PUHI — A huge crowd at Island School’s cross country course witnessed the end of a great season and the start of a state quest that began yesterday. Kaua’i’s girls and Kapa’a’s boys grabbed the KIF championships, but not after
PUHI — A huge crowd at Island School’s cross country course witnessed the end of a great season and the start of a state quest that began yesterday.
Kaua’i’s girls and Kapa’a’s boys grabbed the KIF championships, but not after being challenged by the other schools.
Island School and Waimea tied for second-place in the boys standings and Kaua’i finished in fourth. Waimea and Kapa’a finished second and third, respectively in the girls race, followed by Island School’s young squad.
“Just to see the amount of people out there was great,” meet director Sean Magoun said.
The Island School admissions director had a full squad of volunteers helping out to make the races as smooth as the hood of freshly polished car.
Individually, it was no question who would come out on top once again in both competitions. Kaua’i’s Chelsea Smith-Wishard and Waimea’s Scott Martin blazed the course and took home the top medals.
Both will be forces to be reckoned with at the State Cross Country Championships, held at KCC on Nov. 11.
“We could have, for the first time in history on Kaua’i, two state champions,” former collegiate runner Ernie Johnson said.
Johnson’s daughter, Ashley, was a standout performer for the Red Raiders last season and is now competing at the collegiate level.
The top 13 boys and top 14 girls runners will be gunning it out against the rest of the state at the KCC course.
The top 13 boys are Scott Martin (Waimea), Nathan Martin (Waimea), Ben Baldwin (Island), Chris Marsh (Island), Adam Kerlin (Kapa’a), Chance Bukoski (Kapa’a), Sheldon Taniguchi (Waimea), Alex LaMadrid (Kapa’a), Jason Orbe-Smith (Kapa’a), Brian O’Brien (Island), Alex Soza (Kapa’a), Alan Hoffman (Island), and Noah Randolph-Flagg (Island).
The top 14 girls are Chelsea Smith-Wishard (Kaua’i), Rachel Martin (Waimea), Gillian Pickett (Kula), Andrianna Mendivil (Kaua’i), Alex Pond (Kapa’a), Amanda Savage (Kaua’i), Alicia Cowern (Kaua’i), Carolyn Hoeckman (Waimea), Erin Pickett (Kapa’a), Tara McCoy (Kaua’i), Leeanna Carvalho (Kaua’i), Laura Hudson (Waimea), Taylor James (Island), and Lauren Riley (Kaua’i). Both Kapa’a and Kaua’i will each choose two alternates who will also be eligible to run in the state meet.
