Edwards is King of the Hurdles

     The Big Island Interscholastic Federation was well represented at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Track & Field Championships held Saturday in Keaau.

     BIIF runners, jumpers and throwers made their way into the finals to compete on equal footing with the state’s best.

    Kau’s Jacob Edwards had a banner day pocketing two gold medals in his signature events, the 110 and 300 meter hurdles.

    Edwards, just a junior, posted the best times in the state throughout the year and proved his mettle by displaying picture perfect form in traversing the hurdles.  Last year Edwards came away with two silver medals in both hurdle events, but the Trojan, through hard work and determination, has placed himself as the hurdle King in Hawaii prep sports.

    “I thought I could have done better,” Edwards said after winning his second gold medal  “My starts need some work as I’m getting out too slow in the 110 and then I have to play catch up.”

   Edwards looked to be in trouble during the 110 with two hurdles to go Hilo’s Jacob Delacruz had a body length in front of the Trojan, but he managed to pull out the race with 20 meters to go clocking 14.93 to second place Delacruz at 15.26.

   The 300 hurdles turned into near BIIF finals with four of the eight qualifiers coming for the Big Island.  Hilo’s TJ Dela Cruz and Cameron Calistro were joined by Keaau’s Broc Bangloy with the best four times in the top five contestants.

   Edwards and Dela Cruz went one-two with Banloy and Calistro taking fourth and fifth respectively.  “I’ve been racing against these guys all season and we all work hard to make each other faster,” Edwards said.

   Edwards went on to take fifth place in the triple jump and scored a total of 22 points, the highest number of points ever scored by a boy’s team from Kau, according to Trojan coach, Bob Martin.

   Not to be outdone, Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Ku’uipo Nakoa captured her gold in the long jump, outdistancing runner-up Zhane Santiago of Kahuku by more than one foot with her leap of 17-11.50.

   Nakoa, who had a total of one medal last year for her teams fourth place relay finish, turned entered and was instrumental in helping the Ka Makani advance in the 400 and 1600 meter relays.

   Kamehameha-Hawaii Victoria Hiilani joined Nakoa on the long jump medal platform capturing fifth place in just her sophomore season.

   Ka Makani Mindy Campbell won the girl’s high jump with a leap of 5-04 with Waiakea’s Cassie Morigaki taking fifth and HPA’s Erika Cushnie in sixth.

   Nakoa also captured third place in the triple jump with Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Cheray Brzezowski taking fifth.

   During the 100 meter dash it Hilo’s Corie Schattuaer, the BIIF champion, going head to head against Punahou’s Ashley Satterwhite.  Satterwhite won the event with Schattuaer taking fourth.

1. “I hurt my leg during the 100 and my coach (Pat Lau) told me to scratch the 200 and 1600 relay, but I couldn’t do that and let me teammates down,” Nakoa said.

   Nakoa went on to run in the 200 but reinjured her leg and was not to return for the final relay event.

   Schattuaer was back at it again later in the evening in the 200 dash with a fast time of 26.59 seconds and a third place finish.

   Keaau freshman Randi Estrada made a name for herself by making it into the finals of the girls 400 meter dash and maintained her composure to claim a third place medal.

   “I was shaking and nervous before the race, but once the starter said “set” I was over it,” Estrada said.

    “I was seeded fifth, but I was hoping to get third.  My coach (Vicky Chai-Guerpo) told me before the race that I had to start my kick early in order to get a better time,” Estrada said.

    Estrada was in seventh place going into the final 150 meters when she began her kick to the finish.  The strategy worked well as the Cougar freshman passed four runners in her final kick.

    Another surprise came from Honokaa’s Tialana Greenwell who ran her fastest 3000 clocking in at 10:48.36 to finish second overall.

    “I wasn’t expecting that time at all,” Greenwell said.  “I was hoping I could run 11 minutes flat and finish in the top three, but I surprised myself.”

    Greenwell used the 1500 meter run as a warm up during the trails to get rid of pre-race jitters and prior to the finals put her headphones on and listened to music in order to avoid the “big race nerves.”  “My coach knows that I always get nervous before a state meet and he wanted me to relax as much as possible,” she said.

   Another Dragon, Jake Shiraki, pulled out a fourth place finish in the boys 3000, while Hilo’s Mark Turner placed sixth.

