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The power of two

Winham, Shipman lead talented Seabury team seeking overall title

Veronica Winham (first photo) and Ava Shipman (second photo), shown during last week’s Maui Interscholastic League championship meet at Kahului Community Center, have helped Seabury Hall defeat Punahou both times the teams have met this season. The Maui News / BRAD SHERMAN photo

The Seabury Hall girls cross country team could have faced a dilemma, in the form of an ego clash.

That potential challenge, though, has instead proved to be double trouble for everyone else.

With a pair of Maui Interscholastic League champions — junior Veronica Winham and senior Ava Shipman — at the top of a talented roster, the Spartans appear to be in position to make history at the state meet.

Seabury, which has won every Division II state team title since the classification was introduced in 2012, has set its sights on having the best score overall Saturday at Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island.

“That’s definitely our goal,” said Winham, this year’s MIL champion. “It’s amazing to have that, just to be able to be there — just to be able to be up there with the big schools and compete with them on a higher level.”

Veronica Winham (first photo) and Ava Shipman (second photo), shown during last week’s Maui Interscholastic League championship meet at Kahului Community Center, have helped Seabury Hall defeat Punahou both times the teams have met this season. The Maui News / BRAD SHERMAN photo

Winham finished second to Shipman at last year’s league championship. Shipman was this season’s runner-up.

Winham won five MIL races this year, and was Seabury’s top finisher, placing third, in a team win at the Punahou Invitational last month. The Spartans also recorded a victory over the Buffanblu, winners of the last four Division I state titles, on the HPA course in September — Shipman led Seabury that day with a runner-up finish.

“What really makes us successful is that we all want to work hard and we all want to get better — for ourselves but also for the team,” Shipman said.

Seabury coach Bobby Grossman said he and his top two runners “had some talks” before the start of the season about handling their roles.

“It’s been a completely positive experience,” Grossman said.

“This is their third year running together — not only cross country, but track. Pushing each other at practices, that’s why I think they’re two of the top four girls in the state right now, because of that.”

Shipman won the 1,500-meter state title in 2015, and has five other top-six finishes at the state track and field meet. She finished fourth at last year’s state cross country championships, and Winham was 15th.

“I love running with Ava,” Winham said. “She definitely inspires me every practice and every race. We make each other better.”

Seabury’s depth goes beyond its top two.

The Spartans won all seven of this season’s MIL events — including with runners who remained on Maui on the days of the showdowns with the Buffanblu.

At the MIL championships, Seabury had a near-perfect score in claiming its 11th consecutive team title — Erika Preseault was third, Darby Mul-ligan placed fourth and Nanea Haynes finished sixth. Chloe Gangnath took seventh place, and Kallalei Ryden was 11th.

One objective remains — and though this year’s expectations were high from the start, the team seems to be taking them in stride.

“We just kind of had this energy, like, ‘We’re supposed to be here,’ “ Shipman said of the Spartans’ approach to the earlier HPA meet. “I think we definitely have that kind of attitude, and that confidence definitely helps us feel comfortable and kind of be like, ‘Yeah, this is what we do, this is what we’re here for.’ It’s kind of professional.”

* Brad Sherman is at sports@mauinews.com

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