PUHI — A “DQ,” the only one in the boys’ race, cost the Kauai High School boys their shot at the Kauai Interscholastic Federation title Saturday. Instead, the Island School boys, led by Michael Miller, who dogging the shadow of
PUHI — A “DQ,” the only one in the boys’ race, cost the Kauai High School boys their shot at the Kauai Interscholastic Federation title Saturday.
Instead, the Island School boys, led by Michael Miller, who dogging the shadow of pace setter Micah Kamuela Nobriga Ferris, secured the boys’ race with 40 points. Kapaa boys took second place with 52 points, just two points ahead of Kauai, who finished with 54 points and Waimea High School boys at 70 points.
On the girls’ side, Kapaa’s lead four runners ran strong just behind the pace-setting leaders to control the field in the first mile, finishing with 45 points, followed by Island School at 55 points. Kauai High School, with three of its girls in the leading pack, finished with 61 points, followed by Waimea High School at 66 points.
The disqualification, according to Island School athletic director Kaipo Kealalio, came when one of the Kauai boys leading runners took a wrong turn at one of the flags on the course.
The infraction created a delay in the start of the girls’ race as coaches and athletic directors met to discuss the error, which took place along a course under windless conditions in dew-laden grass and a rapidly warming sun.
Kauai boys held strong as its top two runners, Kainoa Matsumoto (19 minutes, 10 seconds) and Brodie Noice (19:10) finished third and fourth overall, respectively.
As Kauai’s next runner, Andrew Herr (19:23) crossed in seventh overall, the Raiders were in the chase for the lead. But its fourth and fifth runners, Ryan Owan (21:16) and Joshua Manini (21:27) crossed in 19th and 21st, respectively, resulting in the Raiders losing its grip on the title as runners crossed ahead of the redshirts.
Miller followed the pace-setter Nobriga-Ferris of Kapaa for second place, stopping the clock at 18:16, nine seconds back of Nobriga Ferris, who tripped the clock at 18:07.90 in the humid conditions.
Kellan Wortmann (19:19) followed Miller, punctuated by Herr’s finish before Josh Miller (19:26) and Zeb Wichert (19:44) crossed in eighth and ninth places, respectively.
Tai Mitchell’s 15th overall finish on a 20:46- run through the 3-mile course locked up the race for the Voyagers.
“This was a big race,” said Island School’s Sean Magoun. “It’s going to shake up everything.”
Basil Scott, operating the electronic timing system, said he was going to have to calculate how the finish would affect the overall standings and the KIF title.
Following Nobriga-Ferris for Kapaa, Braden Andrews (20:03) crossed 10th followed by Ronnie Perono (20:23) in 12th, Joshua Zeitz (20:29) in 13th and Marcus Bloss (20:5) in 16th.
Bradley Lumabao (19:16) topped the Waimea boys in fifth overall followed by Henry Delos Reyes (20:21) in 11th, Mickey Rita (20:31) in 14th, Jamin Fernandez (21:16) in 18th and Kaleo Castenada (21:28) in 22nd.
Chan Hsu of Island School broke early off the start to establish the pace for the girls’ race, outdistancing the field on a 20:34 run, more than 90 seconds ahead of the second finisher, Carolyn Price (21:58) of Island School.
Kauai’s Krista Schnackenberg rebounded from her DNF two races, prior to fill in the third overall spot on a 22:16 followed by Kapaa’s top runner, Kelsea Armstrong who stopped the clock at 22:28.
The rainbow of colored jersies continued as Kauai’s Heidi Herr (22:30) was dogged by Kauai freshman Sydney Brady (22:48), just two ticks ahead of Waimea’s first finisher, Talia Young (22:50) who came from a KIF volleyball game Friday night against Kauai.
Kapaa’s Cassie Wilson (22:55) and Coral Vernon (23:03) filled in the eighth and ninth overall spots, respectively, but it was the sprint at the finish by Vanessa Hernandez (23:29) in 11th place and Emily Faretta (24:09) and Malia Hickey (24:12) filling in the 13th and 14th spots which insured the Warrior wahine win.
Following its two leaders, Gianna D’Annibale (24:20) crossed in 15th ahead of a trio of Voyager runners, Jade Murphy (24:51), Makenna Olson (25:16) and Madison Moore (25:23) filling in the 18th through 20th spots to clinch second place.
Following its three leaders, Kauai’s fourth runner, Marissa Ruiz (25:58) crossed 24th followed by Lindsey Chun (26:02) and Macy Tamura (26:18) in the 25th and 26th overall slots.
Following Young, Waimea got more top finishes from its KIF champion girls volleyball team as Bailey San Agustine-Nordmeier (23:12.60) crossed in 10th followed by Kiani Kamakea (24:26) in 16th, Sienna Santiago (25:27) in 22nd and Breeann Cayaban (26:19) in 27th.
With the completion of the KIF cross country season, Kapaa girls and the boys’ champion team will be vying at the Honolulu Marathon Hawaii High School Athletic Association state championships, Friday at the Island School campus starting at 9 a.m.
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• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
