MIL Girls Track: Seabury Hall Sneaks Past Baldwin for Title

Seabury Hall’s Ava Shipman runs to the finish line of the girls 3000 run Saturday. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

By Rodney S. Yap

Coaches like to think they know everything.

Sometimes it’s the athletes who know better. Either way, predicting the outcome of a high school track and field meet are hardly scientific and highly difficult.

Welcome to the girls division of the Maui Interscholastic League.

Predictions aside, Saturday’s MIL track and field championship finals proved to be a combination of grit and luck. The front-runners, Baldwin and Seabury Hall showed their moxie, did not disappoint, delivering multiple clutch performances under the lights of the Yamamoto Track & Field Facility.

In the end, the difference makers were the third- and fourth-place finishers and the defending champion Spartans scrambled to secure more low-scoring points than their competition.

“This year has been the most rewarding coaching experience,” said a jubilant Seabury Hall head coach Bobby Grossman in the aftermath of his team’s 19-point victory over Baldwin. “Being underdogs this year, and sickness, and injuries, and just everything that we’ve went through — these girls stepped up, big time tonight.

Baldwin’s Kacy-Lyn Navarro won the girls 300 hurdles. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

“I mean we talk about it as coaches and what we are going to do, and how we are going about it, but you still have to go out there and perform. And it wasn’t perfect today, but it was pretty darn close.”

Seabury Hall claimed its fourth consecutive MIL girls championship and fifth crown in the last six years, scoring 132 points. The Lady Bears led the Spartans by one point, 109 to 108, with two events to go, but managed just four points downed the stretch, closing out the last meet on the Valley Isle with 113 points.

Third-place Maui High restored Saber pride, manufacturing 81 points and its best team total in years. Freshman sprinter Alyssa Mae Antolin provided the team’s biggest boost in earning the league’s fastest female status. She closed the season, like she started it, sweeping the 100 and 200, and withstanding a fury of challenges from a handful of seasoned sprinters nipping at her heels.

To Antolin’s credit, the soccer-first athlete took to her business of running seriously. Teammate Emily Craig earned a pair of respectable runner-up finishes in the 1500 and 3000, combining with Antolin for 36 points.

The Sabers closed out the meet with a spectacular victory in the 4×400 relay, holding off Seabury Hall’s late surge.

Maui High freshman Alyssa Mae Antolin runs to a first-place finish in the girls 100-meter dash Saturday. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

Kamehameha Maui was next with 44 points, followed by King Kekaulike’s 43.

“We expected it to go down to the wire and evidently it didn’t,” said Baldwin girls head coach Keoni Tengan. “But everybody stepped it up. Maui High stepped it up, King Kekaulike stepped it up, and everybody started stealing points from Seabury and stealing points from us.

“Where we thought we were going to score, Seabury scored. We thought we would go 1-2-3 in the triple, but they stole a third. I told our girls that they worked hard and they did not lose this meet, everybody stepped up and that’s how track and field goes.”

Tengan also reminded his girls to continue to leave it all on the track at practice, with the state meet coming up in two weeks.

Kamehameha Maui’s Ani Nitta anchors the Warriors’ winning 4×100 relay. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

“All the teams are dealing with the same things, the shin splits, the colds. So when you go home you can worry about the other stuff, but when you’re here you have to compete and continue to try and do your best, that’s all we ask of you.”

Grossman made it a point to congratulate the other schools, particularly Maui High, after the meet.

“They have people that are very good, King K has people who are very good, Kamehameha has some talented girls. So it’s a collective thing, which is nice. It’s not like beating just the one team, you are beating a lot of different individuals in the league and that was nice to see out there.”

Maui High’s Emily Craig and teammate Jules Giron finished second and fourth, respectively, in the girls 1500-meter run Saturday. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

Tried and true, Seabury Hall counted on the blue-collar efforts of Ava Shipman, the state’s premier distance runner and the league’s multi-event defending champion. Grossman added the 400 to Shipman’s work load and the champion grabbed six points to go with her standard 30-point, three-event victories in the 1500, 800 and 3000.

The overtime meant Shipman would have to compete in every other race, once the 1500 started and the junior showed no signs of wear and tear in the 3000, lapping the field en route to the finish line.

Only Baldwin junior Kaitlin Smith did better than Shipman, finishing with three gold medals and one silver, worth a hefty division-high 38 points.

Smith collected wins in the long jump, triple jump, and 100 hurdles. Her 36-9 1/4 proved to be a new meet record in the triple jump, wiping out the meet’s oldest mark in the books after 36 years.

