LIHU‘E — Multiple state times came out of several events before a rain squall shortened the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation qualifying track meet, Thursday. The Boys 100 Meter Dash yielded three state times as the top three finishers bettered the state
LIHU‘E — Multiple state times came out of several events before a rain squall shortened the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation qualifying track meet, Thursday.
The Boys 100 Meter Dash yielded three state times as the top three finishers bettered the state standard of 11.0 for Hand Times as Moses Fierro of Waimea exploded with a yell on crossing the line on a 10.5 run. He was followed by Torrey Santiago, running in the next lane, crossing at 10.7. Darren Taylor of Kapa‘a edged out Waimea’s Malcolm Carter for the third berth, earning a state time on an 11.0 run.
Fierro pocketed his second state time on a first finish in the Boys 200 Meter Dash, stopping the clock on a 21.5 run, bettering the state standard of 22.8. That run dominated the race as second finisher Kaulana Waalani-Arroyo, also of Waimea, stopped the clock at 24.1.
Santiago topped the Boys Long Jump on a 21-feet, 8.75-inch leap, bettering the state standard of 20-10.25, followed by Carter falling just three inches short of the state standard on a 20-07.25.
But Carter went on to top the Boys Triple Jump on a 42-04.00 leap, getting the state standard (42-02.25) by less than two inches. Santiago finished second in that event on a 42-00.50.
Michael Kahoekapu-Cruz of Kaua‘i missed the state consideration standard for Boys Discus on a first-finishing 134-00, bettering Kapa‘a’s Kevin Marshall Adkisson by almost seven feet.
But that was only after one throw, the remainder of the field events being cancelled due to the passage of a rain squall.
Island School’s Pierce Murphy is rarely in second, but that is what happened in the Boys 400 Meter Dash, where Murphy was relegated to second on a 56.9 run by Waimea’s Keoni Mattos who stopped the clock at 56.2.
Murphy topped the Boys 800 Meter Run on a 2:10.7 run, almost seven seconds ahead of Kapa‘a’s Maximilian Drubba. But that time is still about six seconds short of the state standard of 2:04.3.
Instead, the long-distance Island School runner worked on his Boys 1,500 Meter Run where he finished first on a 4:29.2 run, getting a state consideration (4:29.9). He also topped the Boys 3,000 Meter Run on a 9:42.0 run, almost four minutes ahead of second finisher Chas Okamoto of Kapa‘a (13:36.1) and getting a state time.
The top two spots in the Girls 100 Meter Hurdles also qualified for state times as Kawehi Louis-Diamond opened up on the top end to stop the clock at 15.6, challenged by Waimea’s Jayme Jacinto who finished second on a 16.2 run. Both runners bettered the state standard of 16.9.
Kelsey Cadiente returned to the track to top the Girls 100 Meter Dash on a 13.0 run, earning the 13.0 state consideration in her finish.
That event was filled with tight competition as Louis-Diamond finished in second on a 13.2 run, just a step ahead of Kapa‘a’s Rachel Hinkel (13.3). Samantha Souza and Kimberly Liberator, both of Kaua‘i, finished in a tie for fourth at 13.5.
The Kaua‘i Girls 4×100 Relay team continues to find itself, this time finishing on a 52.5 first-place run, the effort just making the state standard of 52.5.
Jacinto came off the successful 100 Hurdles to top the Girls High Jump event on a 4-08 leap, earning the state consideration standard for the event. In the event-winning leap, she bettered teammate Casey Own, who tied with Joni Esaki and fellow Menehune Kyla Tipps at 4-06.
Kristle Henry topped the Girls Long Jump on a 15-09.50, falling short of the state standard by less than two inches, but easily getting a consideration leap (15-03.5). Cadiente (14-10) and Kainoa Naihe (14-06), in their second- and third-place performances, also bettered the state consideration.
Louis-Diamond went on to top the Girls Triple Jump on a 32-05.5 leap, falling short of the state standard of 33-08, but surpassing the consideration standard of 32-00.
