KAPAA — Matthew Vickers, the first overall finisher in the boys race of the Kauai Interscholastic Federation cross country match Saturday, said the course at the Kapaa High School campus was “tricky.”
“There was a nene on the course,” Vickers said. “I didn’t know what to do so I started swishing my arms, hoping that would shoosh the bird off the course.”
Luckily, the gestures worked and Vickers continued to lead the pack of 71 boys, stopping the clock at 17 minutes, 54.57 seconds to set the pace for the field where the first 19 runners put in sub-20-minute runs.
Vickers set the pace for the Island School boys, who finished first with 18 points, after its top four runners filled in the first four overall spots, a break from last week’s race where Voyagers captured the first five scoring spots for a “perfect” meet.
“I saw him (Vickers) with the arms,” said Kauai High School runner Jaheim Scoburgh, who finished the race 10th overall, nursing an ice pack on his shoulder. “I wondered, ‘What the … ?’ but as I advanced, I saw the nene. I crashed at the gates and hurt my shoulder.”
Scoburgh finished as the fourth Red Raider to score, the redshirt field being led by Damon Johnson, who crossed fifth overall to break the Voyager blue string on a 18:32.06 run. He was followed by Sam Israelson (18:32.76) and Brennen Corregedore (18:47.10).
The Kauai Boys finished in second place following the Voyager boys, tallying 40 points followed by the Kapaa boys with 79 points, and Waimea Boys with 98 points.
In the third place finish, Kapaa’s Alaka‘i “Ala” Gonsalves (18:56.35) improved from his 22nd overall finish last week to set the pace for Kapaa in ninth overall.
On the girls’ course, Kauai High School’s first-year runner, Emma Burgess, continued to set the pace, crossing first overall on a sub-20 19:51.10 run over the course that required the runners to heed the conditions.
“They pulled her (Ella Beck-Island School) from the course,” Burgess said. “She was behind me, and fell. I think she suffered an ankle sprain from the fall and they took her off the course. I hope it’s not bad.”
Following Beck’s extraction from the course, Island School girls were led by Olivia Lutkevich, who crossed second overall on a 21:05.57 run ahead of Kauai runner Molly Wallace, who crossed at 21:37.92.
Burgess led the Kauai girls to a team first with 26 points, followed by Island School at 55 points, Kapaa Girls at 63 points, and Waimea Girls at 82 points.
The KIF cross country races take advantage of the Department of Education’s fall break and will return with the KIF championship race Oct. 19 on the Island School campus. The boys race starts the excitement at 7:30 a.m.
Results
• Boys Race – Island School 18; Kau Boys 40; Kap Boys 79; Wai Boys 98: Matthew Vickers (IS) 17:54.57, Joshua Graves (IS) 17:54.89, Eli Ibbs (IS) 17:55.22, Christian Carrington (IS) 18:30.97, Damon Johnson (Kau) 18:32.06, Sam Israelson (Kau) 18:32.76, Brennen Corregedore (Kau) 18:47.10, Bradley Pratt (IS) 18:49.90, Alaka‘i “Ala” Gonsalves (Kap) 18:56.35, Jaheim Scoburgh (Kau) 19:25.67, Spencer Summerhays (IS) 19:26.59, Jeremy Herr (Kau) 19:33.96, Nicholas Uribe (Kap) 19:35.85, Kai Pappas (Kau) 19:39.31, Wyatt Hartsell (Wai) 19:42.00, Kevin Dolino (Kap) 19:44.28, Kealiimalu Kaawa (Wai) 19:50.30, Levi Snowden (Wai) 19:51.75, Cade Myers (Kau) 19:59.96, Bryce Fernandez (Kau) 20:10.11, Jesse Molina Jr. (Kap) 20:10.47
• Girls Race – Kau Girls 26; Island School 55; Kap Girls 63; Wai Girls 82: Emma Burgess (Kau) 19:51.10, Olivia Lutkevich (IS) 21:05.57, Molly Wallace (Kau) 21:37.92, Jaden DeSouza (IS) 22:51.39, Jessica Drent (Kap) 22:52.23, Nicole Matsushige (Kau) 23:02.38, Mia Takekuma (Kau) 23:16.91, Sapphire Sugahara (Kap) 23:21.54, Sadie Murray (Kau) 23:45.82, Kirra Carvalho (Kau) 24:05.67, Skyler Stewart (IS) 24:12.13, Hope Newton (Wai) 24:42.73, Kaya Akana (Wai) 24:46.20, Coral Haeger (Kap) 25:03.03, Netto Jenevive (IS) 25:35.17, Meah Jensen (Kap) 25:41.36, Tiffany Medina (Wai) 26:08.54, Eva Israelsen (Kau) 26:09.56, Braelyn Cayaban (Wai) 26:55.71, Janae Motosue (Kap) 27:29.47, Napua Canales (Kau) 27:41.79
