking at the right time.”

The defending state champion in the girls 1500, HPA’s Zoe Sims had a real battle as she went against Hilo’s Carmen Garson-Shumway.

“Carmen and I are track friends and I respect her a lot for her running ability.” Sims said.

During the 1500 the two girls exchanged the lead several times and the race was never decided until the final meter with Sims leaning across the finish line first.

Sims was also on the track for the 800 in which she won in a time of 2:23.

“My 800 time was okay, the race felt good and it was fun to run,” Sims said.  “I like running the 800 and today I managed to hit my split times.”

For the boys it was Kealakehe’s Luca Walter tearing up the track in both the 800 and 400 races.

“I reached one of my goals today when I went under 2 minutes for the 800,” Walter said.    

Walter, who will be a walk on at Western Oregon, wanted to get his 800 time under 2 minutes.

“I needed to get it under 2 in order to have the college coaches take a better look at me when I walk on,” he said.  “Now I need to get my 400 time under 50 seconds.”

“Today I focused on the 800 and next week the focus will be in the 400,” Walter said.

Walter was also the anchor leg in the 4×400 relay and helped lead the Waveriders to victory in 3:32.

The heavy weight of field events, double state defending champion in the shot and discus throws, HPA’s Shane Brostek was having a sub Brostek performance.

“I was off today and wasn’t happy with my throws in both events,” Brostek said.  “I like winning, but for me it’s more about improving that makes the difference.”

Brostek threw the shot 56 feet, two weeks ago, which makes him the state leader, but Saturday’s throw didn’t make the humble giant very happy.

“I worked really hard during the week lifting and practicing, so I wasn’t very happy with what I did today,” Brostek said.

While Brostek was throwing far away from the track, on the infield was Keaau’s Cliff Eriksson, the BIIF leader in the boy’s high jump.

The heavy weight of field events, double state defending champion in the shot and discus throws, HPA’s Shane Brostek was having a sub Brostek performance.

“I was off today and wasn’t happy with my throws in both events,” Brostek said.  “I like winning, but for me it’s more about improving that makes the difference.”

Brostek threw the shot 56 feet, two weeks ago, which makes him the state leader, but Saturday’s throw didn’t make the humble giant very happy.

“I worked really hard during the week lifting and practicing, so I wasn’t very happy with what I did today,” Brostek said.

While Brostek was throwing far away from the track, on the infield was Keaau’s Cliff Eriksson, the BIIF leader in the boy’s high jump.

Eriksson entered the competition at 5-8 and leaped his way up and over the cross bar, clearing a personal best height of 6-02 before failing to clear at 6-03, but it was his earlier victory in the 110 hurdles that he was most pleased with.

“I’m really happy with my 110 performance,” he said.  “This is the first time that I’ve won the 110.”

Eriksson complained of sore legs during the week and his mini break seemed to have revived his body.

“It was a hard practice week for my, but today I felt really good,” he said.  “The high jump is my favorite and best event.”

Eriksson also finished second in the 300 hurdles and second in the 4×400 relay.

Keaau’s Eriksson wins 110 hurdles at Hawaii Prep track meet

Boys 110 Meter Hurdles 

1 Cliff Eriksson            12 Keaau         15.96   1   10 

  2 Damien Packer             12 Keaau       16.14   1    8 

  3 Michael Morikawa          JR Waiakea     16.55   1    6 

  4 Rihei Grothmann           10 Kamehameha HI 16.91 1    4 

  5 Joey Kailimai             SO Hawaii Prep 17.28   1    2 

  6 Shawn Ventura             10 Keaau       17.60   1    1 

  7 Easten Tanimoto           12 Kamehameha  17.98   1

  8 Yasu Miyakawa             SR Hawaii Prep 17.99   1

  9 Oscar Kuo                 SR Hawaii Prep 18.30   2

 10 Carson Magoon             SR Hawaii Prep 19.03   2

 11 Benedict Purel            FR Kealakehe   20.22   2

 12 Maurice Smith              9 Keaau       21.01   2

 13 Taz Preston               JR Waiakea     21.06   2

 14 Sione Atuekaho             9 Hilo        21.44   2

 15 Brock Sherlock             9 Hilo        22.30   2

 16 Quinn Shiroma             SO Waiakea     22.62   2

Kamehameha’s Aukai Akau shooting for the starts as the best in the state long jump

KEAAU – Shooting for the stars is what champions strive for.  And Kamehameha’s Aukai Akau was exploring the outer boundaries of the universe on Saturday on his home track as the Big Island Interscholastic Federation hosted an East Division Track & Field Meet.

