KEALEKEKUA – When it comes down to crowning the best of the BIIF, every split-second and every inch matters.
Two events where this was especially true at Saturday’s BIIF Championship meet: the boys’ 400-meter dash and the girls’ pole vault. In a day of competitive contests, none were closer than these two.
In the boys’ 400-meter dash, Kealakehe’s Aiden Ankrum was pushed to his limit by Waiakea’s Alex Tuson; the two each set new personal bests as they tumbled across the finish line, Ankrum finishing one-hundredth of a second ahead in 52.63 seconds to win the BIIF title.
“I hit the 300 (meter) mark knowing I had barely anything left,” said Ankrum. “I worked hard, dug deep and gave it all I’ve got… It was all out.
“There’s been a whole season of training that led to this moment… to push and give every ounce of energy I had left for that photo finish.”
Waiakea’s Rylee Au was similarly pushed to her limit in the pole vault, where she and two of her teammates – Analissa Paresa and Isabeglle Au – competed in a three-way jump off to determine a champion.
Only after seven jump-offs was Rylee finally crowned the BIIF champion, clearing 10’3”.
“It’s such a rush, a relief,” said Rylee. “Going for so long, the endurance to have for 20 jumps. It was a great feeling.
“I tell myself when I get in my head, when I’m too freaked out: just make it happen. No one’s going to do it for me. Make it happen.”
On the boys’ side in particular, there were a number of exceedingly close finishes throughout the day, three by less than a tenth of a second. In addition to Ankrum’s finish in the 400, Kamehameha’s Kahiau Poe won the 200 in 23.54, beating Konawaena’s Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu by seven hundredths of a second, and in the final race of the day, Waiakea’s 4×400 team of Kiyoshi Todd, Sylis Ruth, Kederang Ueda and Jaden Gebin crossed the line in 3:34.68, just outpacing Hawaii Preps quartet by nine hundredths of a second. Kamehameha won the boys’ pole vault in a jump-off as well, with Taylor Eckart winning over Kaike Ramos after each cleared 11’6”
Even the always-steady Ueda – winner of the 1500 and 3000 in every BIIF race he’s entered this spring – was pushed to his limit, setting a new personal best in the 1500 with a 4:13.07 finish, less than a second ahead of Kealakehe’s Cameron Cornforth. Ueda then doubled up in the 3000, winning in a time of 9:33.67.
Ueda was one of five multi-event winners. Poe led the way with three individual first-place medals, winning the 100 (11.35) and long jump (21’0”) in addition to his 200 victory. Konawaena’s Malakai Fillmore swept both boys’ hurdles races, winning the 110-meter hurdles in 16.11 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles in 42.33 seconds.
On the girls’ side, Konawaena’s Caiya Hanks won a pair of individual gold medals in the 100 (12.33) and 200 (25.33: a new meet record), while Kealakehe’s Cozette Wood set the pace in the distance races, taking the 1500 (5:00.20) and 3000 (11:15.02). Hanks also anchored the victorious 4×100 relay for the Wildcats, teaming up with Uhiwai Wall, Ila Henry and Braxton Kimitete to record a winning time of 50.89 seconds.
Next week’s HHSAA Track &Field State Championships will take place Friday, May 13 through Saturday, May 14 at Kamehameha-Kapalama.
2022 BIIF Track and Field Championship
Konawaena High School, May 6-7
Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Finals:
1. Kaiulani Bento, HAPR, 16.57;
2. Kawena Villasenor-Yamane, KEAL,17.52;
3. Zoe Gacayan, KAHA, 17.63;
4. Isla Rain Hilton, WAIA, 19.40;
5. Kacie Febo-Santiago, KAHA, 19.50;
6. Faith Baker, KONA, 20.18.
Boys 110 Meter Hurdles:
1. Malakai Fillmore, KONA, 16.11;
2. Kacen Hamada, HAPR, 16.54;
3. Darius-Anthony Olloway, KAHA, 16.97;
4. Alejandro Thompson, WAIA, 17.60;
5. Tricksan Pasion, WAIA, 19.03;
6. Kenta Vanderpool, KEAL, 19.93.
Girls 100 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Caiya Hanks, KONA, 12.33;
