Pearl City goes the distance

Pearl City swept the boys and girls varsity team divisions of the Oahu Interscholastic Association West cross country championships yesterday at Waialua High and Intermediate School.

With their top five runners finishing in the top 15 overall, the Chargers won the varsity girls title with a total of 27 points. Mililani took second place with 43 points, followed by Kapolei with 65. Junior Anne Ochiae, who placed fifth overall, was the top Pearl City finisher.

The race for the varsity boys title was much closer, with the Chargers edging the Trojans 44 to 51. Senior Bryson Pascua was the first Charger to cross the finish line, placing third with a time of 16:51.3.

"The boys were a little bit more of a surprise than the girls," Pearl City coach Nathan Aragaki said. "They've been getting better and better. We're finally jelling."

Mililani seniors Sara Mitman and Kaleikini Barrares took the individual titles in the girls and boys divisions, respectively. Both runners finished more than 4 seconds ahead of the next-closest finishers. Mitman posted a time of 12:24.3, while Barrares finished in 16:12.1.

"(Mitman and Barrares) are both very dedicated athletes," Mililani coach Chad Miyamoto said. "They really push themselves to the utmost limit. When I want them to pick it up, they pick it up. And even if they're dying, they'll give me even more. They're very determined."

Mitman said she was unable to run the past two weeks because of a nagging back injury.

"I think I was a bit too excited to run. I took it out really fast," said Mitman. "The competition was great. There are a lot of talented girls here, so I just did what I had to do."

Finishing behind Mitman were Campbell's Annzen Salvador (12:34.6) and Radford's Katherine Hoarn (12:53.8).

The mostly flat course, which circled around the school, was 2 miles long for the girls races, 3 miles for the boys. Mitman and Barrares said the course was difficult.

"This course, the back stretch, is really mentally challenging," said Barrares, who grew up in Florida and spent his junior year in Seattle. "You just look up and you think it's just so far."

Aiea's Lance Agena finished behind Barrares in second place in 16:16.7.

Kaiser takes East titles: Kaiser swept the team events at the OIA East cross country championships yesterday at the Hawaii Pacific University Hawaii Loa campus.

The Cougars' varsity boys squad dominated the field, with five runners finishing in the top 14. Dennis Swart, who placed fifth, posted a time of 18:47.48., the fastest time for Kaiser. Moanalua (80) finished in second and Kalaheo (83) in third.

Junior Kalen Darling of Moanalua completed the course in 17:36.48, more than 29 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Reid Arakaki of Kalani (18:15.61).

The Kaiser varsity girls posted 41 points, edging Castle (53) and McKinley (74).

Castle senior Ann Miranda placed first with a time of 13:50.12, barely beating Cougar Lei-Aloha Bratton (13:50.47).