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MIL Boys Notebook (updated)

Apr. 10, 2008

MIL Boys Track & Field Notebook (updated April 11)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJc4swoR8W0 (Watch Leti Langi throw the discus)

By RODNEY S. YAP

What a difference a year makes.

You can bet the Radford High School boys track team is pleased with its transformation from a year ago when it mustered one point and finished dead last at the state meet.

What a difference a year makes.

Radford current owns the state's No. 1 marks in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays using the quartet of Donniqtay Campbell, Jonathan Atangan, Ikaika Kamaka and Christopher Rainey.

Baldwin's top sprinter Kalei Kamahele

Rainey, a senior, has been clocked in 10.8h and 22.0h, second to state leader Kalei Kamahele of Baldwin. Kamahele has automatic bests of 11.04 in the 100 and 22.16 in the 200. Kaiser's Kalua Noa also has a 10.8h, followed by by three others at 10.9h, which includes Campbell, Punahou's Zach Coronas and Mililani's Kawika Ornellas.

The other boys teams to keep an eye on are defending champion Punahou, Baldwin, Mililani, Leilehua and St. Louis. The Bears had their best team finish last year, scoring 54 points at the state meet held on the Valley Isle compared to the Buffnblu's 63. Radford also has one of the top hurdlers in the state in Nathan Blue (15.1h, 40.6h).

The Buffnblu have a balanced team, much like the Bears, while Mililani's strength is in the jumps and Leilehua's in the distance events. Baldwin is considering attending the Punahou Relays in two weeks, but not before Kamahele goes head-to-head with Ornellas of Mililani. The Trojans of the OIA are bringing three of their top boy athletes for the Blue & Gold Invitational next week.

The state's top pole vaulter at 14-2, Cameron Daugherty, will also be here for a much-anticipated duel with St. Anthony junior Billy Pacheco, who is No. 2 in the state at 13-9.Besides Kamahele, Sean Tesoro has the state's best distance in the shot put at 53-7. King Kekaulike's Reid Hunter also has the state's best marks in the 800 (2:00.9) and 1,500 (4:11.6).

BEARS: Baldwin, like Radford, is deep in sprint talent. The Bears' Vance Rosete (11.36, 22.91) and John Vergara have been showing steady improvement and will be called on for bigger contributions as the season wears on....Joey Amescua, who will run at USC next year, is due to peak soon, the MIL still has not seen how fast he can go in the 400, 800 and 1,500....with more than a dozen throwers, weight coach Anthony Perry has has his hands full. The development of Leti Langi, Dylan Puaa and Mana Rosa in the ring events could prove to be the difference at state. While deep in talent, the Mililani ring -- where the state meet will be held -- has not been kind to the Baldwin boys in the past.....Perry said he is taking his four throwers Sean Tesoro, Langi, Puaa and Rosa to compete at the Punahou Relays.

LUNAS: Two of Lahainaluna's best male track athletes -- Lake Casco and Bryson Williams -- are also playing volleyball. Williams is currently ranked No. 6 in the long jump at 20-10 3/4 and No. 2 in the triple jump at 43-6. Casco, an all-state defensive back and two-time state champion wrestler, is listed No. 8 in the 110 highs at 15.8h.

SABERS: Sophomore hurdler Josh Diaz of Maui High is among the state's best hurdlers. Diaz, who is coached by former 300-meter state champion Cory Nomura, is No. 5 in the highs (15.78) and No. 6 in the intermediates (41.55).

NA ALII: Imagine Jesse Henderson as hurdler? Already a senior, Henderson has been a dominate MIL force in the 400, but will be challenged when the stakes get higher by better pure sprinters from Oahu in St. Louis' Billy Stutzman, Punahou's Coronas, and Radford's Rainey. There is no doubt that 6-foot-4 Henderson, given a hurdle foundation at the start of his prep career, would be tearing up the 110s and 300s....Reid Hunter is off to one of the best starts by an MIL runner in the middle-distance events. Hunter established the state's top times in the 800 and 1,500 at MIL Meet #1 -- back in early March.

TROJANS: St. Anthony is anticipating big things from junior thrower Joshua Tatofi and recent addition Garrett Gonsalves in the jumps. With the high jump wide open, Gonsalves could surprise and Tatofi has yet to hit his stride. Among the Trojans' young bright spots are Aaron Wilsey in the pole vault and Mark Thayer in the jumps.

WARRIORS: Kamehameha Maui is perhaps the youngest team in the MIL with only two seniors in Bo Montalvo and Chawn Villalon, the MIL's premier high jumper at 5-10. The bulk of the Warrior roster is filled with underclassmen and a few very promising sophomores in Chase Bell (sprints), Cameron Yip (jumps) and freshmen Levi Almedia (400, 800) and Jesse Yamada (sprints)....Two of the Warriors' fastest athletes -- Kekoa Mountcastle and Nico Lopes -- are playing other sports. Mountcastle is a member of the golf team and Lopes is playing club (Excel) soccer.

FORUM: If you would like to chat about MIL track and field register with this website at the link above and check out the threads we've already started. It would be a good way to discuss our hopes and concerns regarding the sport we are so passionate about.

OFFICIAL FAT: Hats off to our Maui Interscholastic League officials and the work they have done this year. Outstanding job with the Lynx timing. We applaud all the efforts of MIL track coordinator James Sparke, MIL head referee Allan Fernandez, the MIL officials association and all the volunteer timers and inspectors. For more info on the MIL officials association see the link in the left column.