PUHI — Kaua‘i’s Christian Sarmiento swung the tide in favor of the Red Raider boys team and Andrew Herr capped a six-point win, Saturday during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation cross country races at the Island School campus. Totally, the Kaua‘i
PUHI — Kaua‘i’s Christian Sarmiento swung the tide in favor of the Red Raider boys team and Andrew Herr capped a six-point win, Saturday during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation cross country races at the Island School campus.
Totally, the Kaua‘i boys squeezed out 37 points to Kapa‘a High School’s 43 points. Waimea finished with 54 points followed by host Island School ending with 84 points.
On the girls’ arena, the Waimea girls capitalized on a bye week in volleyball and the return of two of its key runners to take the girls race with 38 points followed by Kaua‘i at 51 points, just four points ahead of Kapa‘a who finished with 55 points, and Island School at 96 points.
“Team results so far this season are mixed with the Kaua‘i and Waimea girls tied in season standings,” said Basil Scott, the KIF scorekeeper. “For the boys, Kaua‘i has 10 season points and Kapa‘a has nine. The final race on Oct. 13 will decide the regular season championship as well as who goes to the state run.”
Both leaders of the boys and girls races ran slower races, Saturday, Joshua Herr of Kaua‘i nursing a cold, crossing on a 17:28.90 run while Joy Claypoole slipped across the line on a 20:33.90 run in conditions enhanced by high overcast clouds to keep the course cool, despite the dying trades.
“Josh Herr was sick, so he went out slowly and finished more slowly,” Scott said. “Joy Claypoole was a little slower than last week, but I haven’t run this modified course, so I can’t say how they compare. Overall, it was a good day for running with overcast to keep the race cool.”
The course, spectator-friendly through most aspects of the race, was modified to accommodate the growing field of photovoltaic panels for the Island School PV system, the modified course running a mile each lap for three laps.
“At first, I thought it was two laps, but then, I found out it was three laps,” said a Kapa‘a runner from the girls’ team. “But I made it and at least I made my personal goal of a 5-minute mile.”
With Claypoole setting the pace at 20:33.90, Kaua‘i’s Krista Schnackenberg, pacing the course with Heidi Herr through the first two miles, pulled ahead to cross at 21:12.50 for second overall, about a minute back of the Island School runner and about 30 seconds ahead of Talia Young, a Menehune middle blocker for the volleyball team, crossing at 21:52.20 for fourth overall. Third overall finish went to Heidi Herr (21:47:80).
Cassie Wilson of Kapa‘a (fifth overall, 21:59.20) was followed by Waimea’s Kaycee SanAgustin-Nordmeier (sixth overall 22:32.50) and Lani Rae Green (seventh overall, 22:49.90), returning to the course following last week’s absence where she was participating in the Kaua‘i Jr. Fall Open tennis tournament, finishing top in the Girls 16 Singles.
Green pulled Waimea girls into the lead at this stage with 17 points to Kapa‘a’s 22 points when Coral Vernon (eighth overall, 22:51.50) and Kekai Gonsalves (ninth overall, 23:33.20) crossed the line.
Kaua‘i lost its lead when its third runner, Hayley Walcher crossed 14th overall (24:10.60), a second behind Kapa‘a’s Camilla Vernon (13th overall, 24:09.10).
Through the course of the race, Walcher led a block of redshirts including Lorinda Sasan (15th, 24:12.40), Cascade Mayer (17th, 24:15.60) and Tirah Yamamoto (18th, 24:21.20), but the redshirts never found the window to advance over three miles.
“These girls play in other sports, and we’re lucky volleyball, Waimea earning the first round title, outright, had a bye,” said Waimea coach Brandon Moises who was joined by an elated Basilio “Bunga” Fuertes. “Imagine how well they would do if they concentrated on running.”
Following Claypoole, Island School leaders included Jade Murphy (21st, 24:31.40), sister of former Island School and KIF runner Pierce Murphy, now running in college, and Makenna Olson (23rd, 24:44.60).
Following Joshua Herr, Kaua‘i regained the lead when Charles Samuel (7th, 19:03.60) crossed, Sarmiento (11th, 19:55.80) insuring the Red Raider lead after advancing from the No. 5 Kaua‘i spot to No. 4, Andrew Herr getting the locking position at 13th overall and a 19:59.80 run.
Kapa‘a had Joshua Cram as its lead runner, finishing second overall on an 18:31.70 run, less than a minute behind the ailing Josh Herr.
Micah-Kamuela Nobriga-Ferris (4th, 18:59.00), Ronnie Perono (6th, 19:01.60). Eli Lluellen (14th, 20:02.10) and Henry Tanner (17th, 20:28.60) rounded out the Kapa‘a scoring runners.
Mickey Rita (3rd, 18:47.90) topped the Waimea boys followed by Bradly Lumabao (8th, 19:22.10), Henry Delos Reyes (12th, 19:57.50) and Hazzard McDougall (15th, 20:19.00).
“Hazzard could run today because the team isn’t playing football,” Moises said. “This is only his second race for the season. He couldn’t run the other races because he’s the quarterback for the football team. As I said, imagine how well we could do if we concentrated on running.”
Eric Potter (9th, 19:23.60) and Kellan Wortmann (10th, 19:54.10) topped the host Island School team followed by Travis Kim (19th, 21:02.30) and James Papa (22nd, 21:07.70).
The KIF Championship Meet will be run Oct. 13 starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Island School campus.
The Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association state championships will be hosted by the Big Island Interscholastic Federation at the Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy on Oct. 26.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
