By MATT GERHART
By MATT GERHART
Tribune-Herald sports writer
KEAAU — Waiakea’s Ian McQuate runs as a pack of one, so his boys races are never really in doubt.
Hawaii Prep’s Kristiana Van Pernis was more than happy just to be in the lead girls pack. That erased any of her lingering doubts, and as a result she ended up in the same place as McQuate: the winners’ circle at the Big Island Interscholastic Federation cross country championships.
McQuate capped an undefeated league season Saturday at Kamahameha, pulling away after the first hill to win his first league title.
His only regret was that he wasn’t able to match the personal record he set a week ago at Keaau, so he’s got one goal in mind heading to Friday’s Hawaii High School Athletic Association championships on Kauai.
“Got to get up for that race at states,” said McQuate, a senior who was the league runner-up last season. “I want to PR.”
“I keep trying to push myself thinking there could be someone behind me, because you’re never really sure.”
McQuate’s time of just over 17 minutes — official results weren’t available at press time — was well off the 16:18.79 he ran a week earlier.
Van Pernis also collected her first BIIF title, albeit in a much more competitive 3-mile race.
The senior was pushed by teammate Mariah Haight and Hilo’s Carmen Garson-Shumway and Mehana Sabado-Halpern, but it was at that point that she realized she was positioned well in the race.
“The big difference (today) was that Mariah and I went out with Carmen and Mehana,” Van Pernis said. “Before, we’d never done that. Usually there so far ahead and so fast. When we went out with them, it seemed more manageable and possible.”
Van Pernis said Haight broke away first and that she couldn’t remember how or when she got out in front. Regardless, just like in the earlier boys race, when Van Pernis made the final turn there was nothing but green grass in front and in back of her as she approached the finish line.
“It’s a mixture of relief and happiness,” she said. “Relief for all the hard work I’ve put in. Happiness for making my coaches and family proud.”
Garson-Shumway was second and Haight finished third as Ka Makani won another league title.
“I’m always worried about my teammates when I’m standing at the finish line. Are they coming in?” Van Pernis said. “The worst-case scenario always goes through my mind, but they always come through.”
Division II Honokaa won the boys title, its seventh straight.
3-mile races Saturday at Kamehameha
Boys
Division I
Team: 1. Hawaii Prep 40; 2. Hilo 56; 3. Waiakea 64; 4. Kealakehe 93; 5. Keaau 105 116
1. Ian McQuate Waiakea 17:02.48
2. Thunder Frost, Kealakehe 17:10.65
3. Michael Spetich, Hawaii Prep 17:20.56
4. Nate Ladwig, Hawaii Prep 17:27.16
5. Axl Aricayos, Waiakea 17:58.17
6. Max Panoff, Hilo 18:07.09
7. Jeffery Ferrell, Keaau 18:09.01
8. Jake McCafferty, Hawaii Prep 18:15.02
9. River Brown, Hilo 18:16.34
10. Stephen Hunter, Hilo 18:17.89
11. Hide Akai, Hawaii Prep 18:25.19
12. Dyson Sato, Waiakea 18:27.48
13. Levi Albano, Keaau 18:27.95
14. Jake Lai, Hawaii Prep 18:30.39
15. Hua Uehara, Hilo 18:41.98
16. Kai Garson-Shumway, Hilo 18:42.61
17. Walter Disney, Hawaii Prep 18:45.27
18. Timon Skinner, Hilo 18:53.07
19. Adalberto Malagon, Kealakehe 18:54.57
20. Hyrum Kim, Hilo 19:04.99
21. Gavin Ulman, Kealakehe 19:16.19
