KEAAU – Growing up, Kahiau Poe could run, but that doesn’t mean he could hide. There were, however, definite advantages to being chased around by four older, athletic sisters.
“They picked on me plenty my whole life,” the Kamehameha sophomore said, “but it really helped me out.”
Speed, for one.
When he and Konawaena’s Ro’o Satta-Ellis meet again, possibly as early as this weekend at Hawaii Prep, Poe will own the faster time. Though this race, the ultimate sprint, is just beginning.
Poe accomplished his short-term goals during Saturday’s BIIF track and field meet at Kamehameha’s Paiea Stadium, setting personal-bests in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. He finished in 11.44 seconds and 23.68, each a respective seasonal BIIF-best, even with his main source of competition off island. Satta-Ellis competed at the Yamamoto Invite on Maui and set a PR of 11.58 in the 100.
“I think it was a little different today, because with (Satta-Ellis) I have that extra boost to compete,” Poe said. “Today, I was trying to work on myself, and work on my technique and see if I could improve my time, which I did.”
Casey Poe, his second-oldest sister, claimed an HHSAA long jump title in 2014, but the family surname is synonymous with basketball success at Kamehameha. Chelsea and Casey shared all-state tournament honors in leading the Warriors to the 2012 state Division II championship, and Casey was again selected Most Outstanding Player in guiding Kamehameha to an HHSAA repeat. Closer in age to their younger brother, Caitlyn and Camille Poe each played on state runner-up teams at Kamehameha.
“They had a really big impact on my life,” Kahiau said. “They helped me become who I wanted to be, they helped me become patient, they helped me have that mindset of working hard.”
He played basketball growing up, of course, but Kamehameha coach Manly Kanoa is glad Kahiau is focusing on the sprints and long jump. He’s one of the few Warriors with appreciable track and field experience, but even that came last year during a modified and limited BIIF season.
“He’s got that pride his sisters had out here,” Kanoa said. “I think the pedigree does say a lot. I just think he wants to be really good, he wants to create his own legacy. He’s only a sophomore, but wants to be the man. I think he’s found a sport for himself.”
Poe won the long jump Saturday with an effort of 20 feet, 3.25 inches, and another duel with Satta-Ellis could be on the horizon. Poe’s best leap this season is 20-11.5, which ranks third in Hawaii, just behind the 20-11.75 Satta-Ellis reached March 19 at Konawaena. Satta-Ellis also ranks second in the state in the triple jump.
Konawaena senior Caiya Hanks won her 100 prelim on Maui with a 2022 state-best of 12.65. She took second in the final, but Hanks claimed the 200 in 26.31, another state best.
Dagger delivers: Pahoa sophomore Henry James Guevara’s track and field career wasn’t even three weeks old when he went out Saturday at Kamehameha and won the 400 and took second in the 100.
Guevara’s 54.41 in his trip round the track was a BIIF-best this season. He also competed in the 200, and in time the Daggers’ coaching staff would like him to build up his conditioning to add to his repertoire, either in the relays, jumps or both.
“The 400 is pretty challenging,” he said. “I tried to calm down. I sprint on the sides and I calm down on the straights.”
He ran in a different heat than Poe in the 100, finishing in 11.73, but he’d love to go up against him and Satta-Ellis the next time.
“I just love it,” Guevara said of track and field. “I love running, in general.”
Gold diggers/state: In addition to Poe, athletes who claimed multiple events were: Waiakea’s Taysia Rocha (long jump, 100), Hawaii Prep’s Elaina Head (triple jump, high jump) and Jordan Perry (200 and 400), Hilo High’s Hulali Halpern (800, 3,000), Kealakehe’s Kawena Villasenor-Yamane (100, 300 hurdles), and Waiakea’s Kederang Ueda (800, 1,500) and Donte Hall-Row (high jump, triple jump)
• Rocha ranks best in the state in the long jump, based on her 16-11.25 on March 12 at Waiakea. She’s fourth in the triple.
• Head, a freshman, is third in Hawaii in the triple and tied for fourth in the high jump.
• Ueda is third in the state in the 1,500, thanks to his PR of 4:23.48 recorded March 19. He’s fourth in the 3,000.
• Waiakea’s Shelbey Cabais-Fernandez cleared 11 feet in the pole vault Saturday, the third-best distance in the state.