    The girls 100 hurdles saw Kamehameha’s Aubrey Lea Shaw and HPA’s Kini Shuping make the medal stand by placing fifth and sixth respectively.  Shaw and Shuping was back on the track later in the evening for the 300 hurdles it was the Warrior redeeming herself for letting the BIIF championships slip through by taking a second place medal and edging out the BIIF champ, Kini Shuping of HPA who finished sixth.

    Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Jordan Lerma had the fastest 800 qualifying time going into the finals and managed to break the 2 minute barrier in the finals to claim third with Keaau’s Daniel Brooks taking fifth.

   In pole vault Hilo seniors Scott Hunter (2^nd) and David King (5) took home two state medals for the Big Island contingent.

  Viking sprinters Charles Clay and Chan Spikes represented the BIIF well with both making the 100 finals, with Clay (4^th) advancing into the 200 with Waiakea’s Ka’imi Scott (6^th).

     HHSAA host Keaau had both their boys 1600 relay team in the finals. The Cougars went with Mtume Msizkizi-Jackson, Jelani Young, Edward Dalton and Jelani Alcott as the foursome blazed to a person best time of 3:27.92 good enough for fifth place.

    BIIF athletes were only shut out of three of the 32 contested events (16 boys and 16 girl’s events) in which no one made it to the finals.  In girls pole vault a pair of freshmen ended in a tie for 13^th place, while boys high jump and discus saw the Big Island’s best in ties for 10^th place.

Advertisement

BIIF Runners Set to Leave Mark at HHSAA Championships

Kau’s Jacob Edwards leads the state in 110 & 300 hurdles

      Runners, jumpers and throwers from around the state are flocking to the Big Island for the Hawaii High School Athletic Association track & field championships to be held at Keaau on Friday and Saturday.

    The Punahou boys and Kamehameha-Oahu girls are the defending state champions and are loaded with talent in what should be a well contested meet in Keaau.

   Several Big Island Interscholastic Federation athletes will be in the mix to compete for individual state titles.

    Leading the way is Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Ku’uipo Nakoa who is the BIIF Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

    Nakoa is ranked No.1 in the state long jump with a leap of 17 feet 9 inches, more than seven inches further than any other girl in the state has jumped.

   The Ka Makani junior is also ranked third in the triple jump, 36’ 10.25”, third in the 400 meter dash, 59.57 seconds, third in the 200 dash, 26.03 seconds and third in the 100 dash with a hand time of 12.5 seconds.

   “I think my best chance of winning a gold medal would be in the long jump, but who knows,” Nakoa said.  “We’ll all be pushing each other and we’ll all have our adrenaline pumping, so anything can happen.”

   “I’d really, really like to win the 100 and I’d like to do my best in that event as well,” Nakoa said.

   Hilo’s Cory Schattuaer, the BIIF champion in the 100 dash, is ranked second in that event, 12.70, behind state leader Punahou’s Ashley Satterwhite of Punahou who has clocked 12.53.

   A pair of BIIF girls is ranked in the 300 hurdles, with Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Aubrey Lea Shaw listed as third, 47.61, and HPA’s Kini Shuping, who won the BIIF title, fourth at 47.48.  Shuping is also fourth in the state in the triple jump with a leap of 35-05.5.

   The BIIF champions, Kamehameha girls, 4×100 team of Heidi Hall, Lilinoe Heaukulani, Bronte Kaneakua and Jessica Marote ranks fourth in the state at 51.08 seconds while the HPA girls 4×400 team of Nakoa, Shuping, Hana Scully and Noelani Vargas is ranked fifth at 4:13.61.

   Adding to the list of top BIIF girls are HPA’s Mindy Campbell and Waiakea’s Cassie Morigaki who are in a four way tie for high jump clearing five feet two inches early in the season.  Radford’s Kaeli Patton sits in first place at 5-4.

  “We are hobbling through some injuries, as Mindy, who jumped 5-2 in the first three meets sat out the last three weeks prior to the BIIF championships because of a foot injury,” HPA coach, Pat Lau said.

   “Ku’uipo (Nakoa) has been experiencing some pain somewhere, but she won’t tell me, it might be in her thigh or hip, but that won’t stop her from running at states,” Lau said. 

