Martinez to compete at nationals

If it seems possible that Margarito Martinez trains like a national champion, that's only because it's one of his goals.

The Leilehua junior won the boys title at the Honolulu Marathon/HHSAA Cross Country Championships in Lihue on Saturday. His time of 15 minutes, 50 seconds was more than 28 seconds better than runner-up Pierce Murphy of tiny Island School, also in Lihue.

Martinez and Murphy are among the runners set to compete at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif., on Dec. 5. Martinez finished fifth in the sophomore-seeded race last year and will compete in the senior-seeded contest this time.

“;He ran really well (at the state meet). He ran strong,”; coach Shawn Nakata said. “;He posted a time I knew he would.”;

Postseason tourney

Oahu seniors, one from each public and private school, will be represented at the Second Annual OC 16 Volleyball Invitational, Nov. 12-13, at McKinley Student Council Gym.

The exhibition tourney has four teams. Co-coaches are Sonja Samsonas (St. Francis) and Uila Fotu Vendiola (Kahuku) for the North; Lee Lamb (Maryknoll) and Val Crabbe (Mililani) for the South; Derwin Tsutsui (Sacred Hearts) and Donovan Martinez (Kaimuki) for the East; and Jason Popejoy (Le Jardin) and Ernest Noborikawa (Kaiser) for the West.