Power on display
this year at
Punahou Relays

Among the highlights of the 800-
athlete event will be the discus
and the football power relays

Doug Kilpatrick knows about records and elite track and field athletes.

The longtime Punahou assistant coach is looking forward to a few events at Saturday's Punahou Invitational Relays final. One of them is the boys discus, where Brashton Satele of Word of Life will likely exert another national-caliber performance.

Another is the boys pole vault, where Iolani senior Charles Fasi will try to improve on his 14-foot, 6-inch personal best.

Kilpatrick will get his entertainment value, however, by watching the football power relays. The event features six runners per relay team in a unique 6x67 race. The catch is, each runner must weigh at least 200 pounds.

The notion of the big boys pounding the rubberized surface at Punahou in the midst of a brutally hot day flows in the spirit of the event, now in its 60th year. Team scores are not kept.

"You just get your best four runners and try to kick butt," said Kilpatrick, who has been involved with coordinating the Punahou Relays for the last 15 seasons.

Another aspect that makes the coach smile is the timing. For the first time in recent history, the event is being held as a stand-alone because the Oahu Interscholastic Association junior varsity championships have already been held.

"We met and coordinated it for the best participation," Kilpatrick said.

Athletes from about 30 schools are signed up. Kilpatrick estimates at least 800 participants providing 1,300 entries in various events. Saturday's field events begin at 10:30 a.m. The first running events start at 11:30 a.m.

Satele, a standout senior who will play football at the University of Hawaii this fall, has already wowed watchers on the mainland. Recently, he heaved the discus 187-10 at the Ralph Martinson Invitational in California, beating the closest competitor by 35 feet.

Fasi, meanwhile, is the best pole vaulter Earl Hidani has seen in his 35 years of coaching. The 5-foot-10 athlete has drawn inquiries from USC, Hidani said.

"One thing about pole vault, you can't be afraid of heights," Hidani said. "He's got a lot of heart, that boy. He has great upper body strength and coordination."

Iolani has never had a 14-foot pole vaulter. "He started the season at 13. His goal is to get up to 15," Hidani noted. "He's a student of the pole vault."

If the name sounds familiar, Fasi is a grandson of former mayor Frank Fasi.

In addition, four longtime coaches will be honored: Gordon Scurton Sr., Al Bader of Radford, Martin Hee of Castle and Walter Thompson.

"This is a celebration of track. Gordon has been an age-group coach and official for 40 years," Kilpatrick said. "Walter has coached at many schools. These guys have put in a lot of years with age-group track, kept going through the summer. With Bryan Clay's success at the Olympics, we've seen a big resurgence."

Clay, a Castle alumnus, won the silver medal in the decathlon. "There's a whole bunch of enthusiasm and a lot of numbers. That's what's unusual and distinct about this year," Kilpatrick said. "A lot of it has to do with Bryan Clay."

The big numbers include tons, literally, of football players.

"I understand Kailua is entering two teams, including two girls that weigh 200 pounds. That'll be a first. It's sort of shame if they beat the guys," Kilpatrick said. "Kahuku is loading up their football power relays. They're gonna try to beat Saint Louis' record, which I think is 45.6 (seconds)."

Kilpatrick says the first exchange of the baton is always worth seeing.

"When all these guys hit the first passing lane, you got eight guys passing to eight guys, and they're all wider than the lead. It looks like runaway trucks," he said.

Trials begin today at 2:30 p.m.