Sure, winning by a landslide was great for the Punahou girls track and field team yesterday at the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championships at Kamehameha.

Sprinkle in a couple of ILH records—in the pole vault and the 4x100 relay—heck, even better. The Buffanblu won in convincing fashion with a score of 218, nearly double closest opponent Kamehameha at 112. 'Iolani was third at 81.

But Punahou won't be satisfied unless it can pull off a repeat performance at next week's HHSAA state championships, also at Kamehameha.

The same goes for the Kamehameha boys team, which posted a score of 182 over Punahou's 119. Saint Louis, the defending boys' state champion, finished third at 64.

All day at rainy and blustery Kapalama Heights, clusters of yellow-and-blue jerseys crossed ahead of their opposition.

“;We're just trying to get ready for states and come out here and win ILH again. It was pretty much a tuneup before states,”; said Buffanblu senior sprinter Ashley Satterwhite, who ran anchor for Punahou's record-setting 4x100 team (a 49.81-second mark yesterday to top Kamehameha's 49.86 of last year). She also won the 100- and 200-meter dashes, and was part of the winning 4x400 team.

“;Despite the wind—the wind's pretty ridiculous—our times aren't as good as they normally are, but overall it was positive for us,”; Satterwhite added.

And senior pole vaulter Regan Balmoja earned an improbable record in her event. Despite wearing a back brace and missing practice all week, she topped the record (a 10-foot-6 effort in 2006 by Anna Hildebrand) by an inch with a 10-7 vault.

“;I went for it last year, but I didn't get it,”; Balmoja said. “;This time, I hit the bar. As I landed, I watched it bobble, praying for it to stick up there.”;

It did. It was that kind of day for the Punahou girls; they won nine of the first 12 events yesterday. Sophomore jumping specialist Christine Tsai collected a hat trick of winning leaps in the long, high and triple jumps, despite a sore foot.

“;It's going to be a good morale-builder for the team in general, and especially for Regan—she wasn't feeling her best today. For her to do that under those conditions, it was great,”; Punahou girls coach Duncan MacDonald said. “;I think we're looking pretty good overall. Certainly, you never underestimate a team like Radford, or Mililani (in states). Those are very good teams.”;

Likewise, Kamehameha boys coach Harvey McInerny praised his boys and hopes their performance yesterday translates into a title next week.

“;I'd like to think it gives us some momentum and some belief that on our home field, we can defend it,”; McInerny said. “;We're going to have a lot of people coming in from neighbor islands, and then Radford and Mililani in the OIA look really tough, too. But as long as we can be competitive and be in the hunt, it's going to give us a chance to be there in the end.”;

The Warriors got their usual production in the middle-distance and distance events, but picked up some surprising points in the jumping events, with Wave Ryder winning the long jump at 21-11 3/4 and Keanu Haina taking the triple jump at 43-11.

It was a somber experience for Word of Life's three competing athletes, as it was the final ILH championship event for the Firebrands before their school closes at the end of the year.

“;It's a happy-sad moment,”; said Word of Life athletic director Joe Onosai, who coaches the throwers. “;Sad that it's coming to a close, but at the same time, we've been telling the kids, this is really a new beginning for them. Hopefully the values we've instilled in them, hopefully they'll take wherever they go.”;

Junior thrower Richard Landford placed second in both the discus and the shot put, and will appear at the state meet next week.

“;It means a lot (to represent the school here),”; he said. “;Sad to leave, but just gotta do our best and represent well. I don't want it to end. Ever since (Word of Life) intermediate started, I was one of the first ones, all the way right up until the end.”;