Winham Leads Seabury Girls to State Cross-Country Title

The Girls 2016 State Cross-Country Champion Veronica Winham. She is pictured here during the 2015 track and field season. File photo by Rodney S. Yap.

By Rodney S. Yap

On Friday, Seabury Hall cross-country coach Bobby Grossman told his girls team, “No matter what happens tomorrow, this is the best team I have ever had.”

On Saturday, the Spartan girls ran like the best cross-country team from Seabury Hall, and perhaps the best team ever at three miles, finishing 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th to runaway with the 2016 Honolulu Marathon State Cross Country Championships at Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island.

Although the Division II Spartans were not recognized as the overall girls champions, Seabury officially claimed its fifth straight small-school title with a record low 17 points. Hawaii Baptist was a distant second with 86 points.

Seabury finished a half second from having all seven of its runners in the top 20.

Spartan junior and Maui Interscholastic League champion, Veronica Winham, led the Seabury 5K assault in 20 minutes, 55.66 seconds. Teammate Ava Shipman was next in 21:15.96, followed by fourth-place finisher Erika Preseault in 21:55.75 and fifth place went to Darby Mulligan in 21:57.04.

The 2016 state girls cross-country runner-up Ava Shipman of Seabury Hall. She is pictured here during the 2015 track and field season. File photo by Rodney S. Yap.

The Spartans’ fifth runner, Kallalei Ryden was 17th in 22:42.33, Nanea Haynes was 19th in 22:47.56, and Chloe Gangnath was 21st in 22:49.44, a half second behind No. 20 Sydney Caldeira of Kamehameha Kapalama (22:48.88)

“I’d say this is pretty awesome and by far the best team I’ve ever had,” Grossman acknowledged Saturday.

The coach said his girls surprised him when they came into view after the two-mile mark bunched together.

“We were 1, 2, 4, 5, and I said to myself, ’ Are you kidding me?’  And they just put the hammer down in the last half mile. To have four girls ahead of Punahou’s No. 1 is unreal.”

Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Camryn Butz of Radford ran a 7:04 last mile to sneak in front of Preseault at the finish line by .2 tenths of a second.

Punahou’s Mia Schiel was sixth overall and No. 2 in Division I behind at 22:03.37. Honokaa’s Sophia Cash was seventh (22:04.27), Punahou’s Abby Mori eighth (22:10.88), Kacie Kwan of Hawaii Baptist Academy ninth (22:11.43), and Waiakea’s Saya Yabe was 10th (22:17.97).

Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Jordan Jones of St. Andrew’s Priory was 26th in 23:04.70.

Seabury Hall head cross-country coach Bobby Grossman. File photo by Rodney S. Yap.

Following Seabury’s historical finish, Grossman drew the congratulatory spotlight of coaches, spectators, and athletes statewide.

“I’ve never had so many people come up to me after a meet,” Grossman said. “I had a hard time enjoying the end of the meet because I had so much people coming up to me after the race.”

After all, it’s not everyday that David beats Goliath.

Winham, who dominated the MIL circuit, is Seabury Hall’s fourth individual state cross-country champion and the third girls’ winner since Dakota Grossman’s capped her four-year reign in 2013.

Grossman said Winham was determined to accomplish the goal she set over the summer, despite having trouble sleeping the night before the race.

“Veronica and Ava worked hard all year and pushed each other,” Grossman said. “Veronica came in with a goal and she put her work in and made it happen.”

Pre-race jitters had Winham pacing her hotel room in Saturday’s early morning hours.

“She was up at 1 a.m. and couldn’t go back to sleep,” Grossman said.

Seabury Hall’s Erika Preseault finished fourth at Saturday’s state cross-country championships on the Big Island. Preseault is pictured here during the 2015 track and field season. File photo by Rodney S. Yap.

Later that morning, Grossman noticed a lethargic warmup and had the girls run a tempo-lap around the track at HPA. At one point, he said he yelled, “Hey you guys have got to wake up, because we’re here to run.”

Grossman said the team took a business approach to things early in the season and maintained a mature attitude throughout the season. “We started showing up at these meets this year with complete confidence within ourselves.”

