PUHI — Waimea High School’s girls and boys cross country teams held off strong challenges to sweep the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championships Saturday. In the girls’ race, Waimea’s Caralyn Broyles and Natasha Abadilla set the pace and led the girls
PUHI — Waimea High School’s girls and boys cross country teams held off strong challenges to sweep the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championships Saturday.
In the girls’ race, Waimea’s Caralyn Broyles and Natasha Abadilla set the pace and led the girls to a 2-point edge over a strong Kapa‘a girls showing.
Waimea girls finished with 29 points over Kapa‘a girls’ 31 points. Kaua‘i girls rounded out that race with 67 points.
In the boys’ race, Alex Lamadrid and Brycen Phillips waged a war at the finish line, but Waimea boys captured the title with 30 points followed by Kaua‘i boys at 45 points. Kapa‘a finished with 64 points followed by Island School at 97 points.
Broyles jumped out to an early lead and held it throughout the race, pumping to a comfortable lead despite the agony that showed on her face.
She crossed the line at 21:51.00 followed by Abadilla almost a minute back at 22:37.30.
“She was trying to break 20 seconds,” said her father following the race. “But she suffered from side pains throughout the race.”
Following Abadilla and Tiare Welborn of Kula Intermediate & High (23:12.00), Kapa‘a spotted three runners: Kirsten McCracken (23:29.40), Sarah Faraola (23:32.90) and Takara Kunioka (23:37.00).
McCracken ran a strong race after recovering from dog bites she suffered while running prior to the last KIF cross country meet, said Kapa‘a coach Erin. Additionally, she was battling a cold at that race.
“Takara is supposed to be playing volleyball since she’s on the JV volleyball team, but she sacrificed part of the game so she could run for the team,” said Erin. “Now that the race is over, she’s heading for the volleyball games.”
But those efforts fell short as Waimea’s Charleen Miguel (24:34.80) and Elisa Broyles, Caralyn’s younger sister, (24:41.50) filled in the critical 11th and 12th overall slots over Kapa‘a’s Lily Fredericksen (24:57.00) for the slim margin of victory.
Twenty boys crossed the finish line in less than a minute with Waimea getting nine of its runners in that pack for the margin of victory.
Although Alex Lamadrid had the first finish at 19:10.90, Kapa‘a’s only other runner in the first 20 spots was Bradley Heiser (19:39.90) crossing 6th overall.
Waimea’s Benji Baclig was able to chip out the lead slot of the tight pack of runners, and held on to it until just before the halfway mark when the individual runners began making their moves.
Baclig finished the race 13th overall at 19:55.10, sixth for Waimea. Christian Tangalin appeared to bide his time, content to be at the front of the pack until he could make his move.
He finished at 19:15.50, third overall, but first for Waimea.
Kaua‘i boys, finishing second, had Chris Barich (19:26.60) crossing first for the Raiders at 4th overall and pushed five other runners across in the top 20.
Brian Whitlatch (20:00.00) was the first Island School runner at 16th overall.
With the completion of the KIF championships, runners now prepare for the Honolulu Marathon Hawai‘i Cross Country State Championships which will be held on Oct. 31 hosted by Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy.
KIF cross country championships
Oct. 18, 2008
Island School
Top 20 finishers
Girls 3 Mile Run
Caralyn Broyles Wai 21:51.00
Natasha Abadilla Wai 22:37.30
Tiare Welborn Kula 23:12.00
Kirsten McCracken Kap 23:29.40
Sarah Faraola Kap 23:32.90
Takara Kunioka Kap 23:37.00
Elizabeth Lamadrid Kau 23:47.70
Jayme Jacinto Wai 23:51.10
Alia Weiss Kap 24:14.40
Charleen Miguel Wai 24:34.80
Elisa Broyles Wai 24:41.50
Lily Fredericksen Kap 24:57.00
Lerae Hoopii Kap 25:24.40
Maddison Duarte IS 25:25.80
Elisabeth Young Kau 25:40.60
Whitney Rowe Kap 25:53.60
Maegan Wong Kau 26:01.40
Melissa Gil Carlos Kau 26:04.80
Cinzia Bruno Kau 26:23.90
Raquelle Matayoshi Kap 26:47.70
Boys 3 Mile Run
Alex Lamadrid Kap 19:10.90
Brycen Phillips Kula 19:11.60
Christian Tangalin Wai 19:15.50
Chris Barich Kau 19:26.60
John Joyce Wai 19:38.10
Bradley Heiser Kap 19:39.90
Darrel Nonaka Wai 19:41.20
Daniel Degracia Kau 19:41.50
Joshua Quinlan Wai 19:43.80
Jason Chun Kau 19:46.90
Peter Joyce Wai 19:50.70
D.J. Herr Kau 19:52.40
Benje Baclig Wai 19:55.10
Malcolm Carter Wai 19:56.10
Jonathan Tangalin Wai 19:57.80
Brian Whitlatch IS 20:00.60
Mason Vegas Kau 20:02.80
Jose Lozano IS 20:04.80
Jeremy Randolph-Flagg IS 20:05.80
Micah Rita Wai 20:10.60