LIHUE — Waimea’s Kawena Warren and Henry Delos Reyes each marked auto state qualifying performances to lead the 69th Annual Rotary Track Meet at Vidinha Stadium Thursday. Fans were treated to an exhibition match featuring a Special Olympics Unified exhibition
LIHUE — Waimea’s Kawena Warren and Henry Delos Reyes each marked auto state qualifying performances to lead the 69th Annual Rotary Track Meet at Vidinha Stadium Thursday.
Fans were treated to an exhibition match featuring a Special Olympics Unified exhibition relay race, giving the Special Olympics the experience of being in a Kauai Interscholastic Federation meet as well as gaining practice ahead of the Special Olympics annual track and field events.
Warren, a senior at Waimea, set the pace early, topping the girls 100 meter hurdles on a 15.86 second run, good for not only a state qualifying run, but better than her season-best time of 15.98 from last week.
Warren went on to finish with a consideration run in the girls 300 meter hurdles (51.82) and a consideration leap in her girls long jump (15-09.25), relinquishing her high jump to teammate Talia Young who finished first with a consideration leap of 4-10.
Warren rounded out her day as the anchor leg for the Waimea girls 4×400 relay team which earned a consideration mark at 4:29.16 for its first finish. She was joined by Kailani Yamamoto on the opening leg, Lani Rae Green as the second runner and Young as the third runner.
These performances helped lead the Waimea girls to an overall first place with 171 points over Island School’s 115 points. Kauai girls finished third with 92 points followed by Kapaa girls at 85 points.
Island School wahine were led by the triple winning performance of distance runner Chan Hsu who also ran the opening leg of the girls 4×400 relay team, finishing second on a 4:30.26 run for a consideration mark.
Joining Hsu on the silver medal team, Jade Murphy took the second leg with Madison Moore in the third spot and Makenna Olson in the anchor.
Hsu opened her day with a first finish in the girls 1,500 meter run, stopping the clock at 5:13.67 for not only a consideration mark, but setting a season-best run. She was followed by Carolyn Price in the second spot at 5:25.78, a consideration run.
Hsu continued to reap gold, topping the girls 800 meter run (2:35.17) and the 400 meter run (1:04.16) for consideration marks.
Price, also of Island School, topped the girls 3,000 meter run at 12:10.20 for a consideration standard.
Island School’s Moeko Fukada rounded out the Voyager leaders with a first finish in the girls triple jump (32-07.00), not only getting a consideration leap, but setting a season best leap.
Kapaa’s Shaniece Banasihan rounded out the notable girls with a first finish in the girls shot put, placing the ball at 27-10.50 for a season best placement, the put falling short of the consideration mark of 30-08.25.
Junard Mata set the bar for the winning Kapaa boys, finishing second in the boys high jump at a 5-08 leap for a consideration mark.
On the throwing field, Warriors Rusty Ah Loo Brewer and Cory Payomo each placed the shot at 38-10, and 38-04, respectively for first and second places. These were season-best marks, but falling short of the consideration 41-08.25.
These performances led the Kapaa boys to an overall 212 points for first place followed by the Kauai boys at 99 points. Waimea, despite several state performances, settled in third at 78 points followed by Island School at 66 points.
Waimea’s Lopaka Ventura and Destin Miguel stirred the pot early when Ventura got past Miguel on the top end for a top finish in the boys 100 meter dash, stopping the clock at 11.36 and 11.42, respectively. Both times are better than the consideration standard.
Miguel regained his lead spot in the boys 200 meter dash, taking gold on a 23.25 run, not only a consideration standard, but a season-best run.
Gavin Bryan of Kapaa settled in the second spot on a 23.61 consideration run with Ventura being relegated to the third spot (23.81).
Waimea’s Henry Delos Reyes topped the boys 300 meter hurdles (42.95) for a consideration run, adding a top finish in the boys triple jump (41-09.00) for a qualifying leap.
Delos Reyes, Ventura and Miguel were on the boys 4×100 meter relay team who stopped the clock at 45.20, a consideration run.
Island School’s Emanuel Zafirides topped the boys 400 meter Dash on a 52.46 run for not only a consideration run, but a season best.
Kauai’s Christian Sarmiento topped the high jump at 5-10.00, a state consideration leap to round out the leaders on the boys’ field.
With the completion of the Rotary Meet, KIF student-athletes have just one more qualifying meet before the KIF championships.
The final qualifying meet will start at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Vidinha Stadium.
Trials for the KIF Championship take place on April 24 starting at 4 p.m. The finals of the KIF Championship takes place on April 25, starting at 4 p.m.
Spectators are reminded there is no admission for the qualifying, or trials for the KIF Championship. Admission will be assessed for the finals of the KIF Championships.