King Kekaulike’s Alexis Henderson won the girls discus with a toss of 106-08. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

Grossman was proud of his team’s composure, despite its youth. That’s because preparation and practice allowed a handful of Spartans to embrace the spotlight on the biggest stage of the season. Whatever fears the team may have been experiencing, Grossman said, eventually took a backseat to their determination to write their own ending.

“Chole’s (Gangnath) third place in the 3000, Maile’s (Dougherty) triple jump, Claire’s (Borthwick) long jump and sprints. Veronica (Winham) is sick today and she still got medals and sucked it up and did what she had to do for the team. The second-place finish in the 4×100. We can talk about one thing here or one thing there, but the bottom line is it took the efforts of everybody.”

The Baldwin boys won its 11th consecutive MIL track and field championship an got a 40-point performance from La’akea Kahoohanohano-Davis.

Finals MIL Track & Field Championships

Saturday’s Results

At Yamamoto Track & Field Facility

Girls 100 Meter Hurdles — New record 1, Smith, Kaitlin, Baldwin Girls, 14.59. 2, Navarro, Kacy-Lyn, Baldwin Girls, 15.84. 3, Dougherty, Makena, SEA, 16.21. 4, Preseault, Erika, SEA, 17.15. 5, Vehikite, Liliola, Llhs 2016, 17.50. 6, Molina, May, Maui High Girls, 18.09. 7, Daly, Mia, King Kekaulike, 18.72. –, Anguay, Kaeana, Baldwin Girls, DQ.

Boys 110 Meter Hurdles — New record 1, Kahoohanohano-Davis, Anthony, Baldwin Boys, 14.50. 2, Golaube, Kamal, Llhs 2016, 14.64. 3, DiMuro, Johnny, Baldwin Boys, 15.53. 4, Ranchez, Edilito, MHSB, 15.54. 5, Cadiz, Rey, Baldwin Boys, 15.81. 6, Rabara, Michael Jef, MHSB, 16.69.

Girls 100 Meters — 1, Antolin, Alyssa Mae, Maui High Girls, 12.58. 2, Borthwick, Claire, SEA, 12.71. 3, Nitta, Ani, KSM, 12.78. 4, Kern, Amira, King Kekaulike, 13.07. 5, Kimura, Mindy, Baldwin Girls, 13.22. 6, Campos-Ewaliko, Sascia, Baldwin Girls, 13.32. 7, Casayuran, Alssie, Maui High Girls, 13.47. 8, tuitele, kayla, KSM, 13.47.

Boys 100 Meters — New record 1, Kaopuiki, Bailey, Baldwin Boys, 10.77. 2, Payne, Isaiah, SEA, 11.26. 3, Brand, Dylan, MHSB, 11.42. 4, Taberna, Micah, King Kekaulike, 11.43. 5, Aquino, Jocel, Baldwin Boys, 11.44. 6, Cremer, Darrian, Baldwin Boys, 11.47. 7, Lawson, Andrew, Kihei Charter, 11.63. 8, Cadelinia, Allan, MHSB, 11.69.

Girls 1500 Meters — 1, Shipman, Ava, SEA, 5:06.86. 2, Craig, Emily, Maui High Girls, 5:16.00. 3, Winham, Veronica, SEA, 5:28.31. 4, Giron, Jules, Maui High Girls, 5:28.87. 5, Mulligan, Darby, SEA, 5:31.60. 6, Gavigan, Lily, KSM, 5:37.50. 7, Inouye, Kassie, Baldwin Girls, 5:44.42. 8, Teoh, Alexandra, Baldwin Girls, 5:45.61. 9, Valdez, Savanna, King Kekaulike, 5:49.87. 10, Estomo, Elan, Maui High Girls, 5:50.31. 11, Gera, Madison, Kihei Charter, 6:48.52.

Boys 1500 Meters — 1, Aganos, Dalton, King Kekaulike, 4:30.72. 2, Sears, Kai, Baldwin Boys 4:33.14. 3, Thorup, Shaye, MHSB, 4:36.26. 4, Vega, Dylan, MHSB, 4:39.03. 5, Akiona, Po’okela, King Kekaulike, 4:43.60. 6, Giron, Deion, MHSB, 4:47.05. 7, Tamanaha, Cy, Baldwin Boys, 4:57.53. –, Omura, Dean, Llhs 2016, DQ.

Girls 4×100 Meter Relay — 1, Kamehameha Schools Maui ‘A’ 51.71. 2, Seabury Hall ‘A’ 52.65. 3, Maui High School Girls ‘A’ 52.69. 4, Baldwin High School Girls ‘A’ 52.77. 5, King Kekaulike ‘A’ 53.59. 6, Lahainaluna High School ‘A’ 54.68.

