Punahou’s Madanay
takes over home meet

A wily veteran and a fresh newcomer led the pack yesterday at the Punahou Invitational cross country meet.

While Kamehameha's Jeremy Kamakaala ran away with the boys title, Punahou freshman Farrah Madanay set the tone for the upcoming Interscholastic League of Honolulu season.

The diminutive multi-sport athlete covered the 3-mile course in 20 minutes, 37 seconds, well ahead of teammate Marisa Schoen (20:57).

Lucy Pollard (21:12) and Keri Ogden (21:14), both of Hawaii Preparatory Academy, followed in third and fourth place, respectively. Haley Abing (21:21) of Maryknoll rounded out the top five.

Madanay had never run competitively until this year. Soccer and basketball took up her time and energy.

"My mom said more colleges would look at me for running," Madanay said.

Apparently, mother knows best. Madanay won the first event she entered, the 14-under division of the Aloha State Run. Since then, she's done well in an open race at Waipio to start the ILH preseason.

Last week, she tripped at the start of the Iolani Invitational but still placed 15th against a field of tough runners from the mainland and Hawaii.

Yesterday, she was among an early pack of HPA and Maryknoll runners.

"Coach Darby (Macdonald) told me not to go out too fast like I did at Waipio," Madanay said. "And I tried not to get tripped up again."

By the late stages, she trailed two runners, HPA's Lucy Pollard and Maryknoll's Julie Besenbruch. But on the third lap through campus, Besenbruch stopped.

"I feel bad for her," Madanay said of the Spartan, who finished 11th at last week's Iolani Invitational. Besenbruch went on to finish 13th yesterday.

By the time the leaders reached the track area of the course, Pollard slowed down significantly and Madanay rocketed ahead.

"She's an athlete with a great sports background," head coach Duncan Macdonald said.

"If we take our time and develop her over the next four years, she can become great."

Behind the strength of Madanay, Schoen, Christina Wong (sixth, 21:28), Pua Chang (seventh, 21:28) and Piper Marshall (10th, 22:03), the Buffanblu girls won the team title with 26 points.

Hawaii Prep finished second with 70, followed by Iolani (106) in a field of 11 teams.

Kamakaala (16:39) won the boys race by a wide margin. The senior finished third in last week's Iolani Invitational, but regardless of the level of competition, he set out to work on certain elements.

Iolani, with four finishers among the top seven, won the team title with 47 points. Kamehameha placed second with 69, followed by Punahou (70).