The defending state boys' and girls' state champions from Punahou have a lot to recommend them for another sweep. But this is a year in which talent is abundant in a number of events.

In the boys' shot put and discus, the top three contenders are all ranked among the nation's top 25.

Kaione Crabb and Mike Souza of Punahou and defending state champion Ed Taamu of Iolani have all thrown over 180 feet this season. Taamu did it again last weekend in winning the ILH championship.

In the shot, Crabb, who became the first Hawaii prep performer to crack 60 feet in competition, is the favorite to retain his state title.

Last year, Crabb won with a toss of 53 feet, 4 inches.

This will be the first time a state meet has been electronically timed. That will make it easier to submit outstanding performances for national ranking in Track and Field News.

Athletes entering the meet have had their season best times converted from traditional hand-timing to electronic.

Punahou's Bennett Valencia, who set a state best in the 400-meter dash (48.64) on May 10, might see his top competition from teammate Tioni Hackney, who has clocked 49.8.

Punahou's Kevin Chang is the best competition that Hawaii Baptist Academy's Matt Stevens has at 800 meters.

Stevens comes in with a best of 1:57.30 while Chang has a 1:58.40 to his credit.

But Stevens is head and shoulders above the rest of the field in the 3,200. He comes in with a best of 9:42.14. The next best time is 10:17.24.

Castle's Bryan Clay, who won three individual events in last weekend's OIA championships, tops the field in the 110-meter high hurdles with a 14.63 clocking, but Maui's Victor Flores is right behind at 14.84.

In the 200, Clay, Kamehameha's Chad Pa and Moanalua's Ricky Marshall-Greene are expected to wage a tight battle. Clay has done 22.17, while Pa has a 22.2 and Marshall-Greene checks in with 22.44.

On the girls' side, all eyes will be on Iolani's Erin Stovall, who plans to compete in six events.

Last weekend, Stovall broke a 17-year-old ILH long jump record with 18 feet, 51/4 inches.

She comes in with running bests of 25.8 at 200, 12.74 at 100 (but she was clocked electronically at 12.1 at a preseason meet in California), and a 15.44 in the 100-meter low hurdles.

Stovall's best competition in the 100 will be Kaiser's Endia Abrante (12.6).

Abrante (25.7) also will be primed to defend her state title in the 200 against Stovall's challenge.

In the 1,600, no one should be able to touch Punahou's Victoria Chang, who has a 5:06.50 on her resume. The rest of the pack is 25 seconds behind.

She's also untouchable at 3,200 with an 11:37.14, which is 39 seconds faster than anyone else.

Punahou's Eri Macdonald is the defending state champion at 800, but her cross-country rival, Casey McGuire-Turcotte of Hawaii Preparatory Academy, has the state's best time this year: 2:21.74. Macdonald's best time is 2:25.10.

The state meet finals will begin on Saturday with the pole vault at 2 p.m.

Running events get under way at 5:40 p.m.

STATE TENNIS THIS WEEK: The HHSAA Tennis Championships will begin tomorrow morning at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows Racquet Club courts on the Big Island.

The tournament will conclude Saturday.

Kamehameha is three-time defending state girls' team champion and Punahou is six-time defending boys' champion.