On Saturday, Grossman noted: “There wasn’t one time when the girls were running did I feel like they were not making a decent effort.”

Prior to the race, the coach said he told the team to take advantage of this opportunity to make history.

In the week leading up to the race the coach told Winham, “We are not going to talk about winning (individual), we’re going to talk team and if the winning thing happens than great, that would be extra.”

Later the coach offered some race advice.

Seabury Hall’s Darby Mulligan finished fifth at Saturday’s state cross-country championships on the Big Island. Mulligan is pictured here during the 2015 track and field season. File photo by Rodney S. Yap.

“I said if you have the lead you have to push the pace.”

Had the meet been scored for an overall title, Seabury would have defeated Punahou, 28 to 56.

“The team asked me what do we get (for winning the overall title) and I told them, nothing. I said what you get is self satisfaction, knowing you did it. That’s it. And that’s all you should get. A trophy is just a trophy, but it’s what you win inside that counts. We know and people who know cross country know  and I’m happy with that.”

MIL STATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS

Girls Division

Team Champions

1990 — Seabury Hall (John Weinert)

2012 — Seabury Hall (Division II; Bobby Grossman)

2013 — Seabury Hall (Division II; Bobby Grossman)

2014 — Seabury Hall (Division II; Bobby Grossman)

2015 — Seabury Hall (Division II; Bobby Grossman)

2016 — Seabury Hall (Division II and overall; Bobby Grossman)

Individual Champions

2003 — Tia Ferguson, Seabury Hall (2 miles)

2008 — Bailey Massenburg, King Kekaulike (3 miles)

2010 — Dakota Grossman, Seabury Hall (3 miles)

2011 — Dakota Grossman, Seabury Hall (3 miles)

2012 — Dakota Grossman, Seabury Hall (3 miles)

2013 — Dakota Grossman, Seabury Hall (3 miles)

2016 — Veronica Winham, Seabury Hall (3 miles)

Boys Division

Team Champions

1984 — Seabury Hall (Noel Murchie)

2013 — Seabury Hall (Division II; Bill Frampton)

Individual Champions

1989 — Dean Frampton, Seabury Hall

1991 — Damian Potts, Lahainaluna

STATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Hawaii Preparatory Academy

Saturday’s Results

Girls

Division I Team —1. Punahou 28, 2. Iolani 75, 3. Kamehameha Kapalama 99, 4. Maui High 161, 5. Radford 163, 6. Hawaii Prep 176, 7. Pearl City 211, 8. Roosevelt 221, 9. Kalaheo 223, 10. Waiakea 230, 11. Moanalua 247, 12. Kaiser 255, 13. Mililani 349, 14. Hilo 350, 15. King Kekaulike 358.

Division II Team —1. Seabury Hall 17, 2. Hawaii Baptist 86, 3. Hanalani 101, 4. Honokaa 103, 5. Kapaa 104, 6. Kauai 122.

Top 100 Girls Finishers

1. Veronica Winham, Seabury Hall, 20:55.66; 2. Ava Shipman, Seabury Hall, 21:15.96; 3. Camryn Butz, Radford, 21:55.55; 4. Erika Preseault, Seabury Hall, 21:55.75; 5. Darby Mulligan, Seabury Hall, 21:57.04; 6. Mia Schiel, Punahou, 22:03.37; 7. Sophia Cash, Honokaa, 22:04.27; 8. Abby Mori, Punahou, 22:10.88; 9. Kacie Kwan, Hawaii Baptist, 22:11.43; 10. Saya Yabe, Waiakea, 22:17.97.

11. Gianna Sbarbaro, Le Jardin, 22:18.46; 12. Kaila Ronquilio, Punahou, 22:20.47; 13. Maiya Fujiwara, Punahou, 22:22.69; 14. Emily Craig, Maui High, 22:24.77; 15. Kailee Balthazar-Chang, Kamehameha Kapalama, 22:37.92; 16. Aya Margraf, Iolani, 22:39.20; 17. Kallalei Ryden, Seabury Hall, 22:42.33; 18. Leilani Tandy, Iolani, 22:46.79; 19. Nanea Haynes, Seabury Hall, 22:47.56; 20. Sydney Caldeira, Kamehameha Kapalama, 22:48.88.