Boys 4×100 Meter Relay — 1, Baldwin High School Boys ‘A’ 44.35. 2, Kamehameha Schools Maui ‘A’ 45.88. 3, Maui High School Boys ‘A’ 46.14. 4, Kihei Charter ‘A’ 47.54. –, King Kekaulike ‘A’ DNF.

Girls 400 Meters — 1, Reynolds, Maya, Kihei Charter, 58.93. 2, Dougherty, Maile, SEA, 1:02.35. 3, Shipman, Ava, SEA, 1:02.46. 4, Currence, Natasha, Llhs 2016, 1:03.63. 5, Panuve, Sela, Baldwin Girls, 1:04.40. 6, Akinaka, Lytiana, King Kekaulike, 1:07.21. 7, Hackett, Kayla, King Kekaulike, 1:07.73. –, Echiverri, Kristi, Maui High Girls, FS.

Boys 400 Meters — 1, Crozier, Justice, Kihei Charter, 53.13. 2, Christie, Cole, SEA, 53.80. 3, Marquez, Kainalu, Baldwin Boys, 54.23. 4, James, Brendan, SEA, 54.77. 5, Harrington, Alexander, Baldwin Boys, 55.10. 6, Garcia-Beteran, Hesed, Llhs 2016, 56.31. 7, Par, Jasper, MHSB, 56.68. 8, Austin, Andrew, Llhs 2016, 57.10.

Girls 300 Meter Hurdles — 1, Navarro, Kacy-Lyn, Baldwin Girls, 47.93. 2, Smith, Kaitlin, Baldwin Girls, 48.35. 3, Dougherty, Makena, SEA, 48.39. 4, Preseault, Erika, SEA, 49.39. 5, Daly, Mia, King Kekaulike, 50.63. 6, Vehikite, Liliola, Llhs 2016, 50.88. 7, Ferge, Angelle, Baldwin Girls, 52.41.

Boys 300 Meter Hurdles — 1, Mateo, Kiernan, Baldwin Boys, 40.67. 2, DiMuro, Johnny, Baldwin Boys, 42.02. 3, Golaube, Kamal, Llhs 2016, 42.09. 4, Ranchez, Edilito, MHSB, 44.02. 5, Rabara, Michael Jef, MHSB, 46.04. 6, Natividad, Romeo, Baldwin Boys, 47.30. 7, Rickard, Anthony, SAS, 1:00.83. 8, Henderson, Isaiah, King Kekaulike, 1:01.28.

Girls 800 Meters — 1, Shipman, Ava, SEA, 2:29.83. 2, Giron, Jules, Maui High Girls, 2:34.34. 3, Winham, Veronica, SEA, 2:36.44. 4, Gavigan, Lily, KSM, 2:37.30. 5, Gangnath, Chloe, SEA, 2:41.21. 6, Sanchez, Hailee-Adrianna, Maui High Girls, 2:47.16. 7, Inouye, Kassie, Baldwin Girls, 2:49.44. 8, Teoh, Alexandra, Baldwin Girls, 2:49.47.

Boys 800 Meters — 1, Renauld, Ikaika, KSM, 2:03.03. 2, Anguay, Zachary, Baldwin Boys, 2:03.89. 3, Fontanilla, Kolbe, Baldwin Boys, 2:06.04. 4, Fernandez, Kawika, MHSB, 2:09.85. 5, Stevenson, Nicholas, King Kekaulike, 2:12.44. 6, Thorup, Shaye, MHSB, 2:15.16. 7, burkhart, luke, King Kekaulike, 2:15.65. 8, Paet, Aleksander, Baldwin Boys, 2:16.97.

Girls 200 Meters — 1, Antolin, Alyssa Mae, Maui High Girls, 26.02. 2, Borthwick, Claire, SEA, 26.02. 3, Nitta, Ani, KSM, 26.39. 4, Reynolds, Maya, Kihei Charter, 26.73. 5, Kern, Amira, King Kekaulike 27.63. 6, Currence, Natasha, Llhs 2016, 27.89. 7, Panuve, Sela, Baldwin Girls, 28.15. 8, Kimura, Mindy, Baldwin Girls, 28.31.

