Maui High senior Makoa Lindsey embraces his twin brother Makai and younger brother Noa on Saturday after completing their events at the Island Movers HHSAA Track and Field State Championships. Courtesy photo

KAPALAMA — For two years, the pole vault state championship slipped through Allie Kennedy’s fingertips — once by inches and once by a single missed attempt.

On Saturday at the Island Movers HHSAA Track and Field State Championships, the Kamehameha Maui senior finally stood where she had envisioned herself all along: at the top of the podium.

“Winning states was something I had been chasing ever since my sophomore year. After coming so close that year, winning became my number one goal,” said Kennedy. “I set clear goals, made sacrifices, and stayed committed every single day to give myself another opportunity to stand on top of the podium.”

One of only two state gold medalists from the Maui Interscholastic League at the meet, Kennedy cleared 11 feet, 7 inches to beat defending champion Kaya-Alani Smith of Punahou.

But winning the state championship at Kamehameha Schools Kapalama on Oahu meant more than just a title.

“Above all, I would not be the competitor or person I am today without Jesus and the support of my mentors, coaches, teammates, family and the Maui community throughout this journey,” the three-time MIL champion said. “It is a huge honor to represent Maui and the people who helped shape me into the state champion I am today.”

Kamehameha Maui’s Allie Kennedy smiles while holding her gold medal from the pole vault and fifth-place medal from the girls 4×100 relay at the Island Movers HHSAA Track and Field State Championships on Saturday. Courtesy photo

The other state champion reigning from the Valley Isle was Baldwin senior Evan Manarpaac, who won the boys triple jump late Saturday night.

Manarpaac and senior teammate Caleb Koko have led the jumps throughout the MIL season. The state finals were no different as they earned top marks of 46 feet, ¾ inches and 45 feet, 4.25 inches, respectively, to finish first and second place to cap off their careers. Bears sophomore Ryan Coppa was fourth.

The trio helped Baldwin finish runner-up in the boys team standings with 54 points. Moanalua won the overall team title with 87 points. Mililani was third (46.5). In the girls competition, Mid-Pacific and Punahou tied with 62 points to become co-state champions.

The Baldwin boys track and field team celebrates after earning the state runner-up trophy. Courtesy photo

Baldwin’s team success was also fueled by Koko’s silver-medal performance in the high jump at 6 feet, 1 inch and his fifth-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles. Manarpaac added a fourth-place finish in the long jump.

The Bears also picked up two additional medals from Malakai Vave and Cooper Watkins, who placed third in the discus (152 feet, 4 inches) and 200-meter dash (22.59 seconds), respectively. Kahekili Bascar Adams and Jude Smith added top-eight finishes in the 300 hurdles to contribute team points.

Friday’s preliminary competitions were canceled due to lightning and thunder protocols, turning the meet into a timed-finals format that stretched the schedule into Saturday. Typically, the state meet spans two days, with preliminaries narrowing fields for the finals.

By Saturday, athletes endured hot, muggy and windy conditions.

Melia Kubinski of King Kekaulike said the changes were “definitely a mind-game.”

“I was so prepared to run (Friday). I was visualizing all my races,” said Kubinski, who became the runner-up medalist of the girls 300 hurdles with a time of 46.25 seconds in the finals.

“It feels good, like all the hard work I put in paid off,” the junior added. “The competition is definitely different here, so it’s fun running with other people and bringing home a medal to Maui is really good. I’m really proud of myself. I’m really proud of my team.”

Despite the delays and weather conditions, Campbell’s Sadie Krueger and Seabury’s Freya Carlsen delivered a record-breaking performance in the girls 800 meters.

The pair pushed each other from start to finish, crossing in 2:10.38 and 2:11.74, respectively. Krueger’s time broke her own state meet record of 2:12.21 set last season.

“There’s something bitter-sweet about — I was talking to my coach about this — about running the second-fastest time in Hawaii state history and finishing second, but I couldn’t be prouder of all of the work that all of the girls put into the 800 this year,” said Carlsen. “It makes me so proud to compete against them and compete in a sport like this, so I am walking away from this happy and proud, and a little bit sad I’m graduating, but I couldn’t be happier about how it all ended up playing out.”

Seabury Hall’s Freya Carlsen, the state runner-up of the 800-meter run, stands atop the podium. Courtesy photo

Carlsen also anchored the Spartans’ 4×800 relay, which finished sixth earlier in the day.

Another notable highlight came from Makoa Lindsey, who ran a 49.94 in the 400. The mark was the fourth-fastest time at the state meet, a new Maui High record and a top MIL performance in the event since 2014, when Daniel Pietsch ran a 48.85 at states.

“It means a lot to me,” Lindsey said. “It was a goal of mine all year long, and achieving that goal proves that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to.”

King Kekaulike’s Ahari Gonzalez was close behind Lindsey at 50.14 seconds.

The timed finals format “changed the outcome of my 400 for the better,” Lindsey said Monday.

“My mentality went from ‘trying to qualify’ to ‘I’m already qualified,’ so I was less worried about not performing,” he said.

The Sabers senior was also part of the seventh-place boys 4×100 relay team, which included Noah Shepard, Jonah Cariaga and Caden Orikasa.

Now a graduate preparing for service in the Hawaii Army National Guard and later studying at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Lindsey said he will miss the community most.

“I’ve become really close with all my teams, and it’s always hard to leave what you love,” he said.

Carlsen will attend the University of Washington while Kennedy will continue her career at Bryant University, where she will compete on the Division I track and field team.

“The bonds and connections you share with all these amazing athletes is what I’ll miss the most,” Carlsen said.

Other MIL podium finishes at the state championship included Maui High senior Cariaga, who placed second in the boys 200, fourth in the boys 100, and eighth in the long jump.

Khloe Bicoy earned fourth in the girls discus for Molokai.

In the pole vault, St. Anthony’s Liliana Duarte won bronze in the girls division, while Kamehameha Maui’s Bruce Beltran and Duke Beltran finished runner-up and sixth in the boys division.

The Na Ali’i girls placed eighth in the 4×100 relay, while the boys 4×400 relay team finished seventh. Isabel Best earned silver in the girls high jump.

Full results are available at Athletic.net.