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Trials are when elite distance runners are supposed to comfortably cruise through their events, doing just enough to qualify. Iacovelli pushes Punahou
to top of state trialsBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comSomeone forgot to tell that to Todd Iacovelli.
The Punahou senior ran for a meet record 4 minutes, 5.79 seconds in the 1,500 meters of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Island Movers state track and field trials yesterday.
"The best thing about Todd's run today was how relaxed he looked," Buffanblu coach Louis Johnson said. "Sometimes when he tries to go fast he tenses up."
Iacovelli also has the state's best time by far in the 3,000 meters (8:33.36), but has to wait for tomorrow's finals for a shot at the meet record in that event. There were no trials in the 3,000.
"I feel like the season's gone so great I just want to finish by running the best I can," Iacovelli said.
Punahou is the defending team champion in both the boys and girls meets, and after yesterday the Buffanblu are in the hunt to repeat in both. But both will be tough battles.
"I think we're right in there," Iacovelli said. "I wouldn't say we're a favorite, but we're up there."
Iolani's girls, with sprinter Lauran Dignam dominating again yesterday, are in position to follow up their first Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship with their first state title.
As it often does, Punahou's depth is beginning to show itself at just the right time. And defending state champions Pippa Macdonald (800 meters) and Natalie Fujimoto (shot) are in position to win again. Iolani's Christi Morrissey, however, did qualify ahead of Macdonald (2:23.18 to 2:24.75) in what looms as a major showdown tomorrow.
Dignam qualified in all five events she was entered in, including a 56-second split in the 4x400 relay -- running the anchor leg by herself, in a light rain.
But the most impressive relay performance was turned in by the St. Anthony boys in the 4x100. Jared James Pacheco, Jamaal Rivers, Panfilo Bascar and Brad Sumera qualified first in a time of 43.01.
The Trojans also should get some points in the 4x400, but might not have enough depth to keep up with Punahou, Kamehameha and Roosevelt.
Running hurdles can be fairly dangerous under normal conditions. But Kamehameha's Jesse Lee took it a step further.
Lee, the defending state champion in the 300-meter hurdles, broke a bone in his left arm and also injured the elbow joint when he crashed into a hurdle in practice Monday.
Lee was advised by a doctor not to run in states this week. He was told if he fell on the arm, the elbow joint might crack.
"I said, 'Sorry,'" Lee said. "Pain is temporary, but championships are forever."
Yesterday Lee, who came into the meet with the state's third-best time in the 110 and best in the 300, qualified for tomorrow's finals in both.
He said he was jostled by the hurdler next to him in the 110, and, "I could feel it on the 300, it didn't feel right."
Lee also runs a leg on the Warriors' 4x400 relay.
"Jesse is a key for us," Kamehameha coach Sam Moku said.
So is Brandon Ala. He sprained his right knee while warming up for the shot, but his 174-11 in the discus will probably be enough for first place and six points for Kamehameha.
"He'll come back Saturday and we'll see if he's OK to take a try at the record (181-11 by Ed Ta'amu)," Moku said.
Notes: Sacred Hearts' Kelly Figueira, who won the 100, 4x100 relay and long jump in last year's meet, is running only relays because of a month-old hamstring injury. Both SHA relay teams qualified. ... St. Louis sprinter Ross Dickerson was disqualified from the meet, as he was the Crusaders' fourth entrant in the 100 meters. Only three participants per school per event are allowed. ... Next year's meet is scheduled to be at Kamehameha. The Warriors were supposed to host this year, but their new facilities are not ready. "We open the track with the Special Olympics on June 1 and 2," Moku said.
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