Boys 200 Meters — 1, Kaopuiki, Bailey, Baldwin Boys, 22.04. 2, Christie, Cole, SEA, 23.56. 3, Crozier, Justice, Kihei Charter, 23.63. 4, Hottendorf, Quinn, KSM, 23.71. 5, James, Brendan, SEA, 24.14. 6, Ribucan, Shane, King Kekaulike, 24.61. 7, Tanicala, Joshua, King Kekaulike, 24.65. 8, Vergara, Renz, Baldwin Boys, 24.84.

Girls 3000 Meters — 1, Shipman, Ava, SEA, 10:52.58. 2, Craig, Emily, Maui High Girls, 11:46.70. 3, Gangnath, Chloe, SEA, 12:24.76. 4, Estomo, Elan, Maui High Girls, 12:51.38. 5, Valdez, Savanna, King Kekaulike, 13:01.22. 6, Daniels, Nicole, Maui High Girls, 13:09.81. 7, Teoh, Alexandra, Baldwin Girls, 14:20.08. 8, Inouye, Kassie, Baldwin Girls, 14:20.38. 9, Gera, Madison, Kihei Charter, 15:06.92.

Boys 3000 Meters — 1, Mackinnon, Eden, King Kekaulike, 9:58.50. 2, Cooper, Tyler, Baldwin Boys,10:12.35. 3, Aganos, Dalton, King Kekaulike, 10:19.79. 4, Giron, Deion, MHSB, 10:21.71. 5, Omura, Dean, Llhs 2016, 10:21.96. 6, Akiona, Po’okela, King Kekaulike, 10:26.82. 7, Vega, Dylan, MHSB, 10:28.17. 8, Sears, Kai, Baldwin Boys, 11:01.42. 9, Soo Hoo, Caleb, Baldwin Boys, 11:03.55. 10, Blessum, Forest, Kihei Charter, 11:47.03. 11, Mitchell, Kai, SEA, 11:49.05. 12, Tsang, Ian, SEA,11:54.36. 13, Guerrero, Fredmariel, Llhs 2016, 12:14.54. 14, Jones, Conner, Kihei Charter, 12:26.19.

Girls 4×400 Meter Relay — 1, Maui High School Girls ‘A’ 4:21.49. 2, Seabury Hall ‘A’ 4:22.73. 3, Kamehameha Schools Maui ‘A’ 4:30.64. 4, Baldwin High School Girls ‘A’ 4:34.51. 5, Lahainaluna High School ‘A’ 4:39.84. –, King Kekaulike ‘A’ FS.

Boys 4×400 Meter Relay — 1, Baldwin High School Boys ‘A’ 3:37.69. 2, Kamehameha Schools Maui ‘A’ 3:39.79. 3, Kihei Charter ‘A’ 3:43.98. 4, Maui High School Boys ‘A’ 3:45.24. 5, King Kekaulike ‘A’ 3:45.63. 6, Lahainaluna High School ‘A’ 3:57.89.

Girls Discus — 1, Henderson, Alexis, King Kekaulike, 106-08. 2, Pedro, Sehja, MOL, 102-06. 3, Maea, Tanifa, Baldwin Girls, 100-09. 4, Evangelista, Haile, Maui High Girls, 91-03. 5, Serena, Sofia, Kihei Charter, 87-02. 6, Ramos, Anela, Baldwin Girls, 83-06. 7, Mataele, Mele, Baldwin Girls, 82-08. 8, Kanoeau, Jaslynne, Llhs 2016, 79-06.

Boys Discus — 1, Vaivela, Andre, Baldwin Boys, 137-02. 2, Evalu-Robinson, Koa, Llhs 2016, 130-07. 3, Wright, Makana, Baldwin Boys, 130-03. 4, Felemi, Mosese, Llhs 2016, 129-11. 5, Au-Haupu, Micah, KSM, 129-04. 6, Anitema, Mahonri, MHSB, 127-00. 7, Ngahe, Manu, Baldwin Boys, 124-04. 8, Smith, Javin, MHSB, 121-07.

Girls Pole Vault — 1, Patch, Maygan, Llhs 2016, 9-06. 2, Tumaneny, Cassidy, Baldwin Girls, 7-06.

Boys Pole Vault — 1, Bel, Anis, Llhs 2016, 14-00. 2, Fukuhara, Sean, Baldwin Boys, J14-00. 3, Omine, Edward, Baldwin Boys, 13-00. 4, Hottendorf, Quinn, KSM, 12-00. 5, Baldonado-Kaleiopu, Tyerell, KSM, 10-00.

