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Spartans win 11th straight league crown

Veronica Winham of Seabury Hall heads to a first-place finish in Saturday’s Maui Interscholastic League championship at Kahului Community Center. The Maui News / BRAD SHERMAN photo

KAHULUI — Veronica Winham and Seabury Hall left little doubt they were taking the Maui Interscholastic League girls cross country titles Saturday at Kahului Community Center.

Baldwin’s Kai Sears waited until the last possible moment to win his boys championship.

Winham finished in 19 minutes, 48 seconds to lead a sweep of the top four spots for the Spartans, who won the team crown for an 11th straight year and completed a sweep of the nine meets they entered this season.

“We just want to keep it going for all the future runners,” said Winham, who gave Seabury the individual champion for the seventh time in the last eight years.

Sears used his final stride to pass Dylan Vega for a winning time of 18:11. Vega was listed as finishing one second back, helping Maui High take a third consecutive team title.

Baldwin’s Kai Sears gets past Maui High’s Dylan Vega just before crossing the finish line. The Maui News / BRAD SHERMAN photo

“I just go all out until I get to the line,” Sears said.

Winham led from the start in a race that included a brief shower.

“Personally, I love running in the rain instead of the heat,” said Winham, who won five league races this year.

Ava Shipman, last year’s champion, was the runner-up in 20:11.

“It’s not just about winning for us,” Shipman said. “It’s about hard work and team spirit and good sportsmanship.”

Erika Preseault (20:48), Darby Mulligan (20:58) and Nanea Haynes (sixth in 21:18) gave Seabury 16 points.

“Even our warmdown, our warmup, everybody runs in a pack and it’s got that really cross country running feel,” said Spartans coach Bobby Grossman, whose team has won all four of the Division II state championships, and seems likely to contend for the top overall score next week on the Big Island — Seabury has two team wins this year over Punahou, winner of the last four Division I state titles, and 10 of the last 11.

Maui High took this year’s MIL D-I team title, and was second overall, with 45 points.

In the boys race, Sears rounded the fence that marked the start of the closing straightaway about 10 feet behind Vega.

“I didn’t think I was going to do it,” said Sears, whose only other MIL win this year was in September. “I got past the fence, and I thought I’d try it, and I guess I did it.”

The Sabers scored 28 points. Baldwin was second with 65.

Maui High’s Deion Giron (18:50) placed third, one spot ahead of Rev Chu-Decoite (18:55). Kawika Fernandez was sixth in 19:07, and Adam Hakola finished 13th in 19:29.

Maui High has five team wins this year.

“We worked really hard in a pretty tough season,” Vega said. “The hard work paid off.”

Baldwin’s Tyler Cooper, who took first place in three races this season, finished 12th in 19:25. King Kekaulike’s Eden Mackinnon, last year’s league champion, was 20th in 19:54.

The D-II team title went to Molokai, which finished fourth overall with 132 points — Jake Samaniego was the Farmers’ top finisher, placing fifth in 19:00.

* Brad Sherman is at sports@mauinews.com

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MIL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saturday’s Results

At Kahului Community Center

Boys

Team scores–1. Maui High 28, 2. Baldwin 65, 3. King Kekaulike 95, 4. Molokai 132, 5. Seabury Hall 133, 6. Lanai 133, 7. Kihei Charter 158, 8. Kamehameha Maui 195, 9. Lahainaluna 228.

