KEAAU – You could put asterisks next to two of Saydee Aganus’ victories if you wanted, but that wouldn’t even be telling half of the story.
KEAAU – You could put asterisks next to two of Saydee Aganus’ victories if you wanted, but that wouldn’t even be telling half of the story.
For Aganus, Saturday’s BIIF track and field meet, held under steady rain and wind at Kamehameha, was about finding competition from within. By any measure, the Kamehameha sophomore hurdler and sprinter earned a star for the day.
Cooling down after five wins in five events, Aganus chose the long jump, her newest event, as her favorite part of the meet.
“I only started last week, so I think I can get a lot better in it,” she said. “I wanted to reach 18 feet, but they scratched my last one.”
Still, her effort of 17-07.75 puts her near the top of the early state rankings.
It’s an event that Aganus doesn’t figure to go up against Hawaii Prep’s Emma Taylor. The five-time HHSAA champion hurdler didn’t compete Saturday, which changed things for Aganus.
“I didn’t have her side by side to push me, you have to push yourself,” she said.
Her times in winning the 100-meter hurdles (15.58) and 300 hurdles (47.88) were an improvement over the season-opener March 5 at Konawaena, though Taylor still owns the best times in the state.
“I think I’m getting better at the 100, because I practice that more,” she said. “I feel I’m closer (to Emma) in the 300.”
Aganus ripped off 2016 BIIF bests in winning the 100 (12.65) and 200 dashes (26.68), edging Hilo’s Ka’u Mossman in both. Aganus likely will have to contend with Taylor in the 100 dash at the BIIF championships, but she’s the early favorite in the 200. Kealakehe’s Alysha Gamache graduated after sweeping both dashes last season.
After a busy schedule, Hilo coach Bill McMahon would have especially appreciated Aganus’ win in the 200, the third-to-last race of the day. He praised the Vikings Lukas Kuipers for winning the boys 200 in a BIIF season-best 22.83.
“It’s one that generally takes a kid who has a little bit more staying power because it happens late in the meet,” McMahon said. “By the time the 200 comes, some kids don’t show up.”
Fans who stuck it out through the inclement weather were rewarded with the finish of the day in the last race.
Waiakea Louie Ondo swept the three distance races – he the defending BIIF champion in the 800, 1,500 and 3,000. The 3,000 is the penultimate race, then Ondo anchored the’ Warriors 1,600 relay team, holding off Konawaena’s Austin Ewing in a photo finish.
“It’s tough to take a meet like this with the conditions the way they are,” McMahon said. “The one thing I’d say is that it makes what happened more impressive.
“Anybody who did something well is pretty tough.”
For the second consecutive meet, Kamehameha’s Tre Evans-Dumaran swept the hurdles and won the 100. He improved his times in the 100 dash, holding off Kuipers by three one-hundredths of a second, and 300 hurdles.
The double winners were Kealakehe thrower Nika Paogofie-Buyten (shot put, discus), Konawaena’s Hauoli Akau (long jump, triple jump) and Waiakea’s Saya Yabe (800 and 3,000).
Few athletes made as big a gain as Waiakea pole vaulter Jaymie Salangsang. The senior won by clearing 9-6, a huge improvement of the 7 feet she reached March 5 in her first try at the event.
“It first it was scary, but I got over my fear, and it’s pretty fun now,” she said. “I like challenging myself.”
Teammate Alana Pedersen-Kamaka finished second as the Warriors’ six pole vaulters all finished in the top eight under the direction of pole vaulting coach Sherman Viernes.
“I was a sprinter, but I wanted to stop outside,” Salangsang said. “Coach told me to try different things, and I enjoyed it after that.”