Waipahu Among Top Teams West Championship Race
By Jack Danilewicz
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS | Share
Del.icio.us
|
Waipahu head boys track and field coach Erik Tamura has never found it hard to deal with results. If anything, he’s the calmest member of the Marauders’operation the day of a meet.
“Races are won at practice and not at the meet,” Tamura said. “(Race-day) is when everything you worked for shows itself. I want our kids to compete, and compete hard,and leave their hearts out there and let the winning take care of itself. If they get beat, credit (goes) to the other guy.”
As the Marauders look ahead to this weekend’s Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Conference championships, they figure to be among the more interesting teams to track, if not considered one of the favorites. That was all but assured at the Sakamoto Invitational at Kaiser recently, where Waipahu won the eight-team event in impressive fashion, tallying a total of 110.2 to easily outlast the second-place Cougars (88.3). Also competing in the event were Kailua, Roosevelt, Anuenue, Kalaheo, Kaimuki and McKinley.
“It was nice to see, because we thought the goal (of winning the Sakamoto Invitational) was reachable,” Tamura said. “Anytime you beat Kaiser, it’s an accomplishment. The future looks good,and the present is not so bad either.We just have to keep improving.”
Veterans Gordon Cox and Harrison Miguel should aid the Marauders’cause greatly this weekend. Both rate as two of the state’s better individual performers, having each qualified for the Island Movers’ 2007 state track and field championships last spring.
A senior, Cox won the pole vault and both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles at the Sakamoto Invitational. He also competed on the Marauders’ 4-by-100 and 4-by-400 relay teams, both of which finished first.“He has a lot of guts,“Tamura said of Cox, who was a state qualifier in four events last year as a junior.“He digs deep. When you need him to step up, you can count on him to perform.”
Miguel is only a junior, but is coming off a stellar sophomore season that saw him qualify for the state meet in the 400- and 800-meter dash in addition to competing on the Marauders’4-by-4 relay team.At the Sakamoto Invitational, he captured the 800 in 210.2 to edge Kaiser’s Craig Kandler (210.5). He finished second to Alex Fowler of Roosevelt (52.8) in the 400, logging a time of 53.0.
“He’s an example of what hard work can do,“Tamura said.“He was a kid we hoped would develop, and he became one of our top runners. He’s one of our hardest working kids. He’s very driven and passion- ate about his events.”
Tamura also praised junior distance runner Elmer Arceo, whom he called “another of our quiet leaders.”
“He’s another one with a good work ethic, and he tries to bring the younger kids along,” Tamura added.“If he can’t make it to practice because he has to work, he’ll find a way to run on his own.”
Although the Marauders have just 12 on their varsity roster, a strong supporting cast surrounds Harrison and Cox, according to their coach.“We have a lot of other kids who don’t stand out like those two, but they’re key members on our team. All of our (discus and shot put) throwers are in their first year, and they’re all doing good for first-year players.”
At the junior varsity level, Waipahu has nearly 40 kids in the fold, highlighted by freshman Victor Moanana.“We’re looking at him to take Gordon’s place next year,“Tamura said.“He’s probably one of our more developed kids.”
Following the West championships, which will run Thursday through Saturday at Mililani High School, Tamura and Waipahu will turn their attention to the OIA Championship Trials, which are set for May 1-3. The Island Movers 2008 State Track and Field Championships will take place May 16-18 at Mililani.
“The biggest key for us is to stay focused and stay driven and keep an eye on the prize,” Tamura said. “We have the talent to be a top-five-caliber team.”
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS
Most Recent Comment(s):