21. Chloe Gangnath, Seabury Hall, 22:49.44; 22. Claire Cutler, Punahou, 22:52.57; 23. Kalyn Kershner, Hanalani, 22:58.33; 24. Mia Takekuma, Kauai, 23:02.94; 25. Kristi Echiverri, Maui High, 23:04.11; 26. Jordan Jones, St. Andrew’s Priory, 23:04.70; 27. Keahe Akekehau Ross, Kamehameha Kapalama, 23:05.86; 28. Tia Lurbiecki, Makua Lani, 23:06.07; 29. Megumi Takushi, Pearl City, 23:08.23; 30. Maya Ushijima, Iolani, 23:15.67.

31. Morgan Mathers, Kalaheo, 23:18.25; 32. Taryn Trigler, Radford, 23:18.56; 33. Victoria Hennessy, Kapaa, 23:21.19; 34. Zelda Cole, Iolani, 23:21.33; 35. Ku’ulei Neher, Punahou, 23:22.90; 36. Jamie Tanaka, Iolani, 23:34.28; 37. Leigh Farah, Kaiser, 23:38.91; 38. Kecskes Marika, Roosevelt, 23:39.83; 39. Karla Angulo, Radford, 23:40.79; 40. Kelsi Ikeda, Iolani, 23:48.48.

41. Briana Yamamoto, Maui High, 23:51.00; 42. Kari Tanji, Iolani, 23:51.69; 43. Carolyn Price, Island School, 23:54.38; 44. Sabrina Marvin, Hawaii Prep, 23:55.20; 45. Marissa Le Vine, Kalaheo, 24:00.10; 46. Zoe Ganley, Hawaii Prep, 24:05.05; 47. Alysia Nakakura, Kamehameha Kapalama, 24:05.52; 48. Carly Dailey, Moanalua, 24:06.54; 49. Caylie Uyema, Pearl City, 24:10.02; 50. Evyn Prine, Waiakea, 24:10.83.

51. Kuaihelani Burgess, Kamehameha Kapalama, 24:13.29; 52. Zoe McGinnis, Hawaii Prep, 24:13.41; 53. Jordan Pomeroy, Hanalani, 24:13.93; 54. Hailey Briseno, Hawaii Prep, 24:14.93; 55. Sekiguchi Kokoro, Roosevelt, 24:15.89; 56. Caitlin Kili Kawaiaea, Nanakuli, 24:18.03; 57. Haley Kunimura, Moanalua, 24:19.75; 58. Cloud Rodin, Hilo, 24:20.79; 59. Martin D’Elle, Roosevelt, 24:25.82; 60. Shaleina Bird, Honokaa, 24:30.56.

61. Miyuu Handa, Kalaheo, 24:30.68; 62. Dallas Inouye, Moanalua, 24:33.97; 63. Isabella Talavs, King Kekaulike, 24:39.15; 64. Emi Higgins, Hawaii Prep, 24:39.39; 65. Jodi Go, Waiakea, 24:41.25; 66. Jules Giron, Maui High, 24:41.79; 67. Morgan Laferte, Aiea, 24:41.81; 68. Ryly Yee, Maryknoll, 24:45.12; 69. Keighsha Walker, Honokaa, 24:45.20; 70. Sasha Lee, Pearl City, 24:45.87.

71. Danielle Georgia, Kaiser, 24:46.00; 72. Kelsea Armstrong, Kapaa, 24:50.57; 73. Arianna Radona, La Pietra, 24:53.92; 74. Kinnedy Robertson, Kailua, 24:55.27; 75. Josephine Barnes, Moanalua, 24:55.33; 76. Hashimoto Katie, Mililani, 24:55.73; 77. Kaile Schiel, Punahou, 24:56.18; 78. A’Ja Greene, Kahuku, 24:56.39; 79. Katya Bollong, Radford, 24:59.93; 80. Samantha Valeriano, Campbell, 25:02.75.