   HPA is taking ten girls to Keaau for the state championships and they are listed in 19 events and the two relays, which has Lau hopeful that his girls can advance into 14 events and two relays in the finals, on Saturday.

     “Our goal is to be in the top five.  If the gods are on our side and the planets are lined up right we could score 85 points, but realistically 48 to 55 points is a more real number,” Lau said. 

    “The way the different girl teams look 65 points will win it.  There are no dominating teams.  Punahou and Radford have the sprinters, Maui has a great middle and distance running, and Kahuku is good in field events,” Lau said.

    For the boys it is the BIIF’s most outstanding male athlete, Kau’s Jacob Edwards, has the best chance at bringing home two or three state individual titles.

1. The Trojan is also ranked fourth in the triple jump with his hop-skip-and jump of 45-06.5.

   “I like my chances in the 300 hurdles as there is more room for adjustment during the race,” Edwards said.  “I need to keep my head up, but I don’t want to put the cart before the horse and I must remain humble.”

    Edwards placed second in the state last year in both the 110 and 300 hurdles and was sixth in the triple jump.

   Close behind Edwards is a talented Thomas Delacruz of Hilo who ranks third in the state for the 110 at 14.97 and second in the 300 at 40.05.

   Hilo also brings to the track some of the best sprinters in the state with Charles Clay, No. 3, in the 100 dash at 11.09 and No. 3 in the 200 at 22.51.

   Teammate Bronson Kahaleua follows Clay in the 200 with the fourth fastest time in the state, 22.53, with Waiakea’s Ka’imi Scott fifth at 22.66.

   The Viking boys 4×100 relay team of Chan Spikes, Kahaleua, Clay and Karl Ancheta is ranked fourth in the state at 43.17 seconds.

   Konawaena’s Dakota Smith holds down the No. 2 state position in the 800 meter run, 1:59.81, with Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Jordan Lerma at No. 3, 2:00.15.  King Kekaulike’s Reid Hunter brings the fastest time in the 800 clocking 1:58.61 earlier in the season.

   In pole vault it is Hilo’s David King bringing his early season clearance of 15 feet as the No. 1 height in the state.  King has been hampered with some nagging injuries and was only able to clear 13 feet during the BIIF championships.  Teammate and defending BIIF champion in the pole vault, Scott Hunter, cleared 13-6 to win the event.

   Kamehameha’s Caleb Friel is ranked No. 3 in pole vault with his early season height of 14 feet.

   The Vikings should also score points in the shot with Jordan Loeffler ranked No. 5 at 52-05.5 toss.

   “Our boys and girls are just hoping to make second day appearances in all events,” Kamehameha-Hawaii coach, Troy Souza said.  “Our girls have a better shot at getting points and whatever points we get will be greatly welcomed.”

   The Warrior girls won the BIIF team title last week at Keaau and are hoping to carry their success into this week’s championship.  “The girls are really motivated and trying to carry any momentum into this week state track meet,” Souza said.

   The HHSAA track and field state championship begins this Friday at Keaau with the qualifying heats for each event.  On Saturday the championships conclude with event finals.

   General admission tickets are $7, students in grades K-12 are $5; students, and Senior Citizens are $5.  No outside food will be allowed within the stadium, no coolers, no tenting anywhere in the stands and parking will not be permitted at Keaau’s upper gym parking lot, that area is reserved for officials and workers, according to Keaau athletic director, Iris McGuire.

Hilo Pole Vaulter is #1 in State

Hilo High’s David King soared into a new time zone with his successful clearing of 15 feet during pole vault competition at a regular season track & field meet at Keaau on Saturday.

King, whose previous best height was 13’ 6”, was challenged by teammate Scott Hunter and Kamehameha’s Caleb Friel as the trio cleared 13’ 6” to raise the bar on competition.

David King is the King of the Pole Vault

During last year’s Big Island Interscholastic Federation championships it was Hunter leaping his way to victory by clearing the 13’ 6” barrier.

By clearing 13’ 6” all three boys vaulted their way into the top four states ranking. Both Friel and King then cleared 14 feet before King began his epoch run at vaulting fame.

King then cleared 14’ 6” then had the bar raised to 15 feet to set him atop the rest of the state.

