BIIF track and field season gets a running start on Saturday

     It’s never easy to dethrone a champion and this track & field season won’t be any different as the Big Island Interscholastic Federation defending girls and boys champions look for a repeat.

The Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s girls and Waiakea boys look to defend their team titles when the BIIF gets a running start with dual season openers at Kamehameha and Konawaena on Saturday.

“We return a young, but experienced girls team,” Veteran Ka Makani Coach Pat Lau said.

“Our strength will be with our distance girls in events of 400 meters and above.”

Lau has the luxury of having the entire 2011 girl’s state champion cross country team on the track.

Zoe Sims, last year’s 1500 meter state champion along with Kristiana Van Pernis who placed in both the 1500 and 800 meter events at states, will headline the talented Ka Makani distance squad.

“Besides our distance girls we have two strong finishers in pole vault, Sydney Budde and Taylor Esaki,” Lau said.

Experience is the name of the game with HPA having two hurdlers in Emily Evans and Katie Case which give firepower and depth to Ka Makani track squad.

“In the rest of the events we have a lot of new girls and they should do well,” Lau said.

Lau also has a host of talent to choose from with another large turnout on the track.

“This year we have another big  team with 47 girls and 32 boys, most are still learning,” Lau said.  “Pole vault alone will have 11 athletes with only 4 having experience.”

Lau points to his coaches which are working hard at finding the right events for each of his athletes.

“Our coaches will spend time with each and every one of them to find how they can best contribute to the team,” Lau said.

The HPA boys return state shot put and discus champion Shane Brostek and Lau feels that he will have another great year.

“Our senior leader is Kayden Haleakala in the pole vault and sprints,” Lau said.  “We expect a few surprises in the hurdles and jumps with our young boys.”

Defending boy’s team champions, Waiakea, return most of their squad from last season which have coaches Mary Jane and Lance Tominaga looking for a repeat.

“We’re expecting our returnees to contribute in their events,” MJ Tominaga said.

The Tominaga’s have high expectations for Mauna Palama-Danielson, throws, Jackson Halford, Ian McQuate and Keoni Rice in the mid to long distance races, Michael Morikawa and Kevin Nicolas in the hurdles and jumps and Colton Austria in sprints.

“We have about 40 athletes on the boy’s side and we expect some of our new additions to be key contributors to this year’s team,” Coach Tominaga said.  “We feel the team will be competitive as we have the depth to field athlete in every event except for pole vault.”

Waiakea has a small girl’s team with 15 and the Tominaga’s agree that they lack the depth of the boy’s squad.

Key individuals for the Warrior girls will come from Kelsie Kobayashi in distance, Haley Rasse, mid distance and Teisha Nacis in sprints.

Around the rest of the league:

KEAAU will field a large squad of 77 athletes, but according to Coach Vicky Chai-Guerpo most are young and have raw talent.

“We have a close knit group of kids who are focused on doing their best,” Chai-Guerpo said.  “Our goal is to be a ‘brotherhood’ caring about each other and if we accomplish this, then a win may follow.”

The Cougars will rely on the experience of a sprint core made up of Jesse Huihui, Damien Packer, and Alexander Engdahl. Teammates Cliff Ericksson, jumps and hurdles; Nelson Enos, pole vault; Talon Ota, jumps and 400; Joey Aquino, high jump; Randi Estrada, sprints; and Deann Nishimura-Thornton at distance events.

HILO with veteran coach Bill McMahon has a good turnout of mostly young girls and he is trying to see how they will develop.

“Our girls will bring back Carmen Garson-Shumway at distance, along with Shina Chung at Pole Vault,” McMahon said.

The Viking boys will see Zack Atagi in the discus and shot.

“Our boys had a good turnout but almost all are new guys so we don’t know what we have yet,” McMahon said.  “We are going to try to be competitive.”

HONOKAA – One of the league’s best distance coaches, Josh Abner, brings with him one of the strongest 1500 and 3K runners on the track in Chase Moniz along with brothers Robert and Tony Conners handling the mid distance. 

“I also have high expectations for our 4×400 meter relay team and sprints with the addition of Dylan Oanadasan, Brooks McVey, and Koa Phenice returning,” Abner said.

Abner also noted that Josh Tobias will join the team, after a fantastic soccer season.

For the Dragon girls Abner has high hopes for Hildhang Adona and Kelly Greenwell in the distance races along with Nahe Lau and Yvonne Daniels in the sprint events.

KAU – has a new coach, but a familiar face on campus, Kapua Lapera returns to her alma mater after graduating and running cross country for the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

The Trojans return one of the islands fastest sprinter and jumper in junior Christina Padrigo. 

Marley Stand-Nicolaisen, triple jump and hurdles along with teammate Alika Kaopua, the BIIF triple jump champion will also be a highlight for Kau.

KAMEHAMEHA – Under head coach Kimo Weaver always produces outstanding hurdlers who have gone on to win state titles.  Weaver is a master coach in the hurdles as that is his area of expertise.

The Warriors will carry between 20 and 30 boys and another 20 to 30 girls, according to Weaver.

