A day full of rain and wet conditions at Central Oahu Regional Park slowed the field but could not keep Leilehua running phenom Bryce Jenkins from the victory stand, as the senior harrier captured his third straight league title at yesterday's OIA Cross Country Championships.

Slowed by a stress fracture in his lower leg for most of the season, Jenkins looked very strong with a convincing effort, clocking in at 16 minutes, 37 seconds in the mud. The OIA boys race was the eighth of the day on the slick course.

“;The course slowed us a lot today,”; Jenkins said. “;It was sloppy out there and the turns really gave me some trouble. But I think I ran a good race.”;

Jenkins quickly took to the head of the pack, leading by 80 yards at the end of the first mile. By the end of mile 2, Jenkins' lead had grown to well over a football field in length, with his closest competitor more than 150 yards behind him.

By the time Jenkins made his final charge up the hill to the finish line, there was no other runner in sight. Fellow Leilehua runner Margarito Martinez finished second in a time of 16 minutes, 58 seconds, ahead of Campbell's Christian Putegnat, who completed the race in 17 minutes, 35 seconds.

Remarkably, the race was just Jenkins' second all-out effort of the year. Jenkins walked the Hawaii Prep Invitational on Sept. 20 to retain his eligibility for the postseason, and ran last weekend's OIA West Division Championships, winning the race ahead of Martinez once again.

Jenkins will lead an OIA contingent of 64 runners into next weekend's HHSAA Cross Country Championships at Hawaii Prep Academy on the Big Island. Jenkins is hoping to become just the second boys runner to win three consecutive state crowns and match Matt Stevens, who turned the hat trick for Hawaii Baptist from 1994 to 1996.

“;It's been a tough year and I'm not sure I'm running at my peak yet,”; said Jenkins, who spent yesterday morning talking to recruiters from Baylor and La Salle. “;But I am looking forward to running at states and representing my school and the OIA.”;

Jenkins' effort helped lift Leilehua to a fourth consecutive OIA team championship, as Martinez, Shannon Cosey (sixth, 17:54) and Noel Cabato (12th, 18:22) also finished among the top 12 runners.

Mililani junior Kristin Ali Keith also repeated as league girls champ after posting a time of 19 minutes, 33 seconds. Also last season's state champion, Ali Keith overcame an up-and-down league season to peak at the right time.

“;I felt I ran pretty good,”; Ali Keith said. “;I was a little nervous at the start, but I know once the gun goes off everything is behind me, so I just had to run.”;

Ali Keith ran stride for stride with Kaiser's Sarah Clapp for much of the race before pulling away late. Clapp actually led Ali Keith by two strides entering the final mile, as the duo battled in a two-girl race for most of the event.

In the end, Ali Keith used a strong finishing kick to out distance Clapp by 30 yards as she collapsed at the finish line.

“;That last mile I told myself I just had to catch her and go for it,”; Ali Keith said. “;I tried to relax, slow my breathing and work my arms and just run, and it worked.”;

Mililani's Nicole Painter and Gabriella Jenkins finished third and fourth to combine with Ali Keith's win and boost the Trojans to the girls' title, outpointing Leilehua 37-65. The Mules did not place a runner in the top five, but strong efforts by Lane Mariama (sixth, 20:50), Kayleigh Waters (seventh, 20:54) and Savannah Lowrie (eighth, 21:17) gave Leilehua the runner-up finish.