Rule change should
help local harriers

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

In a rule change that coaches and runners say is bound to benefit Hawaii athletes, the National Federation of State High School Associations has decided to allow cross country competitors to take liquid during races.

The decision came out of the federation's Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee meeting June 15-16 in Kansas City.

There have been a number of dehydration incidents in Hawaii prep cross country - some at state meets.

Boys run three miles here and girls run two. Girls run three miles on the mainland.

One of the most dramatic incidents involved Kamehameha's Brian Ching at an especially hot state meet on Maui in 1995. Ching, consistently one of the top three runners in the state that year, collapsed not far from the finish line.

"It was 91 degrees in Kahului that day," said Steve Jenness, Ching's coach.

Jenness said he thinks Hawaii is uniquely appropriate for the liquid rule.

"We're the only state in the country where cross country is run in such hot weather, and September (starting month) is really the hottest month of the year here."

Hawaii Preparatory Academy athletic director Steve Perry favors the rule.

"It's just a matter of working out the logistics," he said.

"It can only help," said Punahou girls' coach Dan Tuttle. "But if you educate a kid, as we do, to hydrate before hand, you don't have a problem."

Three-time state champion Matt Stevens, the Hawaii Baptist Academy grad who will run for Harvard in the fall, said runners should have aid stations and not carry bottles in the short races.

LACRO STEPS DOWN: Lyman Lacro, who guided the Punahou boys' varsity volleyball team to the last three state titles and last two Interscholastic League of Honolulu titles, has stepped down as head coach.

No explanation was given in a press release from the athletic office, but Lacro was reported to have accepted an assistant coach's position for next season.

Scott Rigg, a former head coach of the Buffanblu who garnered three state and three ILH titles between 1989 and 1992, will take over Lacro's job.

BEST OF THE WEST LOADED: Second-round Kansas City Royals' draft pick Dane Sardinha, a catcher from Kamehameha Schools, and infielders Keoni DeRenne and Danny Kimura of state champion Iolani, are members of the Hawaiian Stars entry in the Best of the West baseball tournament this week at Rainbow Stadium.

The Stars are 1-0 going into today's crucial 3 p.m. game with Tucson (2-0).

There are three other local teams in the tournament for prep and college players under 18: Leeward (0-2), West Oahu (1-0) and East Honolulu (0-1).