KEALAKEKUA – When it comes down to crowning the best of the BIIF, every split-second and every inch matters.
Two events where this was especially true at Saturday’s BIIF championship meet: the boys 400-meter dash and the girls’ pole vault. In a day of competitive contests, none were closer than these two.
In the boys’ 400-meter dash, Kealakeheakehe’s Aiden Ankrum was pushed to his limit by Waiakeakea’s Alex Tuson; the two each set new personal bests as they tumbled across the finish line, Ankrum finishing one-hundredth of a second ahead in 52.63 seconds to win the BIIF title.
“I hit the 300 (meter) mark knowing I had barely anything left,” said Ankrum. “I worked hard, dug deep and gave it all I’ve got… It was all out.
“There’s been a whole season of training that led to this moment… to push and give every ounce of energy I had left for that photo finish.”
Waiakea’s Rylee Au was similarly pushed to her limit in the pole vault, where she and two of her teammates – Analissa Paresa and Isabelle Au – competed in a three-way jump off to determine a champion.
Only after seven jump-offs was Rylee finally crowned the BIIF champion, clearing 10’3”.
“It’s such a rush, a relief,” said Rylee. “Going for so long, the endurance to have for 20 jumps. It was a great feeling.
“I tell myself when I get in my head, when I’m too freaked out: just make it happen. No one’s going to do it for me. Make it happen.”
Au and Tuson helped Waiakea sweep the team titles. The girls finished 33 points ahead of Hawaii Prep, while the boys edged Kamehameha by four points.
On the boys’ side in particular, there were a number of exceedingly close finishes throughout the day, three by less than a tenth of a second. In addition to Ankrum’s finish in the 400, Kamehameha’s Kahiau Poe won the 200 in 23.54, beating Konawaena’s Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu by seven hundredths of a second, and in the final race of the day, Waiakea’s 4×400 team of Kiyoshi Todd, Sylis Ruth, Kederang Ueda and Jaden Gebin crossed the line in 3:34.68, just outpacing Hawaii Prep’s quartet by nine hundredths of a second. Kamehameha won the boys’ pole vault in a jump-off as well, with Taylor Eckart winning over Kaike Ramos after each cleared 11’6”
Even the always-steady Ueda – winner of the 1,500 and 3,000 in every BIIF race he’s entered this spring – was pushed to his limit, setting a new personal best in the 1500 with a 4:13.07 finish, less than a second ahead of Kealakehe’s Cameron Cornforth. Ueda then doubled up in the 3000, winning in a time of 9:33.67.
Ueda was one of five multi-event winners. Poe led the way with three individual first-place medals, winning the 100 (11.35) and long jump (21’0”) in addition to his 200 victory. Konawaenawaena’s Malakai Fillmore swept both boys’ hurdles races, winning the 110-meter hurdles in 16.11 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles in 42.33 seconds.
On the girls’ side, Konawaena’s Caiya Hanks won a pair of individual gold medals in the 100 (12.33) and 200 (25.33: a new meet record), while Kealakehe’s Cozette Wood set the pace in the distance races, taking the 1500 (5:00.20) and 3000 (11:15.02). Hanks also anchored the victorious 4×100 relay for the Wildcats, teaming up with Uhiwai Wall, Ila Henry and Braxton Kimitete to record a winning time of 50.89 seconds.
Next week’s HHSAA Track & Field State Championships will take place Friday and Saturday at Kamehameha-Kapalama.
