For a guy who picked up cross-country to keep in shape for soccer, Tony Connors is running with authority and picking up medals along the way. He’s also taken time to stop and smell the roses, appreciating the benefits of
For a guy who picked up cross-country to keep in shape for soccer, Tony Connors is running with authority and picking up medals along the way. He’s also taken time to stop and smell the roses, appreciating the benefits of his second sport.
The Honokaa junior captured the Big Island Interscholastic Federation boys title last week in 18 minutes, 27.10 seconds in a three-mile race at Hawaii Prep, the site of today’s Hawaii High School Athletic Association state meet.
The HPA girls are the defending state champion, poised to repeat with a depth of strong runners. Zoe Sims (first), Kristiana Van Pernis (second), Erin Evans (third), Kelly Ulrich (sixth), Maraiah Haight (10th), Emily Evans (12th) and Veronica Ladwig (13th) all finished in the top 20 at the BIIF championships.
They all know the course, and there’s no chance they’ll get lost. Better yet, except for freshman Erin Evans, all HPA’s runners have state meet experience — absolutely invaluable when butterflies make an appearance.
The girls race figures to be a competitive battle for second place.
Seabury Hall junior Dakota Grossman, the two-time defending state champion, buried the competition last year at her home course at Kapalua Village on Maui, racing in at 19:27.45 — nearly 20 seconds better than the runner-up, Punahou’s Eli Brady, now a senior.
As a freshman, Grossman established herself as a running talent, trucking a 19:25.50 at the flat, benign course of Central Oahu Regional Park, finishing ahead of Brady’s 19:37.40. Whether it’s 12 seconds or 20 seconds, that’s a sizable gap and a serious sign of running chops.
In boys competition, there will be a new individual champion. Iolani’s Troy Esaki won it last year as a senior.
Defending champion Leilehua figures to be a good bet to pocket its fourth title in the last six years behind three fast-running Mules. Christopher Olverson, Jordan Castro and Dylan Martinez took the top three spots at the Oahu Interscholastic Association championships.
Martinez finished fourth, Olverson was 12th and Castro took 26th at states last year, formulating a blueprint on what it takes to win the state title.
Honokaa’s Connors, who holds a 4.0 grade-point average, feels right at home on HPA’s course, considered one of the state’s toughest. In the last six times as host, the winning time has exceeded 17 minutes.
“The key to HPA is don’t lose ground at the hill. You have to push yourself. That’s the most important part,” he said. “There’s one major big hill and a couple of smaller, gradual ones.”
The BIIF title was his second win of the season. Connors captured the previous BIIF meet at Kamehameha-Hawaii. He peaked at the right time.
“I really wanted it. That was my goal from the beginning of the season,” he said. “I worked really hard at practice. I felt really proud of myself that I won. I didn’t think about it after the race.
“I think it’ll help us next year. It provides motivation that we won and can win next year, too.”
The Dragons have captured the last six BIIF championships, a streak that is still miles from HPA’s record run of 20 straight titles, which ended in 1999.
In any case, Connor keeps piling up medals.
The soccer team has won the last two Division II state titles and the past three BIIF championships.
Extending the BIIF title string to six straight in cross country and winning back-to-back Division II state championships in soccer carry equal weight for Connors.
“Six years in a row is a long time,” he said. “The school is very proud of it and all the runners. It’s a big accomplishment for Honokaa. You can’t go wrong with either one.
“Over the course of the season, practice really helped me improve my endurance and mental toughness. I felt strong going up hills and not as tired in the middle of races. That mental toughness comes when you go up hills. You have to push through and not fall behind the other runners. When you’re really tired and want to give up, you have to keep going.”
At the BIIF championships, he was eighth as a sophomore and 12th as a freshman. Both times at states, Connors finished out of the top 50, among the field of 160 runners.
“My goal is top 20. I didn’t check the times of the other runners, but the Oahu runners definitely run faster than the Big Island runners,” he said. “It’ll be a lot different race than BIIFs. There’s more people and there will be faster people ahead of me.
“Instead of being at the top of the pack, I’ll have to keep my own pace and stay in striking distance.”
No matter where he finishes, Connors gained something other than just another BIIF medal to his collection.
“My soccer coach (Maurice Miranda) suggested I go out for cross country my freshman year,” he said. “I was kind of good at it and decided to keep doing it. I learned that if you put in hard work, you can become a champion.”