81. Wong Brianna, Roosevelt, 25:02.76; 82. Kalea Acevedo, Llhs, 25:04.64; 83. Emma Marshall, Pahoa, 25:05.07; 84. Ruby Massey, Hanalani, 25:06.22; 85. Madelyn Weaver, Hawaii Baptist, 25:06.45; 86. Annabel Stafford, Damien, 25:07.35; 87. Alyssa Robinson, Kalaheo, 25:08.53; 88. Morgan Lorenzo, Hawaii Baptist, 25:10.53; 89. Emma Oshiro, La Pietra, 25:11.10; 90. Maile Hoshino, Kaiser, 25:12.90.

91. Kaila Oshiro, Pearl City, 25:15.51; 92. Ashley Hwang, Pearl City, 25:15.78; 93. Sabina Boo-Rivera, Keaau, 25:19.68; 94. Abigail Dietrich, Le Jardin, 25:22.69; 95. Joey-Ann Cootey, Kamehameha Hawaii, 25:24.46; 96. Alexis Nakabayashi, Hawaii Baptist, 25:29.28; 97. Juliana Tampus, Kapaa, 25:29.53; 98. Hannah Hollenbeck, Kaiser, 25:32.28; 99. Natalie Klett, Hawaii Prep, 25:33.46; 100. Brilie Kovaloff, Mid-Pacific, 25:33.46.

Boys

Division I Team — 1. Iolani 35, 2. Punahou 67, 3. Waiakea 114, 4. Kalaheo 117, 5. Maui High 178, 6. Baldwin 183, 7. Radford 183, 8. Hilo 199, 9. Cambell 204, 10. Kamehameha Kapalama 209, 11. King Kekaulike 282, 12. Pearl City 299, 13. Roosevelt 329.

Division II Team — 1. Konawaena 38, 2. Hawaii Prep 47, 3. Kauai 72, 4. Hawaii Baptist 74, 5. Kapaa 113.

Top 100 Boys Finishers

1. Connor Lehl, Punahou, 17:42.34; 2. Avery Torres, Kalaheo, 17:49.31; 3. Colby Otero, Kalaheo, 18:02.55; 4. Aaron Shiinoki, Punahou, 18:15.58; 5. Nicholas Arima, Iolani, 18:21.93; 6. Royce Garcia, Iolani, 18:30.81; 7. Hudson Lockette, Castle, 18:31.06; 8. Dodger Middlebrook, Kauai, 18:34.14; 9. Jason Wang, Iolani, 18:43.33; 10. Cody Ranfranz, Konawaena, 18:46.80.

11. Josiah Vallez, Konawaena, 18:52.30; 12. Schiller Timothy, Mililani, 18:54.41; 13. Charles Sakamaki, Iolani, 18:55.35; 14. Lawrence Barrett, Konawaena, 18:58.52; 15. Koen Bailey, Iolani, 18:59.37; 16. Eden MacKinnon, King Kekaulike, 19:02.41; 17. Kane Casillas, Kauai, 19:02.59; 18. Ziggy Bartholomy, Kealakehe, 19:05.35; 19. Tyler Ebisuya, Iolani, 19:06.44; 20. Steven Chung, Hilo, 19:07.73.

21. Slater Inouye, Waiakea, 19:08.86; 22. Patrick Delldonne, Hawaii Baptist, 19:11.23; 23. Kai Sears, Baldwin, 19:19.21; 24. Eric Cabais-Fernande, Waiakea, 19:20.45; 25. Jesse Wysard, Punahou, 19:20.86; 26. Matteo Dumas, Radford, 19:21.72; 27. Ilan Naibryf, Hawaii Prep, 19:26.89; 28. Cameron Daniel, Punahou, 19:27.22; 29. Jacob Vigliante, Radford, 19:29.94; 30. Sam Gibson, Hilo, 19:30.16.

31. Kekoa Ulansey, Kamehameha Kapalama, 19:32.39; 32. Dylan Vega, Maui High, 19:32.91; 33. Tyler Cooper, Baldwin, 19:36.28; 34. Kawika Jacang, Kamehameha Kapalama, 19:38.78; 35. Rylie Cabalse, Waiakea, 19:38.98; 36. Christian- Tayl Castillo, Iolani, 19:40.74; 37. Rev Chu-Decoite, Maui High, 19:42.59; 38. Luis Madrid, Hawaii Prep, 19:42.66; 39. Javan Perez, Hawaii Prep, 19:43.58; 40. Stiles Tyler, Mililani, 19:43.96.

