KEALAKEKUA — Kealakehe’s Calvin McHone got his first taste of the HHSAA track and field state meet last season as a sophomore. Now he is back for the complete course.
McHone dominated a BIIF meet at Konawaena High School on Saturday, announcing to the rest of the field he is here to run — and run fast.
“My goal is to medal in everything I can,” McHone said. “I want to help this team win another title.”
The Waverider junior also has a flair for the dramatic, winning in come-from-behind fashion in the 100-meter dash and 4×100 relay, while edging to victory in one of the closest races of the day in the 200.
“Last year he had a chance to see the competition at the state level,” said Kealakehe head coach Duke Hartfield. “He did not have a great last meet, but he worked hard and this meet was a confidence builder.”
McHone started Saturday with a win in the 100 in a time of 11.24 seconds, his largest margin of victory on the day. Hilo’s Riley Patterson jumped out to an early lead in the race but ended up second with an 11.36.
“There was a false start at the beginning and that messed with everyone’s mindset a little bit,” McHone said. “Riley got off the blocks faster than me on the second start but I was able to catch up and pass him. Everyone ran a good race.”
In the 4×100 relay, a bad handoff between the third and final leg put McHone back roughly 10 to 15 meters, but the speedy runner quickly made up the ground, passing a Konawaena runner at the finish line. Winning by only two one-hundredths of a second, the Kealakehe relay team finished in a time of 44.71.
“We were missing two of our runners and have probably six or seven runners that are interchangeable in the 4×100,” Hartfield said. “It was not a great handoff (on the final turn) but we pulled it off at the end.”
McHone ended his day with the 200, where he lunged ahead of Waiakea’s Cheyn Tam-Switzer at the finish line, winning by the same margin as his 4×100 relay with a time of 22.98.
The time was a welcomed sight for McHone, who had hoped to break 23 seconds in his final event.
“It was a good day,” he said.
Waiakea pole vaulters dominate
It is early in the season but Waiakea pole vaulters Eric-James Cabais-Fernandez and Deylan Okinaka are currently tied for first place in the state.
Cabais-Fernandez managed to get the better of his teammate on Saturday by clearing a height of 13-feet, 6-inches. The height tied a BIIF record the senior set last May. However, Cabais-Fernandez was not happy with his performance overall at Konawaena.
“The conditions were not what I wanted with the sun in my face and the later meet time,” he said. “My energy level was not good today.”
Cabais-Fernandez has an offer on the table to attend Long Beach State, but to receive that offer he needs to reach 15 feet this season. It’s a goal he is looking forward to achieving.
“It is a work in progress but I know I can reach it,” Cabais-Fernandez said. “I just need to work on my technique.”
Cabais-Fernandez reached a personal best of 14-06 at a meet in Reno, Nevada in January, a national meet that Okinaka also attended.
“That meet was an eye opener for them,” said Waiakea pole vaulting coach Sherman Viernes. “I have always taught them a strong head and a strong heart is how you do well in this sport and when they came back from that meet I could seen they believed in my words.”
The National Pole Vault Submit meet was attended by professionals and Olympians.
“It was a good meet and I can see their growth,” Viernes said. “They came back with fire in their hearts.”
Okinaka cleared 12-06 for second at Julian Yates Field.
Notable performances
Kamehameha’s Chenoa Frederick took individual first place medals in the girls 100 (12.58), 200 (26.12) and the 400 (59.88). Kealakehe’s Anastasia Tuifua dominated the competition in the girls throwing events, winning the discus (101-00) and the shotput (33-05).