Friday-Saturday, at Konawaena
#-meet record
Girls 100-meter hurdles
1. Kaiulani Bento, HPA, 16.57;
2. Kawena Villasenor-Yamane, Kealakehe,17.52;
3. Zoe Gacayan, Kamehameha, 17.63;
4. Isla Rain Hilton, Waiakea, 19.40;
5. Kacie Febo-Santiago, Kamehameha, 19.50;
6. Faith Baker, Konawaena, 20.18.
Boys 110 hurdles
1. Malakai Fillmore, Konawaena, 16.11;
2. Kacen Hamada, HPA, 16.54;
3. Darius-Anthony Olloway, Kamehameha, 16.97;
4. Alejandro Thompson, Waiakea, 17.60;
5. Tricksan Pasion, Waiakea, 19.03;
6. Kenta Vanderpool, Kealakehe, 19.93.
Girls 100
1. Caiya Hanks, Konawaena, 12.33;
2. Layla Grace, Kealakehe, 12.92;
3. Taysia Rocha, Waiakea, 12.99;
4. Braxton Kimitete, Konawaena, 13.38;
5. Maya Kaneshiro, Waiakea, 13.49;
6. Daniela Rojas-Castelblanco, HPA, 13.58.
Boys 100
1. Kahiau Poe, Kamehameha, 11.35;
2. Torrance Satta-Ellis, Konawaena, 11.58;
3. Everton Kuamoo, Kamehameha, 11.68;
4. Ekolu Kainoa, HPA, 11.79;
5. Jakob Honda, HPA, 11.86;
6. Henry James Guevara, Pahoa, 11.98.
Girls 1,500
1. Cozette Wood, Kealakehe, 5:00.20;
2. Kaylie Hashizaki, Waiakea, 5:06.06;
3. Hulali Halpern, Hilo, 5:07.03;
4. Shaian Garana, Konawaena, 5:22.50;
5. Akemi Tominaga, Waiakea, 5:23.67;
6. Xochi Gervais, Hilo, 5:35.01.
Boys 1,500
1. Ngirakederang Ueda, Waiakea, 4:13.07;
2. Cameron Cornforth, Kealakehe, 4:13.99;
3. Kiyoshi Todd, Waiakea, 4:35.02;
4. Austin Mohica, Waiakea, 4:36.06;
5. Gage Barrilleaux, Hilo, 4:41.50;
6. Issac Keanaaina, Konawaena, 4:42.46.
Girls 4×100 relay
1. Konawaena (Uhiwai Wall 10, Ila Henry 11, Braxton Kimitete 11, Caiya Hanks 12), 50.89;
2. Waiakeakea (Sakura Yabuki 11, Maya Kaneshiro 10, Zadelyn Ferreira 11, Taysia Rocha 12), 51.47;
3. Hawaii Prep Academy (Daniela Rojas-Castelblanco 10, Madison Hughes 12, Bella Dadzie 10, Kaiulani Bento 12), 53.27;
4. Kamehameha Hawaii (Katelyn Ah Puck 12, Zoe Gacayan 9, Sanoe Quintana 9, Sophia Wilson 11), 55.03;
5. Kea’au (Daphne Igloria 10, Carin Quirantes 10, Catherine Nishida 11, Jaydence Meribela 12), 1:04.64.
Boys 4×100 relay
1. Konawaena (Jaimin Medeiros 10, Malakai Fillmore 12, Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu 10, Torrance Satta-Ellis 11), 44.83;
2. Kamehameha Hawaii (Kahiau Poe 10, Logan Enos 11, Kekoa Ah Loy 11, Everton Kuamoo 9), 45.47;
3. Hawaii Prep Academy (Jakob Honda 11, Nathaniel Lawton 11, Ekolu Kainoa 12, Luke Hendricks 9), 45.48;
4. Waiakeakea (Ian Furuli 12, Alex Tuson 11, Ty Fujii 9, Jayden Gebin 11), 45.87;
5. Pahoa (Blake Berte 12, Zedekiah Ahin-Ganir 10, Malachi Wilson 11, Henry James Guevara 10), 46.90;
6. Kealakeheakehe (TJ Arakawa 12, Duke Becker 12, Jayden See 10, Max Smith 10), 47.91.
Girls 400
1. Jordan Perry, HPA, 1:00.46;
2. Bella Dadzie, HPA, 1:01.46;
3. Sophia Wilson, Kamehameha, 1:02.84;
4. Ila Henry, Konawaena, 1:04.58;
5. Uhiwai Wall, Konawaena, 1:04.72;
6. Siddney Shumate, HPA, 1:05.96.
Boys 400
1. Aiden Ankrum, Kealakehe, 52.63;
2. Alex Tuson, Waiakea, 52.64;
3. Jayden Gebin, Waiakea, 52.94;
4. Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu, Konawaena, 53.46;
