KEAAU – Waiakea’s Louie Ondo appears to run so effortlessly and wins so frequently, that it’s almost easy to take him for granted.
The Warriors, of course, will not, penciling him in for three victories again at the BIIF track and field championships in two weeks as they try to repeat as boys champions.
Like most BIIF athletes during the season, Ondo has taken a few weeks off, but there he was Saturday at Keaau, sweeping the 800-, 1,500- and 3,000-meter races again at a meet in which many of the league’s most decorated athletes were rounding into peek form.
As usual, Ondo drew motivation from his family.
“My dad helps me out a lot, my mom, my grandmother, they all motivate me,” Ondo said. “Most of all, my (grandfather) up in the sky is my biggest motivation.”
His ohana may help help him mentally, but not genetically.
“My dad is not a runner, my mom is not a runner. I think it’s a gift from God,” Ondo said. “My dad has a strong mind, which gives me a strong mind. He trains me into the ground.”
His time in the 800, 2 minutes, 0.88 seconds was particularly impressive, vaulting him to No. 2 in the state this season behind Punahou’s Connor Lehl (2:00.07).
The Warriors’ senior is the defending HHSAA champion in the 1,500, but he’s got room to make up on Kamehameha-Kapalama standout Kaeo Kruse, the runner who Ondo edged last season at states. Kruse’s best effort this season is 4:07.70, while Ondo’s top time is a 4:12.69 on April 2. Ondo clocked in at 4:13.11 on Saturday.
In the 3,000, defending state champion Kruse (9:03.52) is No. 1 and Ondo (9:16.99) is third.
“I want to get under 9 minutes,” Ondo said. “(Kaeo) is always on my mind. I’m always training hard to get better than him. He’s a tough runner.”
At 10 points per victory, Ondo knows he needs to deliver 30 points in his three marquee events to help Waiakea win the team title again, but he also runs on the 1,600 relay team and has his eyes on possibly scoring (top six) in the 200 and high jump as well.
And Ondo isn’t a one-man show at Waiakea in terms of distance runners. Rylie Cabalse and Adrian Larkspur each placed Saturday.
“I’ve brought (Rylie) under my wing,” Ondo said. “After I leave, I want to make sure that we have that torch going.
“I give him tips. I make him think meet-wise, helping him shoot for states.”
The Warriors’ biggest threat to the team title figures to be Konawaena, and the two schools have been engaging in a back-and-forth battle all season in the 1,600 relay.
The Wildcats, with Austin Ewing anchoring, won again Saturday, and with ease, 3:40.77-3:49.46 over the Ondo-anchored Warriors. Waiakea, however, recorded the best time in the BIIF this season on April 2.
“It will be a supper good race,” Ondo said. “We didn’t have our best runners.
“We have a lot our sleeve. We’re not bringing it all out yet.”
Other highlights
•Kealakehe junior Nicole Cristobal leaped into the top spot in the state in the triple jump, reaching 37-0.25, 6 inches farther than Baldwin’s Kaitlin Smith.
Cristobal also went 17-3 in the long jump, the third-best leap this season. Kamehameha’s Saydee Aganus (17-7.75) is second and Smith (17-11.25) is first.
•Hawaii Prep’s Emma Taylor lowered her state-best time in the 300 hurdles to 44.78. She was knocked down to second in the 100 hurdles after Smith ran 14.09 on Friday on Maui.
•Aganus ranks second in Hawaii in the 100 dash after finishing in 12.49.
•Kamehameha’s Tre Evans-Dumaran ran a 11-flat in the 100, No. 2 in Hawaii behind Baldwin’s Bailey Kaopuiki (10.82). Evans-Dumaran is still tops in the 110 hurdles.
•Konawaena’s Hauoli Akau is No. 4 in the state in the long jump after reaching 21-9.
