PUHI — Pierce Murphy broke the 15-minute mark and Joy Claypoole chopped off more than a minute from her time in last week’s race, Saturday.
Wallis Punua, manning the backup timing system at the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation cross country meet hosted by Island School, had to check his readout more than once when Murphy slipped across the line at 14:58.60.
“I didn’t think I was going to be able to run today,” Claypoole said after picking up her second, first-place finish for the girls. “I was really sick on Wednesday, so I had my doubts.”
Claypoole stopped the clock at 20:21.40 for the first overall finish in the girls’ three-mile course run under calm conditions with the temperature rapidly rising and the sun veiled by threatening clouds.
She was followed by fellow Explorer runner Lauren Spears stopping the clock at 20:44.40 before the first Kaua‘i High runner, Ashley Schnackenberg, crossed four seconds back at 20:48.10 for a third overall finish.
But Heidi Herr, crossing seventh overall (21:59.50) and third for Kaua‘i, proved to be pivotal for the Raider girls, who picked up their third straight first-place team finish, with 45 points to Kapa‘a’s 52 points. Island School finished third at 63 points, followed a point back by Waimea at 64 points.
Takara Kunioka (21:09.50) was the first Kapa‘a runner, fourth overall, with freshman Cassie Wilson (21:23.00) getting fifth overall and second for Kapa‘a.
Raisa Gil Carlos (21:54.50) and Herr followed at sixth and seventh, overall, before Talia Young (22:02.10) opened the books for Waimea at eighth overall. Kaycee Nordmeier-San Agustin, normally Waimea’s leading runner, slipped across at 12th overall on a 22:28.10 run below Ember Teter (10th, 22:08.30) and Jayme Jacinto (11th, 22:11.90).
Kaua‘i’s Joshua Herr took advantage of the fast course to finish second overall for the boys at 16:41.00, followed by Micah Domingcil of Kapa‘a, crossing third overall at 17:51.30. Murphy, who set the pace with a blistering 14:58.60, topped the Island School’s finishers.
“Pierce has been practicing really hard,” said his dad, who was waiting on the results. “Last week, he ran a 15:25 on O‘ahu, and it helps that organizers took out the sharp turns on this course. Those sharp turns really slow down runners.”
During the 2009 Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association state boys cross country meet, Pierce finished at 16:18.35, second to Leilehua’s Margarito Martinez who topped the event on a 15:50.05 run.
Domingcil was punctuated by Island School’s Ryan Perez (fourth, 18:01.80) before three Kapa‘a runners, Cole Pemberton (fifth, 18:17.30), Gabe Ball (sixth, 18:25.40) and Matt Domingcil (eighth, 18:44.50), put the Warriors out in front with 30 points over Island School, which finished with 37 points.
Kaua‘i High School boys finished with 69 points with Waimea boys rounding out the field with 99 points.
Jeremy Randolph-Flagg (eighth, 18:44.50), Dylan Morrison-Fogel (10th, 19:17.30) and Logan Domingo (15th, 19:43.00) rounded out the Island School leaders.
Following Herr, Travis Navarro (14th, 19:40.50), Geomar Acob (21st, 20:17.90), Nicholas Sloggett (22nd, 20:18.70) and Jared Okayama (26th, 20:35.50) filled in the Red Raider leaderboard.
Shosho Ogawa (19th, 20:02.60), Waynesley Kauakahi (22nd, 20:18.70), Bradley Lumabao (24th, 20:27.70), Joshua Quinlan (30th, 21:00.60) and Beau Acoba (31st, 21:06.90) filled in the Menehune leaders.
This Saturday’s KIF cross country meet will be at Kaua‘i Community College, hosted by Kaua‘i High School.
The public is invited to view the competition as the Kapa‘a boys and Kaua‘i girls attempt to keep their win streaks alive, starting at 8 a.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
