HHSAA track and field: BIIF teams earn advantage with meet taking place at Keaau

The comparisons to last year are inevitable.

Hawaii Prep hardly boasted the largest roster, but using a star performance (Emma Taylor), one extra gold and just enough of a supporting cast, Ka Makani was able to eke out an HHSAA track and field championhip by two points.

Sound like anyone we know, Kamehameha?

“We’re are going to make a push,” Warriors coach Manly Kanoa said. “We’re going to make a run.”

The Warriors arguably enter Day 1 of the HHSAA track and field championships at Keaau High in better shape to contend for a title than HPA did in 2016, though that assumes Saydee Aganus is ready to take over where Taylor, now at Boston College, left off. That assumption certainly proved correct at the BIIF championships last weekend at Keaau.

A three-time silver medalist last season at states on Oahu, Aganus enters Friday track trials with state-best times in the 100-meter dash (BIIF championship mark of 12.29 seconds) and the 100 hurdles (14.34, another personal record from Saturday), and the junior ranks second this season in the 300 hurdles and 200 dash.

The 100 hurdles is the first race of the program, Baldwin senior Kaitlin Smith is a prime contender, and the 100 dash, where Kaiser senior Kristen O’Handley is the defending champion, is the second race, so Aganus has the chance to set the tone.

“I think the more we can score early, that might put some fear in the teams that are used to winning it,” Kanoa said.

No pressure, he said, not with a freshman such as Chenoa Frederick around to help. Frederick joined Aganus in winning four golds and a silver at BIIFs, and she’s a threat to score points and medal in the 100 (third seed), 200 (fifth), triple jump (second) and 400 (fifth).

‘These girls, especially Chenoa, it’s like, what am I even doing here,” he said. “It’s that naivete that comes with youth that we are going to bank on.”

Frederick holds the Cougars’ stadium record in the triple jump after reaching 37 feet, 10.50 inches, though Smith is the favorite with an effort of 38-08 to her credit this season. Kealakehe’s Nicole Cristobal’s 37-10 at BIIFs ranks third.

Konawaena’s boys hold title aspirations of their own, thanks in large part to their dynamic duo of Hauoli Akau and Reyson Ching, who combined to win six golds and four silvers at BIIFs.

There are six field events finals Friday, including Ching’s bid in the high jump. The senior’s PR of 6-3 is just an inch behind the top seed, Waianae’s Douglas Mitchell. Akau will try to score points in the triple jump, where he’s the ranks fifth to date.

“We have a chance,” Wildcats coach Patrick Bradley said. “We just have to have some really good things happen.”

It could occur in Saturday’s finals courtesy of Ching in the 200 or Akau in the 400, where the second seed likely will have to break 50 seconds to beat out contenders such as Saint Louis’ Trenton Wailehua and Seabury Hall’s Isaiah Payne. Payne is the top seed in the 200, and he’s the only boy this year to break 22 seconds. Ching is No. 2 at 22.14.

Other top 3 seeds from the BIIF

– Girls discus, Leona Toledo, Hilo, 121-05, third

– Boys long jump, Reyson Ching, Konawaena, 22-02, third

– Girls long jump, Nicole Cristobal, Kealakehe, 17-02.25, third

– Boys 100, Lukas Kuipers, Hilo, 10.97, third

– Girls 400 relay, Kamehameha, 50.05, third

– Boys 400 relay, Hilo, 42.60, first; Konawaena, 42.89, second

– Boys 800, Rylie Cabalse, 1:58.89, third

Notes: Friday’s first field event finals start at 2:15 p.m. with the boys discus and the girls long jump. The first track qualifier is scheduled to go off at 3:30 p.m. … Saturday’s program begins with the girls discus and boys long jump. The track finals begin at 5:30 p.m. … The price for adults is $7, senior citizens (62 and over) is $5, and students (grades K-12) is $5. … No tents, large umbrellas, or outside food or large coolers will be allowed in the stadium.