Akau, the state champion in the long jump, displayed why he is number one by leaping 21-11.5 to rank himself as the lead jumper in the state.

The Kamehameha senior failed to reach a mark on his first two attempts before settling down on his third and final attempt to nail his picture perfect leap.

“When I warmed up my stride got longer and I needed to move my mark,” Akau said of his two fouls.  “I knew I had one more jump and I tried hard to keep that one behind the board.”

Akau comes in as the defending BIIF and State champion in the long jump and he didn’t disappoint the crowd with his massive leap.

“My goal this season is to go for the stars,” he said.  “I know I can go 23 feet or beyond so I’ll just go as far as I can.”

While Akau was exploring the outer limits of the stratosphere Kau’s Alika Kaopua decided to get a lift on the adrenaline rush and followed suit by leaping 21-9.5 to rank himself as the number 2 long jumper in the state.

“I believe that practice makes perfect and that is what I’ve been doing for the past several weeks,” Kaopua said.  “I’m just learning to get my mark down and when I perfect that, I’ll be ready.

 Kaopua came back later in the day to establish himself as the number 1 triple jumper in the state with his eye opening 44-7.

“I just set a personal record today,” Kaopua said.  “I’m the BIIF champ in the triple, but I shooting to become the best in the state at the triple.”

The confident Trojan also stated that he is looking for double gold medals at the state meet in May by winning both the long and triple.

“I know I can do better in the triple as I believe I can go 45 feet,” he said.  “Last year was the first year that I ever did the triple.”

Over at the high jump it was Keaau Cliff Eriksson also setting a personal record by going over the bar and qualifying for state.

“I came in at 5-10, which is two inches high than I’ve jumped before,” Eriksson said.  “My best last year was 5-8, but this year I am expecting to clear 6-4.”

By the end of the day Eriksson managed to clear 6-0 to establish  himself as one of the top jumpers in the league.

“My dad was a high jumper in high school and he cleared 6-8,” Eriksson said.  “I need to work on my form and not let negative thoughts get in the way in order to get anywhere near what my dad did.”

  Cougar teammate Damien Packer was entered in four events and excelled in his favorite, the 110 hurdles which has ranked him at number 3 in the State.

“The 110 hurdles is going to be my main focus this season along with the 300 hurdles,” Packer said.

Packer was sidelined last season and did not compete, but seems better prepared this season.

“I want to come back with a vengeance,” Packer said.  “I want to lead by example and help our team reach its goals.”

Packer was the lead runner in the boys 4×100 relay which hit the tape as the number one Fully Automated Timing System rated relay team in the state, according to the FAT crew.

In the boys 3000 it was St. Joseph’s Andrew Langtry running away from a large field to easily win with a sub 10 minute time.

“My goal this season in the 3K is to get somewhere in the 9:30 range,” Langtry said.  “Today no one tried to push me and I had to run alone which makes it harder to run faster.”

Langtry feels that his 9:59 is okay at this point of the season and looks forward to running with a more competitive field.

“I tell myself to push harder and not get sidelined by the ‘green monster’, that tells me to slow down or to rest,” Langtry said.

On the other side of the Warrior campus, and far away from the track, the throwers were competing with the discus and shot put.

    Pahoa’s Ariel Brown who was second in the shot last season had a winning toss of 30-10.

“I think I can throw between 33 and 35 feet,” Brown said.

An obstacle standing in the Dagger way is that she is coming off the wrestling season where she injured her shoulder and still has some discomfort in her neck.

“I’m undergoing physical therapy and my arm is very sore,” Brown said.  “Once it heals I plan on getting back in the weight room and will then also work on my technique in the circle.”

Even with an injured shoulder Brown is barely off the state qualifying mark of 31 feet.

“I’ll make it to states before the end of the season,” she said.

The BIIF season continues on Saturday with split meets at Hawaii Prep for the West Side Schools and Keaau for the East Side.

Both venues start at 9 am for field events and 10 am for running events.