41. Aziah Schaal, St. Louis, 19:46.03; 42. Cade Lehl, Punahou, 19:50.88; 43. Adrian Larkspur, Waiakea, 19:52.98; 44. Tanner Matsushita, Kailua, 19:53.69; 45. Noah Roberts, Campbell, 19:54.34; 46. Juaquin Samaniego, Molokai, 19:55.44; 47. Justin Berry, St. Francis, 19:55.95; 48. August O’Shea, Kealakehe, 19:56.80; 49. Makoa Martin, Seabury Hall, 19:58.04; 50. Austin Young, Kalani, 20:00.14.

51. Paul McCabe, Punahou, 20:01.27; 52. Trey Tina, Kamehameha Hawaii, 20:01.28; 53. Jiem Emji, Waiakea, 20:01.98; 54. Ryan Nakagawa, Punahou, 20:03.67; 55. Nicholas Faulkner, Kailua, 20:04.09; 56. Conan Gentil, Seabury Hall, 20:04.97; 57. Michael Christensen, Makua Lani, 20:05.22; 58. Cameron Brown, Kalaheo, 20:05.73; 59. Noah Dollente, Pearl City, 20:05.85; 60. Tristan Sienkiewicz, Hawaii Prep, 20:06.92.

61. Gabriel Tom, Kaiser, 20:06.96; 62. Noah Sedgwick, Kalaheo, 20:07.28; 63. Chance Souze, Kohala, 20:07.85; 64. Reijiro Rose, Campbell, 20:09.51; 65. Kawika Fernandez, Maui High, 20:10.31; 66. Jared Hayes, Radford, 20:11.37; 67. Garret Smith, Kapaa, 20:11.75; 68. Adam Hakola, Maui High, 20:12.95; 69. Demytri Dameg, Lanai, 20:12.98; 70. Ricardo Solorzano, McKinley, 20:13.70.

71. Coleman Ahakuelo, Keaau, 20:13.90; 72. Kyrus Lancaster, Campbell, 20:13.93; 73. Burcham Azriel, Mililani, 20:14.59; 74. Pokahu Gasper, Waianae, 20:14.79; 75. Ryan Drinen, Kalaheo, 20:15.97; 76. Riley Cullen, Pearl City, 20:17.36; 77. Karriem Folger, Campbell, 20:18.60; 78. Hunter Matschke, Baldwin, 20:18.74; 79. Peyton Oshiro, Hawaii Baptist, 20:19.38; 80. Nicolino Keen, Christian Liberty, 20:21.48.

81. Jonah Hurney, Hawaii Prep, 20:22.89; 82. Kanai O’Connor, King Kekaulike, 20:26.06; 83. Killian Heninger, Radford, 20:27.14; 84. Forest Blessum, Kihei Charter, 20:28.56; 85. Sean Guillermo, Kalani, 20:28.58; 86. Kolbe Fontanilla, Baldwin, 20:29.54; 87. Kahiau Cockett-Nagamin, Kamehameha Kapalama, 20:30.30; 88. Kaimi Mossman, Hilo, 20:30.38; 89. Joshua Stinebrink, Kamehameha Hawaii, 20:31.44; 90. Deion Giron, Maui High, 20:31.84.

91. Ragan Leslie, Konawaena, 20:32.41; 92. Logan Takazawa, Konawaena, 20:32.47; 93. Keane Singleton, Campbell, 20:32.80; 94. Deven Bio, Baldwin, 20:34.41; 95. Micah Char, Maryknoll, 20:34.89; 96. Seneca Helfrich, Waiakea, 20:36.75; 97. Grace-Gandeza Kilika, Moanalua, 20:38.57; 98. Chase Higa, Hawaii Baptist, 20:39.23; 99. Narayana Schneider, McKinley, 20:39.65; 100. Noah Kim, Kamehameha Kapalama, 20:40.60.