KEAAU – Konawaena’s boys visited the podium in bunches for two days running, the final time coming after a victory in the the 1,600-meter relay that provided an exclamation point to what was a runaway verdict.
Officially, the Wildcats were BIIF track and field championships.
As they celebrated, fittingly, it began to rain.
Officially, the title drought was over.
Konawaena entered with myriad scores to settle, and it finished its business with speed and explosiveness.
“Finally,” junior Hauoli Akai said. “Finally.”
Tired of finishing second to Waiakea, once in track and twice in basketball, Akau medaled in all six of his events, more often than not finishing first.
Akau, a junior, claimed his second career gold in the 400, just missing the sub-50-second tie he coveted, and he completed a title sweep of the jumping events for the second straight year by outdistancing teammates Reyson Ching and Austin Aukai to win the long jump. Akau won the triple Friday.
“Reyson has been beating me all year,” Akau said, “but I beat him today. One-two-three was our goal, so the finish didn’t matter.”
Coach Patrick Bradley wasn’t sure the last time Konawaena won a BIIF title, guessing it was 26 years ago. He’s betting the next wait won’t be as long.
“Four years in the building from when we had five boys,” Bradley said. “We’re going to be strong from now on.”
“My goal is always to win every running event. I ran the 400 and the 800, so we better win those.”
Konawaena senior Lawrence Barrett thought he was going to do the honors in the 800, but teammate Josiah Vallez ran him down to win a photo finish by two one-hundredths of a second.
“My friend Josiah,” Barrett said. “I didn’t hear him (coming) at all. He’s going to be the next big thing.”
Earlier, Barrett claimed the 1,500 for his first career gold. After running hopelessly behind Waiakea’s Louie Ondo so many times on the track and in cross-country, victory tasted sweet.
“It was just so perfect,” said Barrett, who ran a leg of the 1,600. “I really love this team.”
Ching watched from the infield as Akau anchored the 1,600 relay team, but he edged Hilo’s Lukas Kuipers by two one-hundredths of a second to win the 200 and he and Akau had turns on a 400 relay that took second. Ching finished with two golds, including a high jump title Saturday, and three silvers.
“What at athlete,” Bradley said.
Akau, Ching and company will return to Keaau High on Friday for the first day of the HHSAA championships. Ching ranks second in the state in the high jump and 200, while Akau is second in the 400.
After watching the Wildcats rack up an overpowering 154 points at BIIFs, Bradley sees a path to victory at states.
“I think 50 points will win, and we have a shot,” he said.
Hilo in a hurry
Konawaena’s 400 relay team would have set a meet record, but they couldn’t keep up with Hilo.
The Vikings had waited for much of the season for Kuipers, Riley Patterson and Kahale Huddleston to all be healthy and ready to pass the baton, and they put it together at BIIFs in a time of 42.60 that was also a meet record and the top time in the state this season. The Wildcats are No. 2.
“You can’t get much faster than what we just ran,” coach Bill McMahon said.
Kuipers ran the anchor leg after blazing to gold in the 100 dash in 10.99 – only four boys have beat 11 seconds in the state this year – but McMahon had the most praise for Devin Albrecht.
“He ran the best leg and matched Hauoli on the back,” McMahon said. “He kept us in the race.”
The Vikings were far back in second despite scoring 124 points.
Caleb Rogers, Dylan Forbes and Steve Hinders gave a Hilo a medal sweep in the 110 hurdles, Steven Chung claimed the 3,000 and Christian Ellis captured the pole vault, clearing 10 feet, 9 inches.
• Two-time defending champion Waiakea was third, with senior Fafo Tevaseu winning the shot put ahead of freshman teammate Maxmillian Aliosia. Aliosia also won silver Friday in the discus behind Kamehameha’s Caleb Manuel-Cortez.
• Sophomore Justyce Kahunahana-Simms gave Kealakehe its only gold, winning the 300 hurdles.