Individual results–1. Kai Sears, Baldwin, 18:11; 2. Dylan Vega, Maui High, 18:12; 3. Deion Giron, Maui High, 18:50; 4. Rev Chu-Decoite, Maui High, 18:55; 5. Jake Samaniego, Molokai, 19:00; 6. Kawika Fernandez, Maui High, 19:07; 7. Demytri Dameg, Lanai, 19:14; 8. Kanai O’Connor, King Kekaulike, 19:15; 9. Forest Blessum, Kihei Charter, 19:17; 10. Makoa Martin, Seabury Hall, 19:19; 11. Conan Gentil, Seabury Hall, 19:21; 12. Tyler Cooper, Baldwin, 19:25; 13. Adam Hakola, Maui High, 19:29; 14. Hunter Matschke, Baldwin, 19:44; 15. Tristan Andre, St. Anthony, 19:47; 16. Rockwell Adolpho, Molokai, 19:48; 17. Alex Barrera, Maui High, 19:50; 18. Shaye Thorupe, Maui High, 19:51; 19. Cy Tamanaha, Baldwin, 19:53; 20. Eden Mackinnon, King Kekaulike, 19:54; 21. Deven Bio, Baldwin, 19:56; 22. Nicholas Stevenson, King Kekaulike, 19:57; 23. Kolbe Fontanilla, Baldwin, 19:59; 24. Alexander Fahland, King Kekaulike, 20:00; 25. Griffin Hardy, King Kekaulike, 20:01; 26. Andrew Amaral, Kamehameha Maui, 20:05; 27. Cy Ornellas, Kamehameha Maui, 20:08; 28. Blake Tan, Lanai, 20:18; 29. Gian Santiensanio, Kihei Charter, 20:26; 30. Jake Ballesteros, Lanai, 20:30; 31. Caleb Soo Hoo, Baldwin, 20:33; 32. Foster Rabaca, Lanai, 20:34; 33. Karter Kester, Molokai, 20:58; 34. Zillah Lafey, Lahainaluna, 21:04; 35. Daniel Graziano, Seabury Hall, 21:08; 36. Kailiahi Jorg, Kihei Charter, 21:19; 37. Diego Dupont, Molokai, 21:27; 38. Gideon Aiwohi, Kamehameha Maui, 21:35; 39. Sam Frampton, Seabury Hall, 21:38; 40. Brandon Chun, Lanai, 21:39; 41. Mohalu Aikala, Seabury Hall, 21:40; 42. Max Mochizuki, Kihei Charter, 21:41; 43. Max Abraham, Hana, 21:43; 44. Jesus Alvarez, Lahainaluna, 21:45; 45. Max Schettewi, Seabury Hall, 21:59; 46. Nainoa Kahale, Molokai, 22:01; 47. Elisha Cullins, Kihei Charter, 22:03; 48. Desmond Ige, Lanai, 22:04; 49. Ian Tsang, Seabury Hall, 22:07; 50. Joey Musto, King Kekaulike, 22:16; 51. Robert Mawae, Molokai, 22:17; 52. Owen Pendergast, Lahainaluna, 22:19; 53. Roberto Cardenas Santiago, Lahainaluna, 22:20; 54. Reymart Galano, Lahainaluna, 22:42; 55. Brody Yamada, Kamehameha Maui, 22:51; 56. Makaio Lorenzo, Kamehameha Maui, 23:41; 57. John Williamson, Kamehameha Maui, 22:55; 58. Erik Svetin, Molokai, 24:01; 59. Jalen Coloma, St. Anthony, 24:20; 60. Jeremy Rivera, King Kekaulike, 24:39; 61. Josh Kepler, Kihei Charter, 24:45; 62. Hunter Otani, St. Anthony, 25:14; 63. Ramon Cedilla, Lahainaluna, 25:22; 64. Cole Rosenthal, Kihei Charter, 26:56; 65. Joshua Kailiehu, Kamehameha Maui, 27:57; 66. Yosef Moeai, Hana, 31:57.

Girls

Team scores–1. Seabury Hall 16, 2. Maui High 45, 3. King Kekaulike 91, 4. Baldwin 125, 5. Kamehameha Maui 150, 6. Lanai 151, 7. Molokai 174.

Individual results–1. Veronica Winham, Seabury Hall, 19:48; 2. Ava Shipman, Seabury Hall, 20:11; 3. Erika Preseault, Seabury Hall, 20:48; 4. Darby Mulligan, Seabury Hall, 20:58; 5. Emily Craig, Maui High, 21:11; 6. Nanea Haynes, Seabury Hall, 21:18; 7. Chloe Gangnath, Seabury Hall, 21:21; 8. Briana Yamamoto, Maui High, 21:25; 9. Jules Giron, Maui High, 21:58; 10. Kristi Echiverri, Maui High, 22:08; 11. Kallalei Ryden, Seabury Hall, 22:37; 12. Kalea Acevedo, Lahainaluna, 22:48; 13. Isabella Talavs, King Kekaulike, 23:57; 14. Elan Estomom, Maui High, 24:01; 15. Heidi Mahan, Maui Prep, 24:11; 16. Sara Salaparuta, Kihei Charter, 24:23; 17. Savanna Valdez, King Kekaulike, 24:30; 18. Lyti Akinaka, King Kekaulike, 24:35; 19. Emma De Brum, Lanai, 24:48; 20. Kassie Inoyue, Baldwin, 24:53; 21. Alex Teoh, Baldwin, 25:02; 22. Micah Manuel, Lanai, 25:03; 23. Lily Gavagan, Kamehameha Maui, 25:06; 24. Cassidy Matsuda, Maui High, 25:08; 25. Alexa Narayan, Maui Prep, 25:13; 26. Nicole Daniels, Maui High, 25:18; 27. Kahopewai Mateaki, Kamehameha Maui, 25:28; 28. Zoe Bailey, King Kekaulike, 25:34; 29. Cameryn Kahalewai, Molokai, 25:35; 30. Mia Daly, King Kekaulike, 26:01; 31. Nyasia Martinez, King Kekaulike, 26:10; 32. Naomi Takakura, Baldwin, 26:33; 33. Deja Nakamura, Baldwin, 27:05; 34. Keeya Bicoy, Molokai, 27:39; 35. Jasmine Conroy-Humphrey, Lanai, 27:41; 36. Keely Logan, Kamehameha Maui, 27:54; 37. Mindy Kimura, Baldwin, 28:04; 38. Kelsey Bicoy-Juario, Molokai, 28:05; 39. Grace Maeda, King Kekaulike, 28:22; 40. Kahiau Faith Bonacorsi, Kamehameha Maui, 28:29; 41. Layce Yamauchi, Baldwin, 28:39; 42. Camille Kimoto, Baldwin, 29:19; 43. Kennedy Kainoa Tamashiro, Kamehameha Maui, 30:04; 44. Kaytlin Naeole, Molokai, 30:14; 45. Koko Casey, Kamehameha Maui, 31:18; 46. Janine Manuel, Lanai, 31:47; 47. Keona Conroy-Humphrey, Lanai, 32:12; 48. Adriana Sanchez, Lanai, 32:15; 49. Kayla De Rouin, Molokai, 32:54.

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