Outstanding returnees include Kaenen Aukai Akau in the long jump and sprints along with Chelsea Poe in sprints and relays and Alyssa Lehua McGuire in the hurdles, pole vault and relays.

“Our strengths are in the jumps, but we are a young and inexperienced team,” Weaver said. “Our main goal is to simple get better every week and having fun doing it.”

KONAWAENA –  Wildcat coaches Kuulei Saole and Kuulika Taveras return some super star power in Ua Ruedy, the defending state champion in the 300 hurdles and Lita Taomoefalau who placed third in the BIIF throws.

The big question was whether or not basketball great Lia Galderia will compete as she was questionable going into the preseason while she was still working on preparing for college, according to a school source.

Galderia, a muli talented athlete will appear in action on the BIIF track scene, as her presence will add a boost to the Wildcat program according to sources within the BIIF.

The BIIF regular track and field season gets a leaping start this Saturday as West side schools head to Kona with East side running on the Kamehameha Keaau track.

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

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BIIF Boys cross country All League Selections

Coach Abner

 

Halford

Correa Doll

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

			BOYS All-League
(based on finish at BIIF Championship on 22-Oct)
			1st Team
CHAMPION		Chayce Moniz	12	Honokaa
2nd place		Jackson Halford	12	Waiakea
3rd place		Andrew Lantry	11	St. Joseph’s
4th place		Shawn Correa Doll	12	Kamehameha
5th place		Paul Gregg	11	Parker
6th place		Ian Mcquate	10	Waiakea
7th place		Brandt Mabuni	12	Makua Lani
			2nd Team
8th place		Tony Connors	10	Honokaa
9th place		Robert Connors	12	Honokaa
10th place		Luca Walter	12	Kealakehe
11th place		Stephen Hunter	10	Hilo
12th place		Max Panoff	10	Hilo
13th place		Alden Aguirre	12	Honokaa
14th place		Hajime Hiyano	10	Waiakea
Coach of the Year			JOSHUA ABNER
			Honokaa High School
			2011 BIIF Team Champions
			HONOKAA HIGH SCHOOL
HONORABLE MENTION
			BOYS
Christian Liberty			Caedan Cambra, Keenan Freitas
Hawaii Prep			Michael Spetich, Justin Macy, Hide Akai
Hilo			Max Kerr, Hyrum Kim
Honokaa			Clayton Robinson, PedroSanches,Seanry Agbayani
Kamehameha			Maka’ala Cruz, Colton Hill, Jordan Hirae
Ka’u			Jemy Ray Palancia, Cash Sheppard
Kea’au			Jhun Delle Ventura, Davin Alviento, Arman Navarro
Kealakehe			Scott Henderson, CJ, Agusen
Kohala			Josiah Adams, Domenic Defiesta
Makua Lani			Devin Vandervoort, Andrew Dong,Aidan Alcos
Pahoa			Kristian Abilla
Parker			Jesse Tarnas, Tyler McCullough
Waiakea			Dyson Sato, Keoni Rice, Robbey Meguro

 girls all league selections:  https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/11/05/biif-girls-cross-country-all-league-selections-hpas-franklin-coach-of-the-year/ 

BIIF Cross Country Championship Preview – Titles up for Grabs

     Mystery, intrigue and unbridled excitement continues to build as the Big Island Interscholastic Federation cross country championships will crown its individual and team champions this Saturday at Kamehameha.

During the five week season the BIIF has seen five different girls cross the finish line in first place and chances are there might be a sixth, if the pattern holds.

“It is amazing what things can happen on race day,” HPA girls coach Michael Franklin said.  “Surprising things can happen as there are a number of strong young women on the island who have not yet won a race.”

Franklin’s Ka Makani girls come into the championships as the heavy team favorite to win their 34th title in the last 38 years, but the savvy coach is not taking anything for granted.

“We’re not looking beyond today as we are training hard and that is our current challenge,” Franklin said.

HPA talent, from the first through seventh runner, is so strong that they have had three runners win individual meets during the season and could have a fourth emerge to claim the league individual crown.

Kristiana Van Pernis started things off for HPA winning the Sept 3^rd meet on her home course, followed by Emily Evans taking the second Ka Makani meet on Sept 30, followed more recently by Mariah Haight claiming the individual crown at Kamehameha two weeks ago.

Looming in the background for HPA is Zoe Sims, who was injured early in the season, but has come back to claim two third place finishes and a second place.

Coach Franklin will tell you that Ka Makani harriers are more concerned with team rather than their own success.

“We focus on the strength of a community,” Franklin said.  “We do not train for individual success and the results simply reflect that philosophy.”

With four HPA runners having the ability to win the individual title there are two other girls with the proven talent to mix things up with Ka Makani harriers.

Waiakea’s Kelsie Kobayashi won one meet this season, on her home course, and has frequently run within the HPA pack along with Hilo’s Carmen Garson-Shumway.

Garson-Shumway was the first BIIF runner to cross the finish line during the Kamehameha Invitational and considers the championship course to be her favorite.