Girls Long Jump — 1, Smith, Kaitlin, Baldwin Girls, 17-05. 2, Navarro, Kacy-Lyn, Baldwin Girls, 16-03.50. 3, Borthwick, Claire, SEA, 16-03. 4, Campos-Ewaliko, Sascia, Baldwin Girls, 16-00.25. 5, williams, quinn, KSM, 15-07.50. 6, Patrick, Hannah, KSM, 15-01.50. 7, Pilotin, Erica, SEA, 14-09.50. 8, Love, Rose, King Kekaulike, 14-09.25.

Boys Long Jump — New record 1, Kahoohanohano-Davis, Anthony, Baldwin Boys, 24-08.50. 2, Aquino, Jocel, Baldwin Boys, 21-03.25. 3, Sakai, Kei, SAS, 20-00. 4, Christie, Cole, SEA, 19-06. 5, Foronda II, Edmund, MHSB, 19-03.50. 6, Bel, Anis, Llhs 2016, 19-02.25. 7, Ibe, John Michael, MHSB, 18-10.50. 8, Wyner, Sam, SAS, 18-06.50.

Girls Triple Jump — New record 1, Smith, Kaitlin, Baldwin Girls, 36-09.25. 2, Panuve, Sela, Baldwin Girls, 35-00. 3, Dougherty, Maile, SEA, 34-08.75. 4, Navarro, Kacy-Lyn, Baldwin Girls, 34-07.75. 5, Patch Maygan, Llhs 2016, 33-07. 6, Love, Rose, King Kekaulike, 33-06.50. 7, Logan, Hunter, KSM, 33-05.50. 8, Logan, Keely, KSM, 32-08.50.

Boys Triple Jump — New record 1, Kahoohanohano-Davis, Anthony, Baldwin Boys, 48-06.50. 2, Tamaki, Chayse, Baldwin Boys, 44-09. 3, Aquino, Jocel, Baldwin Boys, 42-10.50. 4, Foronda II, Edmund, MHSB, 38-02.75. 5, Segundo, Kyle, KSM, 38-00.50. 6, Au, Haaheo, Llhs 2016, 37-03. 7, Shultz, Kyle, Llhs 2016, 37-02. 8, Ragudo, Elijah, Llhs 2016, 36-07.75.

Girls High Jump — 1, Love, Rose, King Kekaulike, 5-02. 2, Logan, Keely, KSM, 5-00. 3, Wenzler-Steves, Dominique, Kihei Charter, J5-00. 4, Narayan, Alexa, Maui Prep, 4-10. 5, Patch, Haylee, Llhs 2016, J4-10. 6, Abreu, Charlie, King Kekaulike, 4-08. 7, Aquino, Kristine, MOL, 4-06. 8, Abraham, Alex, SEA, J4-06. 9, Otto, Cassidy, Maui Prep, J4-06. 10, Bechert, Elsie, King Kekaulike, 4-02.

Boys High Jump — 1, Kahoohanohano-Davis, Anthony, Baldwin Boys, 6-10. 2, Tamaki, Chayse, Baldwin Boys, 6-00. 3, Brand, Dylan, MHSB, J6-00. 4, Tanner, Isaiah, Llhs 2016, 5-10. 5, Foronda II, Edmund, MHSB, 5-06. 6, Schwindler, Ryan, Baldwin Boys, J5-06. 7, Lightfoot-Lani, Isaiah, MOL, J5-06. 8, Wyner, Sam, SAS, 5-04. 9, Metoyer, Trey, King Kekaulike, J5-04. –, Alvarez, Mark, MOL, NH. –,  Austin, Andrew, Llhs 2016, NH.

Girls Shot Put —1, DeRouin, Kori, MOL, 34-11.75. 2, Henderson, Alexis, King Kekaulike, 34-03.50. 3, Miguel, Jaedyn, Maui High Girls, 33-03.25. 4, Ramos, Anela, Baldwin Girls, 32-04.50. 5, Dougherty, Makena, SEA, 32-03.75. 6, Maea, Tanifa, Baldwin Girls, 31-09.25. 7, Pedro, Sehja, MOL, 31-05.75. 8, Serena, Sofia, Kihei Charter, 28-09.50.

Boys Shot Put — 1, Paranada, Jarred, Baldwin Boys, 45-10.50. 2, Au-Haupu, Micah, KSM, 44-05. 3, Sigrah, Joseph, King Kekaulike, 44-03.25. 4, Wright, Makana, Baldwin Boys, 44-00.50. 5, Vaivela, Andre, Baldwin Boys, 44-00.25. 6, Pascua, Preston, MOL, 43-07.25. 7, Batulayan, Aaron, MHSB, 42-09. 8, Anitema, Mahonri, MHSB, 42-00.