5. Caiden Andrist, HPA, 53.85;
6. Kawelu Kaiawe, Konawaena, 54.23.
Girls 300 hurdles
1. Braxton Kimitete, Konawaena, 48.49;
2. Kaiulani Bento, HPA, 50.62;
3. Zoe Gacayan, Kamehameha, 51.06;
4. Xochi Gervais, Hilo, 52.80;
5. Kawena Villasenor-Yamane, Kealakehe, 55.10;
6. Kacie Febo-Santiago, Kamehameha, 56.24.
Boys 300 hurdles
1. Malakai Fillmore, Konawaena, 42.33;
2. Kacen Hamada, HPA, 43.81;
3. Logan Enos, Kamehameha, 45.47;
4. Alejandro Thompson, Waiakea, 46.43;
5. Kenta Vanderpool, Kealakehe, 49.16;
6. Kalamakua Buckley Francisco, Kamehameha, 49.69.
Girls 800
1. Kaylie Hashizaki, Waiakea, 2:26.53;
2. Caroline Betlach, HPA, 2:27.86;
3. Hulali Halpern, Hilo, 2:31.80;
4. Akemi Tominaga, Waiakea, 2:38.85;
5. Xochi Gervais, Hilo, 2:43.77;
6. Malino Halpern, Hilo, 2:45.94.
Boys 800
1. Kiyoshi Todd, Waiakea, 2:00.57;
2. Cameron Cornforth, Kealakehe, 2:03.20;
3. Aiden Ankrum, Kealakehe, 2:11.33;
4. Gage Barrilleaux, Hilo, 2:11.59;
5. Ethan Blankenship, Waiakea, 2:12.76;
6. Zane Van Natta, HPA, 2:19.12.
Girls 200
1. Caiya Hanks, Konawaena, 25.33#;
2. Taysia Rocha, Waiakea, 26.63;
3. Jordan Perry, HPA, 27.04;
4. Layla Grace, Kealakehe, 27.36;
5. Maya Kaneshiro, Waiakea, 27.92;
6. Ila Henry, Konawaena, 28.13.
Boys 200
1. Kahiau Poe, Kamehameha, 23.54;
2. Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu, Konawaena, 23.61;
3. Everton Kuamoo, Kamehameha, 24.19;
4. Jordan Hanano, HPA, 24.39;
5. Jayden Gebin, Waiakea, 24.41;
6. Jaimin Medeiros, Konawaena, 24.54.
Girls 3,000
1. Cozette Wood, Kealakehe, 11:15.02;
2. Hulali Halpern, Hilo, 11:46.36;
3. Lia Ho, Waiakea, 11:53.95;
4. Xochi Gervais, Hilo, 12:36.05;
5. Malino Halpern, Hilo, 12:42.23;
6. Wynter Radey-Morgan, HPA, 13:08.37.
Boys 3,000
1. Ngirakederang Ueda, Waiakea, 9:33.67;
2. Levi Childers, Kealakehe, 9:42.50;
3. Austin Mohica, Waiakea, 9:43.78;
4. Mason Selley, Waiakea, 10:27.12;
5. Issac Keanaaina, Konawaena, 10:36.77;
6. Archer Ankrum, Kealakehe, 10:43.30.
Girls 4×400 relay
1. Hawaii Prep Academy (Jordan Perry 12, Bella Dadzie 10, Siddney Shumate 11, Caroline Betlach 10), 4:12.63;
2. Konawaenawaena (Uhiwai Wall 10, Ila Henry 11, Braxton Kimitete 11, Caiya Hanks 12), 4:13.91;
3. Waiakeakea (Malia Hill 10, Kaylie Hashizaki 11, Maya Kaneshiro 10, Charley Brown 9), 4:18.99;
4. Kamehameha Hawaii (Sophia Wilson 11, Napualaiku Ho 11, Sanoe Quintana 9, Gianna Chinen 11), 4:54.22.
Boys 4×400 relay
1. Waiakeakea (Kiyoshi Todd 12, Sylis Ruth 11, Ngirakederang Ueda 12, Jayden Gebin 11), 3:34.68;
2. Hawaii Prep Academy (Cameron Svoboda 12, Naoki Hayashi 10, Luke Hendricks 9, Caiden Andrist 12), 3:34.77;
3. Konawaenawaena (Kawelu Kaiawe 11, Malakai Fillmore 12, Tavoi Filiva’a 10, Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu 10), 3:37.78;