“I like running at Kamehameha,” Garson-Shumway said.  “There is something about that course, the rolling hills, and the grassy surface that makes it my favorite.”

     With the race wide open to possibly any of the leagues six girls being able to capture the crown, the boys has Waiakea’s Jackson Halford as the favorite.

Halford has won three of the regular seasons five meets, being first to cross the finish line at second HPA meet, Waiakea and Kamehameha two weeks ago.

St. Joseph’s Andrew Langtry won the first HPA meet and then became runner up to Halford in the second HPA meet and again second at the Kamehameha Invitational.

With the championships at Kamehameha another stiff challenger to Halford’s quest of becoming a league champion will be home course favorite Kamehameha’s Shawn Correa Doll.

Correa Doll was the first BIIF runner to cross the finish line at the Kamehameha Invitational and was runner up to Halford at the Waiakea meet. 

Late in the season Makua Lani’s Brandt Mabuni started to run with the leaders and during the last regular season meet at Kamehameha showed that he should be considered a contender.

Mabuni took the race to Halford and Correa Doll, leading for the first two miles before giving way and finishing in third place.

“The Kamehameha race gave me the confidence to know that I have a good chance of winning at the BIIF championships,” Mabuni said.

Parker’s Paul Gregg and Honokaa’s Tony Conners each had third place finishes during the season and are expected to try to keep up with the leaders in the early going.

“It’s been nerve racking waiting for the championships because I know everyone wants to stop me from winning,” Halford said.  “I expect Shawn (Correa Doll) to be my strongest competitor because this is his home course and he’ll be looking to win.  Knowing I’m the front runner is a good excuse for me to work harder in preparation for this race.”

The Honokaa boys are the four time BIIF team champions, but had a slow start during the season as Waiakea claimed all but the final team scoring titles.

But Honokaa’s experience might be peaking at the right time under Coach Josh Abner as the Dragons are poised to claim their fifth consecutive title.

The top two boys and top two girl’s teams will gain the automatic berth to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association championships on Maui along with the top 38 boys and 37 girls to be held on October 29 on Maui.

League championship action gets under way this Saturday with the junior varsity races starting at 2 pm, followed by the boys varsity and girls varsity races in which the top seven in both varsity events will medal and win all BIIF first team honors.

Honokaa Boys Cross Country Four Time BIIF Champions

4 time league champion Dragons

The Honokaa Boys cross country team has won the Big Island Interscholastic Federation team title 4 times and look to win their fifth title on Oct 22.

The Dragon boys were no where to be found this season in team scoring until the mighty dragon was awakened this past Saturday during a meet at Kamehamhea.

 

Kamehameha will host the BIIF championships and the Dragons appear to be peaking at the right time under Coach Josh Abner.

 

Four of their runners, Chayce Moniz, Tony and Robert Conners, and Alden Aguirre broke into the top 10 this past Saturday with Clayton Robinson being the all important 5th runner.

 

Waiakea had won all the  team scoring titles this season during the previous four meets and now faces a rejuvinated Dragon team who might be peaking at the right time and looking for their 5th league championship.

Barnett wins Peace Festival 5K Race – Complete Results from Honokaa

1.  

   First Annual Peace Festival 5km Run Results

   1. Billy Barnett (20-29)17:22
   2. Jason Braswell (30-39)                   17:53
   3. Lyman Perry (40-49                         18:50
   4. Tony Connors (15-19)                     19:34
   5. Jason Thorpe (40-49)                      19:45
   6. Zackary Waian (20-29)                    20:10
   7. Steve Pavao (50-59)                        20:28
   8. Patrick Leatherman (20-29)         21:43
   9. Gavin Laird (15-19)                          22:14
   10. Riston Matias (15-19)                     22:26
   11. Anthony Aguirre (15-19)               22:38
   12. David Robinson (15-19)                 22:41
   13. Isaac Angelo (15-19)                       23:08
   14. Jhumar Coboson (15-19)               23:31
   15. Devin Hays (15-19)                          24:02
   16. Seanry Agbayani (15-19)               24:07
   17. John Hines (50-59)                           24:21
   18. Andrew Langtry (40-49)                                24:34
   19. Chayce Moniz (15-19)                    24:43
   20. Jordan Kube (30-39)                       24:55
   21. Allie Shiraki (15-19)                          25:43
   22. Kelly Greenwell (15-19)                 25:51
   23. Josh Abner (20-29)                          26:08
   24. Heidi Schmidgall (20-29)                26:15 (#1 woman)           
   25. Elizabeth Aguirre (15-19)              31:27
   26. Abigail Andrade (under 15)          31:28
   27. Archie Hapai (60-69)                       32:44
   28. Steve Hanks (40-49)                        32:47
   29. Hoolaea Andrade (30-39)             33:04
   30. Jay Boughanem (30-39)                 33:37
   31. Jorgen Nelson (30-39)                    35:03
   32. Cullen Andrade (under 15)          39:03
   33. Kristina Dumova (20-29)                46:21

      34.     Jo Kim (50-59)                                    54:37