“In my 17 years of coaching I’ve never seen anyone clear 15 feet,” Hilo coach, Bill McMahon said. “This is an incredible accomplishment.”

King next tried to clear 15’ 4” before exiting. “I didn’t feel any pressure today as it’s all about having fun,” he said after his state leading height.

“I never came in with any goals or expectations. I just feel that I’m going to do what I’m going to do. Relaxing and having fun is the most important thing in pole vaulting,” King said.

The Viking senior gave a lot of credit to teammate Scott Hunter by saying, “Scott will probably beat me next week, but that’s all good as this is about doing it for the team.”

Hilo pole vault coach, Sherman Viernes, was equally excited for his athlete. “I knew he had the talent and the speed to do it,” Viernes said. “I think he’ll be able to clear 15’ 6” before the season is over.”

Defending BIIF pole vault champion, Scott Hunter, had just returned to vaulting after suffering a broken shoulder in an unrelated accident.

“Scott was just coming off an injury so we had him on a small, 150 pound, pole and when he’s fully recovered from that injury we’ll move him up to a 175 pole.”

Hunter is currently ranked fourth in the state with Friel at number three and King is rated number one. Billy Pacheco from St. Anthony on Maui is ranked #2 with his clearing of 14’ 6”.

“These boys are good vaulters because of their running and approach to the pit and their knowing where their standard placement should be,” Coach Viernes said. “All three Big Island boys have a lot of commitment to vault.”

In the jumps it was Kamehameha’s Manta Dircks making long strides to win the long and triple jumps and placed third in the high jump.

“This is my third year doing the jumps,” Dircks said. “The long jump is my favorite as it gives me the feeling of flying through the air.”

Dircks cleared 20’ 4.5” in the long, outdistancing Keaau’s Mtume Msizkizi-Jackson by two inches.

Both boys went against each other in the triple with nearly the same result as Dircks leaped 42’ 11.25” to win by .25” over Msizkizi-Jackson.

“I want to make states in all three jumps and I need to place a higher emphasis on polymeric drills,” Dircks said. “I need to increase my speed in running up to the board and to keep my focus on the jump.”

Dircks is currently sixth in the state for the triple jump and tied for seventh in the long jump.

In the girls 300 hurdles watch for Kamehameha’s Aubrey Lea Shaw to challenge for top honors in the state.

The Warrior senior is currently ranked third in the state and has gone under 50 seconds for that event.

“I like that there is an obstacle in front of me,” Shaw said. “The 300 hurdles are unpredictable and require a lot of hard work. I’ve really improved this year with my new coach, Kimo Weaver. He knows how to push me and he knows what to say to make me want it.”

Shaw won the 300 hurdles by a second over Keaau freshman Azmera Hammouri and placed second to teammate Cheray Brzezowski in the 100 hurdles.

“I want to win the BIIF championships and hopefully medal at states in both the 100 and 300 hurdles,” Shaw said.

“I still need to learn not to be so hard on myself and to look at the positives in each race,” she said. “In the 300 I need to work on running the curves better.”

Other top rated BIIF boys and their state rankings: Kau’s Jacob Edwards and Hilo’s Thomas Delacruz, ranked one and two respectively in the state for the 110 and 300 hurdles; Hilo’s Jordon Loeffler, shot, #2; Hawaii Prep’s Elliot Kastner, discus, #4; Hilo’s Charles Clay, #3, and Chan Spikes, #4, 100 dash; Hilo’s Bronson Kahaleua, #3, 400 and #7 for 200; Kona’s Dakota Smith, 800, #2, Hilo’s Mark Turner, #2, for both 1500 and 3000 and Keaau’s Daniel Brooks, 1500, #3.

For the girls the top rated state competitors are: HPA’s Ku’uipo Nakoa ranked #1 in both 100 dash and triple jump and #2 for both long and 200 dash; Honokaa’s Tialana Greenwell, 3000 run, #4; Kohala’s Julia Naumes, shot, #4 and discus, #7; while Waiakea’s Cassie Morigaki and HPA’s Mindy Campbell are in a three way tie for first in the high jump.

The BIIF track & field season continues on Saturday with an all-schools meet at Kamehameha starting at 9 am for field events and 10 am for running.

For complete state rankings and BIIF results go to http://kautech.com/results.