4. Kealakeheakehe (Aiden Ankrum 11, Cameron Cornforth 11, Sabastian Tunney 10, Zachary Hart 10), 3:42.59;
5. Pahoa (Zedekiah Ahin-Ganir 10, Judah Horn 10, Malachi Wilson 11, Henry James Guevara 10), 3:48.84.
Girls high jump
1. Elaina Head, HPA, 5-01;
2. Talia Threlkeld, HPA, 4-08;
3. Maya Kaneshiro, Waiakea, 4-06;
4. Isabelle Au, Waiakea, 4-04;
5. Rylee Au, Waiakea, 4-04;
6. Liliynn Soares, Kealakehe, 4-02.
Boys high jump
1. Darius-Anthony Olloway, Kamehameha, 6-00;
2. Keoki Alani, Konawaena, 5-06;
3. Cameron Svoboda, HPA, 5-06;
4. Aiden Ankrum, Kealakehe, 5-04;
5. Jayden See, Kealakehe, 5-02;
6. Jaxson Berryman, Waiakea, 5-02.
Girls pole vault
1. Rylee Au, Waiakea, 10-03;
2. Analissa Paresa, Waiakea, 10-00;
3. Isabelle Au, Waiakea, 10-00;
4. Ava Huddleston, HPA, 8-06;
5. Lily Kassis, HPA, 8-00;
6. Anna Scott, HPA, 8-00.
Boys pole vault
1. Taylor Eckart, Kamehameha, 11-06;
2. Kaike Ramos, Kamehameha, 11-06;
3. Shelbey Cabais-Fernandez, Waiakea, 11-00;
4. Haiden Kay, Kamehameha, 10-06;
5. Trevor Kaufman, HPA, 9-06;
6. Jaron Carmichael, Waiakea, 9-00.
Girls long jump
1. Layla Grace, Kealakehe, 16-06.50;
2. Taysia Rocha, Waiakea, 15-00.50;
3. Caroline Betlach, HPA, 14-11.25;
4. Madison Hughes, HPA, 14-09;
5. Uhiwai Wall, Konawaena, 14-06.50;
6. Lilianne Wolfenberger, HPA, 13-10.25.
Boys long jump
1. Kahiau Poe, Kamehameha, 21-00;
2. Torrance Satta-Ellis, Konawaena, 20-06;
3. Nathaniel Lawton, HPA, 19-02.75;
4. Jordan Hanano, HPA, 19-02.50;
5. Duke Becker, Kealakehe, 18-09;
6. Ian Furuli, Waiakea, 18-08.50.
Girls triple jump
1. Taysia Rocha, Waiakea, 34-05.50;
2. Elaina Head, HPA, 34-02.50;
3. Layla Grace, Kealakehe, 33-07;
4. Priscilla Mow, Waiakea, 26-04.75.
Boys triple jump
1. Torrance Satta-Ellis, Konawaena, 40-11.50;
2. Jayden Villena, Hilo, 39-06;
3. Niau Paulos, Kamehameha, 35-11;
4. Isaac Clement, Konawaena, 35-03.25;
5. Jaxson Berryman, Waiakea, 34-11.75;
6. Ian Furuli, Waiakea, 32-05.25.
Girls discus
1. Kamaile Paikuli, Keaau, 106-03;
2. Zoe Kimitete, Konawaena, 104-00;
3. Naomi Horiuchi, Waiakea, 92-02;
4. Nariyah Suiaunoa, Hilo, 84-07;
5. Nahi Kekuawela, Waiakea, 82-03;
6. Ciana-Lei Bence, Kamehameha, 79-04.
Boys discus
1. Niau Paulos, Kamehameha, 120-05;
2. Ezekiel Ledward, Hilo, 114-09;
3. Matthew Yamada, Kamehameha, 113-11;
4. Scott Ramboyon, Waiakea, 108-00;
5. Hiwa Satta-Ellis, Konawaena, 107-05;
6. Gabby Aiona, HPA, 105-07.
Girls shot put
1. Naomi Horiuchi, Waiakea, 29-09;
2. Kamaile Paikuli, Keaau, 29-00.50;
3. Sailiileali’i Liufau, Kealakehe, 27-02.25;
4. Nariyah Suiaunoa, Hilo, 26-02.50;
5. Ava Santos, Waiakea, 26-01.75;
6. Kealakeheohilani Grace, Kamehameha, 24-11.75.
Boys shot put
1. Kris Tamanoha, Waiakea, 39-08;
2. Gabby Aiona, HPA, 38-11.50;
3. Shauntae Taifmai, Waiakea, 38-02.75;
4. Caius Jensen, Ka’u, 36-10.50;
5. Keoki Keliikuli-Teixeira, Kamehameha, 36-01.75;
6. Matthew Yamada, Kamehameha, 35-01.25.