2. Layla Grace, KEAL, 12.92;
3. Taysia Rocha, WAIA, 12.99;
4. Braxton Kimitete, KONA, 13.38;
5. Maya Kaneshiro, WAIA, 13.49;
6. Daniela Rojas-Castelblanco, HAPR, 13.58.
Boys 100 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Kahiau Poe, KAHA, 11.35;
2. Torrance Satta-Ellis, KONA, 11.58;
3. Everton Kuamoo, KAHA, 11.68;
4. Ekolu Kainoa, HAPR, 11.79;
5. Jakob Honda, HAPR, 11.86;
6. Henry James Guevara, PAHO, 11.98.
Girls 1500 Meter Run Finals:
1. Cozette Wood, KEAL, 5:00.20;
2. Kaylie Hashizaki, WAIA, 5:06.06;
3. Hulali Halpern, HILO, 5:07.03;
4. Shaian Garana, KONA, 5:22.50;
5. Akemi Tominaga, WAIA, 5:23.67;
6. Xochi Gervais, HILO, 5:35.01.
Boys 1500 Meter Run Finals:
1. Ngirakederang Ueda, WAIA, 4:13.07;
2. Cameron Cornforth, KEAL, 4:13.99;
3. Kiyoshi Todd, WAIA, 4:35.02;
4. Austin Mohica, WAIA, 4:36.06;
5. Gage Barrilleaux, HILO, 4:41.50;
6. Issac Keanaaina, KONA, 4:42.46.
Girls 4×100 Meter Relay:
1. Konawaena (Uhiwai Wall 10, Ila Henry 11, Braxton Kimitete 11, Caiya Hanks 12), 50.89;
2. Waiakea (Sakura Yabuki 11, Maya Kaneshiro 10, Zadelyn Ferreira 11, Taysia Rocha 12), 51.47;
3. Hawaii Prep Academy (Daniela Rojas-Castelblanco 10, Madison Hughes 12, Bella Dadzie 10, Kaiulani Bento 12), 53.27;
4. Kamehameha Hawaii (Katelyn Ah Puck 12, Zoe Gacayan 9, Sanoe Quintana 9, Sophia Wilson 11), 55.03;
5. Kea’au (Daphne Igloria 10, Carin Quirantes 10, Catherine Nishida 11, Jaydence Meribela 12), 1:04.64.
Boys 4×100 Meter Relay:
1. Konawaena (Jaimin Medeiros 10, Malakai Fillmore 12, Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu 10, Torrance Satta-Ellis 11), 44.83;
2. Kamehameha Hawaii (Kahiau Poe 10, Logan Enos 11, Kekoa Ah Loy 11, Everton Kuamoo 9), 45.47;
3. Hawaii Prep Academy (Jakob Honda 11, Nathaniel Lawton 11, Ekolu Kainoa 12, Luke Hendricks 9), 45.48;
4. Waiakea (Ian Furuli 12, Alex Tuson 11, Ty Fujii 9, Jayden Gebin 11), 45.87;
5. Pahoa (Blake Berte 12, Zedekiah Ahin-Ganir 10, Malachi Wilson 11, Henry James Guevara 10), 46.90;
6. Kealakehe (TJ Arakawa 12, Duke Becker 12, Jayden See 10, Max Smith 10), 47.91.
Girls 400 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Jordan Perry, HAPR, 1:00.46;
2. Bella Dadzie, HAPR, 1:01.46;
3. Sophia Wilson, KAHA, 1:02.84;
4. Ila Henry, KONA, 1:04.58;
5. Uhiwai Wall, KONA, 1:04.72;
6. Siddney Shumate, HAPR, 1:05.96.
Boys 400 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Aiden Ankrum, KEAL, 52.63;
2. Alex Tuson, WAIA, 52.64;
3. Jayden Gebin, WAIA, 52.94;
4. Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu, KONA, 53.46;
5. Caiden Andrist, HAPR, 53.85;
6. Kawelu Kaiawe, KONA, 54.23.
Girls 300 Meter Hurdles:
1. Braxton Kimitete, KONA, 48.49;
2. Kaiulani Bento, HAPR, 50.62;
3. Zoe Gacayan, KAHA, 51.06;
4. Xochi Gervais, HILO, 52.80;
5. Kawena Villasenor-Yamane, KEAL, 55.10;
6. Kacie Febo-Santiago, KAHA, 56.24.
Boys 300 Meter Hurdles Finals:
1. Malakai Fillmore, KONA, 42.33;
2. Kacen Hamada, HAPR, 43.81;
3. Logan Enos, KAHA, 45.47;
4. Alejandro Thompson, WAIA, 46.43;
5. Kenta Vanderpool, KEAL, 49.16;
6. Kalamakua Buckley Francisco, KAHA, 49.69.
Girls 800 Meter Run Finals:
1. Kaylie Hashizaki, WAIA, 2:26.53;
2. Caroline Betlach, HAPR, 2:27.86;
3. Hulali Halpern, HILO, 2:31.80;
4. Akemi Tominaga, WAIA, 2:38.85;
5. Xochi Gervais, HILO, 2:43.77;
6. Malino Halpern, HILO, 2:45.94.
Boys 800 Meter Run Finals:
1. Kiyoshi Todd, WAIA, 2:00.57;
2. Cameron Cornforth, KEAL, 2:03.20;
3. Aiden Ankrum, KEAL, 2:11.33;
4. Gage Barrilleaux, HILO, 2:11.59;
5. Ethan Blankenship, WAIA, 2:12.76;
6. Zane Van Natta, HAPR, 2:19.12.
Girls 200 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Caiya Hanks, KONA, 25.33#;
2. Taysia Rocha, WAIA, 26.63;
3. Jordan Perry, HAPR, 27.04;
4. Layla Grace, KEAL, 27.36;
5. Maya Kaneshiro, WAIA, 27.92;
6. Ila Henry, KONA, 28.13.
Boys 200 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Kahiau Poe, KAHA, 23.54;
2. Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu, KONA, 23.61;
3. Everton Kuamoo, KAHA, 24.19;
4. Jordan Hanano, HAPR, 24.39;
5. Jayden Gebin, WAIA, 24.41;
6. Jaimin Medeiros, KONA, 24.54.
Girls 3000 Meter Run:
1. Cozette Wood, KEAL, 11:15.02;
2. Hulali Halpern, HILO, 11:46.36;
3. Lia Ho, WAIA, 11:53.95;
4. Xochi Gervais, HILO, 12:36.05;
5. Malino Halpern, HILO, 12:42.23;
6. Wynter Radey-Morgan, HAPR, 13:08.37.
Boys 3000 Meter Run:
1. Ngirakederang Ueda, WAIA, 9:33.67;
2. Levi Childers, KEAL, 9:42.50;
3. Austin Mohica, WAIA, 9:43.78;
4. Mason Selley, WAIA, 10:27.12;
5. Issac Keanaaina, KONA, 10:36.77;
6. Archer Ankrum, KEAL, 10:43.30.
Girls 4×400 Meter Relay:
1. Hawaii Prep Academy (Jordan Perry 12, Bella Dadzie 10, Siddney Shumate 11, Caroline Betlach 10), 4:12.63;
2. Konawaena (Uhiwai Wall 10, Ila Henry 11, Braxton Kimitete 11, Caiya Hanks 12), 4:13.91;
3. Waiakea (Malia Hill 10, Kaylie Hashizaki 11, Maya Kaneshiro 10, Taysia Rocha 12), 4:18.99;
4. Kamehameha Hawaii (Sophia Wilson 11, Gianna Chinen 11, Peyton Botelho 9, Sanoe Quintana 9), 4:54.22.
Boys 4×400 Meter Relay:
1. Waiakea (Kiyoshi Todd 12, Sylis Ruth 11, Ngirakederang Ueda 12, Jayden Gebin 11), 3:34.68;
2. Hawaii Prep Academy (Cameron Svoboda 12, Naoki Hayashi 10, Luke Hendricks 9, Caiden Andrist 12), 3:34.77;
3. Konawaena (Kawelu Kaiawe 11, Malakai Fillmore 12, Tavoi Filiva’a 10, Carmine Taetuna-Fautanu 10), 3:37.78;
4. Kealakehe (Aiden Ankrum 11, Cameron Cornforth 11, Sabastian Tunney 10, Zachary Hart 10), 3:42.59;
5. Pahoa (Zedekiah Ahin-Ganir 10, Judah Horn 10, Malachi Wilson 11, Henry James Guevara 10), 3:48.84.
Girls High Jump:
1. Elaina Head, HAPR, 5-01;
2. Talia Threlkeld, HAPR, 4-08;
3. Maya Kaneshiro, WAIA, 4-06;
4. Isabelle Au, WAIA, 4-04;
5. Rylee Au, WAIA, 4-04;
6. Liliynn Soares, KEAL, 4-02.
Boys High Jump:
1. Darius-Anthony Olloway, KAHA, 6-00;
2. Keoki Alani, KONA, 5-06;
3. Cameron Svoboda, HAPR, 5-06;
4. Aiden Ankrum, KEAL, 5-04;
5. Jayden See, KEAL, 5-02;
6. Jaxson Berryman, WAIA, 5-02.
Girls Pole Vault:
1. Rylee Au, WAIA, 10-03;
2. Analissa Paresa, WAIA, 10-00;
3. Isabelle Au, WAIA, 10-00;
4. Ava Huddleston, HAPR, 8-06;
5. Lily Kassis, HAPR, 8-00;
6. Anna Scott, HAPR, 8-00.
Boys Pole Vault:
1. Taylor Eckart, KAHA, 11-06;
2. Kaike Ramos, KAHA, 11-06;
3. Shelbey Cabais-Fernandez, WAIA, 11-00;
4. Haiden Kay, KAHA, 10-06;
5. Trevor Kaufman, HAPR, 9-06;
6. Jaron Carmichael, WAIA, 9-00.
Girls Long Jump Finals:
1. Layla Grace, KEAL, 16-06.50, w:NWI;
2. Taysia Rocha, WAIA, 15-00.50, w:NWI;
3. Caroline Betlach, HAPR, 14-11.25, w:NWI;
4. Madison Hughes, HAPR, 14-09, w:NWI;
5. Uhiwai Wall, KONA, 14-06.50, w:NWI;
6. Lilianne Wolfenberger, HAPR, 13-10.25, w:NWI.
Boys Long Jump:
1. Kahiau Poe, KAHA, 21-00, w:NWI;
2. Torrance Satta-Ellis, KONA, 20-06, w:NWI;
3. Nathaniel Lawton, HAPR, 19-02.75, w:NWI;
4. Jordan Hanano, HAPR, 19-02.50, w:NWI;
5. Duke Becker, KEAL, 18-09, w:NWI;
6. Ian Furuli, WAIA, 18-08.50, w:NWI.
Girls Triple Jump:
1. Taysia Rocha, WAIA, 34-05.50, w:NWI;
2. Elaina Head, HAPR, 34-02.50, w:NWI;
3. Layla Grace, KEAL, 33-07, w:NWI;
4. Priscilla Mow, WAIA, 26-04.75, w:NWI.
Boys Triple Jump Finals:
1. Torrance Satta-Ellis, KONA, 40-11.50, w:NWI;
2. Jayden Villena, HILO, 39-06, w:NWI;
3. Niau Paulos, KAHA, 35-11, w:NWI;
4. Isaac Clement, KONA, 35-03.25, w:NWI;
5. Jaxson Berryman, WAIA, 34-11.75, w:NWI;
6. Ian Furuli, WAIA, 32-05.25, w:NWI.
Girls Discus Throw:
1. Kamaile Paikuli, KEAA, 106-03;
2. Zoe Kimitete, KONA, 104-00;
3. Naomi Horiuchi, WAIA, 92-02;
4. Nariyah Suiaunoa, HILO, 84-07;
5. Nahi Kekuawela, WAIA, 82-03;
6. Ciana-Lei Bence, KAHA, 79-04.
Boys Discus Throw Finals:
1. Niau Paulos, KAHA, 120-05;
2. Ezekiel Ledward, HILO, 114-09;
3. Matthew Yamada, KAHA, 113-11;
4. Scott Ramboyon, WAIA, 108-00;
5. Hiwa Satta-Ellis, KONA, 107-05;
6. Gabby Aiona, HAPR, 105-07.
Girls Shot Put Finals:
1. Naomi Horiuchi, WAIA, 29-09;
2. Kamaile Paikuli, KEAA, 29-00.50;
3. Sailiileali’i Liufau, KEAL, 27-02.25;
4. Nariyah Suiaunoa, HILO, 26-02.50;
5. Ava Santos, WAIA, 26-01.75;
6. Kealohilani Grace, KAHA, 24-11.75.
Boys Shot Put:
1. Kris Tamanoha, WAIA, 39-08;
2. Gabby Aiona, HAPR, 38-11.50;
3. Shauntae Taifmai, WAIA, 38-02.75;
4. Caius Jensen, KAU, 36-10.50;
5. Keoki Keliikuli-Teixeira, KAHA, 36-01.75;
6. Matthew Yamada, KAHA, 35-01.25.