Zhane Santiago and Kuuipo Nakoa both realized something special had just happened.

After an epic series of duels across four leaping events in the Island Movers/HHSAA track and field championships yesterday, the Kahuku junior and Hawaii Prep Academy senior cried on opposite ends of the Kunuiakea Stadium field. They both knew what competing against the other had brought out of them, and weren't quite sure how to express it to the other.

Meanwhile, the Punahou girls extended their track and field dynasty. The Buffanblu collected 95 points to win their sixth title in the last seven years and 32nd overall. Radford was the runner-up with 63, while Kahuku posted 50 for third.

But most of the girls drama centered on their duel. Santiago started off the day strong with victories in the long jump (at 17 feet, 11 1/2 inches), and 100-meter hurdles (14.71 seconds, breaking the previous mark of 14.85 by Vera Simms in 2000).

Nakoa answered with victories in the 300 hurdles (44.99) and triple jump (edging Santiago by half an inch at 36-8 1/4 to 36-7 3/4) to end the day with a flourish.

Both events Santiago won, Nakoa was the runner-up, and vice-versa. The two trained together on occasion this season at Roosevelt as Nakoa added hurdles to her jumping arsenal, which built their bond.

“;I'm emotional. ... I love her. I wish her the best,”; said Nakoa, who is bound for Wyoming in the fall to compete as a heptathlete. “;What I absolutely love about her is she's an amazing athlete, but she's humble about it.

“;We worked off of each other. It pushed both of us. I wish there were a way to tell her this, so she knows. I'm sure she feels the same way.”;

Santiago does. She teared up when talking about their head-to-head competitions.

“;It was good winning against her, because she's always there no matter what,”; said Santiago, who became the 13th girls athlete since 1990 to win an event three straight years by taking the 100 hurdles. “;When she's jumping with me, I try my best to be good. She's motivation.”;

Punahou's Ashley Satterwhite used her own motivation to finish her prep career strong with her personal goal: take the 100- and 200-meter dashes in her final year. She defended her 100 title in 12.52 and claimed the 200 in 25.25 after an injury prevented it last year. She was the flashpoint of the Punahou team win after Radford hung close early.

“;I was so focused today. I said 'I'm not going to let anybody beat me,'”; Satterwhite said. “;I wasn't going to go out with a silver.”;

The Buffanblu were solid in all expected areas—closing out the day with a record-setting win in the 4x400 (4:00.08, breaking the 1999 mark of 4:00.51)—to follow victories by Kyleigh Mann in the 1,500 run (4:58.59) and Lahaina Zoller in the 400 (58.37). Punahou had solid placements in the shot put and pole vault, too.

“;Everybody did exactly what they were capable of,”; Punahou coach Duncan Macdonald said. “;We didn't have any real setbacks along the way.”;

Seabury Hall senior Hailey Grossman took the 3,000 for the third time in four years with a 10:43.32.

There was a scary moment late in the meet when a Kamehameha-Maui's Makana Pundyke collapsed with an asthma attack after running her leg of the 4x400. She was down for about 30 minutes, but was conscious when an ambulance took her to a hospital.

NOTEBOOK

Mikaele upset in discus

Kamehameha-Hawaii senior Kaopuanani Sutton unseated two-time defending girls discus champion Vaioleti Mikaele of Kaimuki with a personal-record throw of 134 feet, 4 inches in Friday's trials, a mark that stood up yesterday.

Mikaele, a senior bound for Charleston Southern, had a valiant final toss yesterday, falling just short at 132-2.

Radford girls collect record

In Friday's trials, Radford got the girls 4x100 meet record. Yesterday, the Rams did it again—and so much more.

The Rams set the record, this time at 48.35 seconds, to edge rival Punahou (48.41), which nearly came back to win it, thanks to a furious charge by UH-bound Ashley Satterwhite on the final leg.

Radford, the defending state 4x100 champion, got the satisfaction of beating the Buffanblu at their best this time. Last year, Satterwhite got hurt down the stretch.

Felix rides the wind

Some inclement weather played right into Kristine Felix's hands.

The Baldwin sophomore shattered the state meet girls pole vault record with a mark of 11 feet, 8 inches in wet and windy conditions.

“;I am so excited. I just gotta work on my technique and I can get higher,”; said Felix, who finished sixth as a freshman. “;It was very wet. I slipped a couple of times, but it was all right. We got practice in Maui with really bad weather, so it kind of got me ready.”;

Edward Jackson and the Star-Bulletin's Brian McInnis contributed to this report.