22. Mark Pacris, Waiakea 19:20.90
23. Scott Henderson, Kealakehe 19:24.36
24. Miles Marshall, Waiakea 19:27.68
25. Dan Matsuda, Hawaii Prep 19:28.63
Division II
Team: 1. Honokaa 15; 2. Kamehameha 40; 3. Pahoa 106; 4. Parker 115; 5. Makua Lani 116; 6. Christan Liberty 160
1. Tony Connors, Honokaa 17:33.33
2. Josiah Adams, Kohala 17:35.94
3. Issac Angelo, Honokaa 17:55.57
4. Sean Quinlan, Honokaa 18:01.33
5. Seanry Agbayani, Honokaa 18:04.10
6. Sean Perala, Honokaa 18:08.60
7. Colton Hill, Kamehameha 18:11.19
8. Kaimiola Ho, Kamehameha 18:11.82
9. Ryan Witthans, Kamehameha 18:28.36
10. Makaala Cruz, Kamehameha 18:30.94
11. Bryn Witthans, Kamehameha 18:32.67
12. Akihiro Matsumaru, St Joseph 18:33.53
13. Levi Aguilera, Makua Lani 18:37.08
14. Dayson Alip, Kamehameha 18:43.98
15. Lawrence Barrett, Konawaena 18:44.59
16. Cjay Carvalho, Honokaa 19:03.90
17. Zechariah Ugalde, Honokaa 19:08.84
18. Jerry Javier, Pahoa 19:09.91
19. Chance Souze, Kohala 19:14.81
20. Kevin Moises, Konawaena 19:19.92
21. Conrad Salboro, Kamehameha 19:43.08
22. Michael Note, Parker 20:07.31
23. Dash Cotton, Parker 20:08.89
24. Hoku Kahookaulana, Pahoa 20:19.97
25. Nicolino Keen, Christian Liberty 20:22.30
GIRLS
Division I
Team: 1. Hawaii Prep 22; 2. Hilo 50; 3. Waiakea 86; 4. Kealakehe 89; 5. Keaau 136
1. Kristiana Van Pernis, Hawaii Prep 19:34.53
2. Carmen Garson-Shumway, Hilo 19:47.24
3. Haight, Mariah Hawaii Prep 19:55.96 3
4. Mehana Sabado-Halpern, Hilo 20:18.90
5. Veronica Ladwig, Hawaii Prep 20:50.71
6. Kelly Ulrich, Hawaii Prep 21:05.76
7. Sabrina Disney, Hawaii Prep 21:25.05
8. Erin Evans, Hawaii Prep 21:40.83 8
9. Taru Aitola, Hawaii Prep 21:49.30
10. Mika Bettencourt, Kealakehe 21:57.34
11. Kaitlin Funai, Hilo HS 22:16.32
12. Jordyn Breitbarth, Hilo HS 22:18.00
13. Saya Yabe, Waiakea 22:19.20
14. Hannah Medrano, Keaau 22:38.37
15. Kiana Rae Baruela, Waiakea 23:16.65
16. Skye Ombac, Waiakea 23:20.91
17. Maisie Kenney, Kealakehe 24:02.61
18. Angelina de Sagun, Kealakehe 24:31.09
19. Marissa Bryant-Manago, Kealakehe 24:35.51
20. Vanessa Ignacio, Waiakea 24:35.79 20
21. Kunda Nicholson-Walker, Hilo HS 24:42.26
22. Skye Rances, Waiakea 24:56.44 22
23. Karly Belcher, Waiakea 25:01.28 23
24. Piilani Yamanoha, Waiakea 25:08.54 24
25. Izzy Loney, Kealakehe 25:19.77 25
Division II
Team: 1. Kamehameha 27; 2. Pahoa 56; 3. Christian Liberty 73; 4. Kohala 77
1. Sol Kislig, St Joseph 20:35.98
2. Stella Javier, Pahoa 22:05.06 1
3. Hildhang Adona, Honokaa 22:15.21
4. Maria Fratinardo, Kamehameha 22:20.57
5. Crystal Baysa, Kamehameha 22:21.56
6. Clara Sheffield, Christian Liberty 22:31.89
7. Yuki Zbytovsky, Kohala 22:32.04
8. Joy Choe, Makua Lani 22:41.66
9. Kahala Huddleston, Kamehameha 22:56.75
10. Shayli Nakamoto, Konawaena 23:08.72
11. Kaley Bannister, Kamehameha 23:20.13
12. Helena Saito, Honokaa 23:20.53
13. Ciena Jadu, Pahoa 23:24.67
14. Hannah Shimizu, Makua Lani 23:31.82
15. Shariah Olomua, Kamehameha 23:57.77
16. Linnea Singleton, Konawaena 24:03.07
17. Makena Wagner, Kamehameha 24:06.86 10
18. No’eau Simeona, Parker 24:17.04
19. MaryBeth DeRego, Kamehameha 24:18.97
20. Stephanie Sugai, C L A 24:25.86
21. Gabrielle Bartolome, Kohala 24:56.02
22. Sequoia Marks, Pahoa 25:06.39
23. Maia Tarnas, Parker 25:09.89
24. Netai Jadu, Pahoa 25:10.20
25. Aulii Leialoha, Kohala 25:17.57