MIL Athletes Earn Top Marks Statewide in Track and Field

Baldwin’s La’akea Kahoohanohano-Davis during the skip phase of his triple jump Friday at Yamamoto Track & Field Facility. Kahoohanohano-Davis set a new school record of 46 feet, 8 inches. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

By Rodney S. Yap

For the third time in as many weeks, track and field participants from the Maui Interscholastic League took advantage of optimum conditions Friday en route to producing 11 No. 1 marks in the state, including seven in the boys division.

The Baldwin High School boys earned five top marks at MIL Meet #3 at the Yamamoto Track & Field Facility, with La’akea Kahoohanohano-Davis setting a new school record in the triple jump with a distance of 46 feet, 8 inches. He eventually tapped out of the high jump at 6-4, a new state’s best, after waiting patiently for the bar to get to 5-8.

In between his winning jumps, Kahoohanohano-Davis ran the 100 meters and won his heat, and he ran the first leg of the Bears’ winning 4×100 relay, which is also tops in the state.

Kahoohanohano-Davis nailed his big hop, skip and jump on his second try — improving on his personal best of 44-4. The senior all-state defensive back said he felt a difference in the “skip” phase of his jump, extending it further than he has ever done.

Baldwin’s previous best triple jump was held by teammate Chayse Tamaki at 46-2 1/4, set two weeks ago. Baldwin swept the event Friday with Tamaki going 44-5 3/4 and Jocel Aquino notching his PR at 44-7 1/4.

King Kekaulike’s Dalton Aganos in the new state leader in the boys 3000 meter run. Aganos won both the 1500 and 3000 Friday at MIL Meet #3. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

Unofficially, only Maui High’s Joseph Perry has triple jumped farther than Kahoohanohano-Davis in more than 90 years of MIL competition. Perry won a gold medal in the event in 1997 at 46-10. Kaahumanu Hou’s Ryan Schmidt went 46-5 at state and won in 1999 and Baldwin’s Mikiya Fujiwara-Hebert won back-to-back state triple jump titles in 1996 (46-0 1/4) and 1995 (43-11 3/4).

Arguably the state’s best athlete, Kahoohanohano-Davis is Hawaii’s best in four individual events and a member of the Bears’ No. 1 ranked 4×100 relay. Besides the high jump and triple jump on Friday, he was already No. 1 in the 110 meter high hurdles at 14.82 and the long jump at 22-6 1/2 — marks he established at the season-opening MIL Meet #1 three weeks ago.

In all, the MIL owns top marks in 18 of 32 events, 11 on the boys side this early in the season and seven in the girls division. Seabury Hall’s Ava Shipman is no longer the face of just the Spartans’ program, but the face of the MIL in respect to the girls distance running statewide. The senior is now No. 1 in the state at all three distances, adding the 1500 (5:01.37) and 3000 (11:18.58) runs on Friday next to her top time in the 800 (2:27.42) set at MIL Meet #2.

Seabury Hall’s Ava Shipman now leads the state in the 800, 1500 and 3000. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

Kaitlin Smith of Baldwin returned to form in the girls 100-meter hurdles where she was clocked in a state’s time of 15.16. Although she has only officially been back running for two weeks, since Baldwin extended its soccer season to a runner-up finish at the state girls tournament.

Smith’s contributions — although only about 75 percent, due to a foot injury from soccer — also helped Baldwin win the 4×100 relay with the state’s best mark of 52.64.

The MIL girls own No. 1 marks in all but three running events, the 100-meter dash, 300-meter intermediate hurdles and 4×400 relay. Maui High freshman Alyssa Mae Antolin tops the state in the girls 200 (25.97) and Kihei Charter’s Maya Reynolds is No. 1 in the 400 (58.45).

The MIL’s other top individual leaders, according to Hawaii MileSplit (www.hi.milesplit.com), are Friday’s boys winners in the pole vault, 800, 300 hurdles and 3000 run.

Molokai’s Luhiehu Pedro throws the shot put 30 feet, 4 1/2 inches Friday. Photo by Rodney S. yap

Baldwin’s Sean Fukuhara PR’d at 14-7 as did Kamehameha Maui’s Ikaika Renauld in 2:05.98. Baldwin’s Kiernan Leighton Mateo won both the 110 highs (14.96) and 300 intermediates (40.66), while King Kekaulike’s Dalton Aganos doubled in the 1500 (4:36.97) and 3000 (10:04.44).

Mateo won both his events easily. Aganos, however, was pushed by Baldwin’s Kai Sears in both races. Sears was less than a second behind Aganos, clocking times of 4:37.0 and 10:04.90.

Other highlights from Friday include:

* The return of Lahainaluna hurdler Kama Golaube, who partially tore his MCL midway through the MIL soccer season. He was expected to make his 2016 debut later, about midway through the 2016 track schedule. After getting clearance from his doctors two weeks ago, Golaube has been working his way back,. He hurdled but took precautionary measures when approaching hurdle No. 9, he felt tightness in his legs and decided to shut it down.

Seabury Hall’s Isaiah Payne won his heat of the 100, 200 and 400 on Friday at MIL Meet #3. Photo by Rodney S. Yap.

* Seabury Hall sophomore sprinter Isaiah Payne ran impressively in the 100, 200 and 400 meter runs, despite being fresh off the basketball court. The point guard won his heat in all three races and is the MIL leader in the 400 at 53.58 and is now No. 2 to Baldwin’s Bailey Kaopuiki in the 100 (11.32) and 200 (22.90).

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St. Anthony’s Mark Joaquin won the state triple jump in 1983 with a distance of 45-7 1/4. Baldwin’s James Tabon was the first MIL athlete to win a gold medal in the triple jump at the state championships. Tabon won the event in 1976 with a distance of 45-4. Baldwin’s Mik Fujiwara-Herbert won back-to-back state titles in 1995-96, with jumps of 43-11 3/4 and 46-0 1/4.

Maui Interscholastic League Meet #3

At Yamamoto Track & Field Faciltiy; Friday, March 4, Results