Kaua‘i seniors Chelsea Pabo and Ashley Johnston both qualified for states in the 300 meter hurdles event. Other state qualifiers include Waimea’s Troy Yamase (100m), Kenny Estes (100m, 200m), Eric Oroc (200m), Scott Martin (3000m), Rachel Martin (3000m), and its
Kaua‘i seniors Chelsea Pabo and Ashley Johnston both qualified for states in the 300 meter hurdles event.
Other state qualifiers include Waimea’s Troy Yamase (100m), Kenny Estes (100m, 200m), Eric Oroc (200m), Scott Martin (3000m), Rachel Martin (3000m), and its boys 4×100 relay team, the defending state champions.
Kaua‘i’s staters include Tiffany Ikeda-Simao, (200m, long jump), Chelsea Smith-Wishard (3000m), Erin Fabro (discus), and its girls 4×100 meter relay team, which placed fourth at last year’s state meet.
Warrior state qualifiers include Jennifer Lindsey (high jump), Joanne Kaona (100 hurdles), and Alex Pond (3000m). Lindsey is the defending state champion high jumper.
Waimea’s Yamase and Estes have been neck and neck in the 100 meters, despite not going head to head. Yamase finished in fifth-place at last year’s state finals with an 11.46. He ran a 10.96 in the Mayor’s Invitational on Friday. At the third practice meet, Estes ran an 11.00 in the 100 meters and a 22.77 in the 200 meters, which is one of the faster times in the state at this time.
“When comparing 100 — 400 meter times from the rest of the state, you have to take into consideration if they are running on a synthetic surface or not.
That type of surface is a huge advantage over someone running on a gravel track like at Vidinha, but the bottom line is that Waimea has two of the faster sprinters (100m) in the state at this time,” Kaua‘i coach Richard Matsumoto said.
At the Mayor’s Invitational, Kaua‘i took the top spot for the girls and Kapa‘a edged Waimea for the boys. Leading the way for the Red Raider girls was Ikeda-Simao, who runs as fast as her grandpa cuts hair.
The freshman topped all tracksters with four wins, which included the girls 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, long jump, and the 4×100 meter relay, along with partners Johnston, Pabo, and Sherylle Cadiente.
Kapa‘a was led by hard charging Greg Ragsac, with three wins.
He topped the field in the high jump, 110 meter hurdles, and 300 meter hurdles.
Other winners on Friday included Waimea’s Sonya Tacub (400 meter dash), Kaua‘i’s Smith-Wishard (800 meter and 1500 meter runs), Kapa‘a’s Pond (3000 meter run), Kapa‘a’s Kaona (100 meter hurdles), Kaua‘i’s Pabo (300 meter hurdles), Kapa‘a’s Lindsey (high jump), Waimea’s Robyn Arrington (long jump, triple jump), Kaua‘i’s Fabro (shot put, discus throw), Waimea’s Yamase (100 meter dash), Waimea’s Estes (200 meter dash), Kaua‘i’s Kevin Cadiente (400 meter dash, long jump), Kaua‘i’s Agu Garcia (800 meter run), Waimea’s Scott Martin (1500 meter run, 3000 meter run), Waimea’s Kollin Morikawa (triple jump), Kapa‘a’s Nathaniel Langi (shot put), and Kapa‘a’s Amini Ta‘ufo‘ou (discus throw).
Relay winners were Kaua‘i in the girls’ 4×400 (Cadiente, Johnston, Savannah Rollins, Pabo), Waimea in the boys’ 4×100 (Estes, Eric Oroc, Yamase, Marc Oroc), and Waimea in the boys’ 4×400 (Estes, Eric Oroc, Scott Martin, Cyril Botelho).
The next Kaua‘i meet is on April 8, the Rotary Meet at Vidinha Stadium.
