KEALIA — The absence of two of its top runners and Coral Vernon were key for Kapa‘a High School, which split the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation cross country race at the Kaua‘i Ranch in Kealia, Saturday. Waimea High School boys capitalized
KEALIA — The absence of two of its top runners and Coral Vernon were key for Kapa‘a High School, which split the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation cross country race at the Kaua‘i Ranch in Kealia, Saturday.
Waimea High School boys capitalized on the two missing Kapa‘a runners, picking up their first win of the season with 34 points to Kapa‘a’s 42 points. Island School, setting the pace with Ryan Perez finishing first, collected 61 points for third place with Kaua‘i boys rounding out the field at 103 points.
Kapa‘a girls picked up their second straight win on 36 points followed by Kaua‘i girls at 43 points, Waimea at 65 points and Island School, again setting the standard when Joy Claypoole finished first on a 21:22.80 three-mile loop, rounded out the field with 88 points.
Jeff Rivera, the Kaua‘i Ranch foreman, said Tom and Bonnie McCloskey were pleased to allow the runners to enjoy the Kealia ranch for the Saturday races.
“We’ve had the Boy Scouts, church youth groups and other youth camp on the ranch,” Rivera said. “When we asked Tom and Bonnie, they said, ‘Let the kids run!’ ”
And the kids ran, overcoming some of the gnarliest obstacles along a single lap 3-mile loop, including a gigantic hill which overwhelmed even the hardiest runners.
“I didn’t expect it to be that big,” said Perez, who crossed the finish line first overall at 18:44.90. “I didn’t see it until the race and I thought I would have to walk it.”
But despite the slower time because of the course, Perez was first overall, followed by Waimea runners Travis Soares (19:53.00) and Mikey Rita (19:58.30).
Kapa‘a’s Austin Reimer filled in fourth overall at 19:59.10, and Dylan Morrison-Fogel of Island School took the No. 5 spot on a 20:30.10 run.
But Bradley Lumabao (20:42.50) and Jordan Kamakea (20:48.80) locked up the win for Waimea in the No. 6 and 7 positions.
Kapa‘a boys filled in the next eight positions, but could not overcome the Menehune at that point. Kylan Devin started the Warrior caravan at the No. 8 overall spot on a 21:07.40 run.
Kainoa Matsumoto was the first Kaua‘i runner, crossing at 22:02.20 in the No. 17 position.
Kapa‘a’s Cassie Wilson, relinquishing her No. 2 spot to Kaua‘i’s Heidi Herr last week, regained the runner-up spot. She edged the Kaua‘i runner by just five seconds, Wilson stopping the clock at 22:06.70 and Herr crossing at 22:11.70.
Kaycee San Agustin-Nordmeier of Waimea filled in the No. 4 spot at 22:30.90 to give representation to all four schools in the Top Five finishers.
Krista Schnackenberg of Kaua‘i put her school up in the No. 5 spot at 22:49.40, followed by Shania Weiss of Kapa‘a knotting the lead in the No. 6 berth at 23:39.50.
About 20 seconds later, Coral Vernon locked up the lead for the Warrior girls in the No. 7 berth on a 23:56.60 run. Waimea’s Talia Young (23:57.50) interrupted Kaua‘i’s Ashley Schnackenberg, coming off the Raiders’ volleyball win Friday night where she put the icing with her two final kills. Schnackenberg filled in the No. 9 spot on a 24:32.60 run.
The series continues Saturday at the Waimea High School campus. The first race starts at 8:30 a.m.
