Dignam leads Iolani to first state crown

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

MILILANI — Another spectacular performance by senior Lauran Dignam — five gold medals, including a record in the 200-meter dash — lifted Iolani School to its first state girls track and field championship last night.

Krisha Kai of Kahuku is on her way to winning the 100-meter hurdles in 15.53. She also won the high jump in 5-1. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Dignam also won five gold medals last week to lead the Raiders to their first Interscholastic League of Honolulu crown. Last night, she dazzled an estimated crowd of about 2,500 at Mililani High School by winning the 100, 200 and 400 and anchoring Iolani's winning 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.

Dignam's 200 time of 25.04 seconds broke the previous state meet record of 25.1 (hand-timed) set by Punahou's Heidi Friese in 1981 and tied by Kailua's Lasonya McDonald in 1993. Kaiser's Endia Abrante ran a wind-aided 24.44 in 1998.

Dignam's five gold medals also ties a state meet record most recently accomplished by Mililani's Vera Simms two years ago. Nobody — boys or girls — has ever won more.

"Phenomenal," Raiders coach Earl Hedani said of Dignam's feat. "To break the 200 record after she already ran the 100, 400 and 4x100 relay, that's even more amazing."

Dignam said the 200 record came as a mild surprise.

"I didn't think my times were going to do that," she said.

Iolani's title comes 20 years after Hedani started the school's girls program with seven or eight participants. Dignam was the Raiders' only individual winner last night, but they also had two second-place finishes, three thirds, three fourths and one fifth to amass 64 team points. Punahou (46.5) was second, followed by Baldwin (27), Kahuku (26) and Sacred Hearts (21).

Iacovelli highlighted the boys competition by setting a record in the 3,000 with a time of 9 minutes, 1.8 seconds. That broke the previous mark of 9:05.29 set by Hilo's Josh Villanueva in 1999.

St. Louis’ Jason Rivers, center, powers his way to a first-place finish in the 100-meter dash. Kamehameha’s Tyler Perkins, right, took second and Roosevelt’s Jonathan Nakasone took fifth. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Iacovelli also won the 1,500 with a time of 4:13.44, a bit off the meet record of 4:05.79 he set during Thursday's trials but still at least three seconds better than everyone else.

"I didn't want to be known as the guy who dogged it in the finals," Iacovelli said. "I think I represented myself well tonight."

Especially for someone who started as a sprinter and pole vaulter in the seventh grade.

"I couldn't have dreamed this would happen," said Iacovelli, who will run cross country for the University of Michigan next fall. "I found this talent I was blessed with, and all my hard work has paid off. I'm so proud of our team for winning it, too."

The Buffanblu won the team title with a total of 51 points. Kamehameha (44) was second, followed by Roosevelt and St. Louis (26 each) and St. Anthony (16).

Other standout performances last night:

• Seabury Hall sophomore Tia Ferguson won the 1,500 in 4:44.47 and 3,000 in 10:16.95.

• St. Louis junior Jason Rivers, one of the state's top football and basketball players, won the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Rivers won the 100 with a time of 11.05, edging Kamehameha football and baseball standout Tyler Perkins (11.09). Rivers' previous best in the 100 was 11.08, posted in Thursday's trials.

"I didn't get a good start," Rivers said. "Everybody got out in front of me, and I just chased 'em."

He won the 200 with a time of 22.09.

Rivers ran track as a freshman and sophomore, but said this was his first full season in the sport.

"I would always start, and then lose interest," he said. "I'd have so much adrenaline in basketball, and football season — that speaks for itself."

Rivers is expected to be one of the state's top college football prospects next year, and he said his track performance should only heighten interest from major colleges.

"College coaches always want to see how fast you are," Rivers said.

• Ching, a Punahou senior, won the high jump by clearing 6 feet, 6 inches — a mark believed to be a school record.

While three inches shy of the state-meet record of 6-9 set by Mid-Pacific's Kris Cuaresma-Primm in 1998, Ching's jump was one of the best in the past 20 years. Kaiser's Rhani Peters (1982) once owned the record at 6-8, and Baldwin's Forrest Batson (1998) and Cuaresma-Primm (1999) each jumped 6-7.

"That was my personal record by four inches," Ching said of his 6-6. "My goal was 6-4. I was hoping to win, and when a couple big guys went out early, that opened the door for me."

Ching also won the triple jump with a mark of 45 feet, 7.75 inches.

The 5-foot-10 Ching will play cornerback for Brown University's football team next fall.

• Seabury Hall senior Kyle Ellison capped a spectacular senior year by winning the 800 and finishing second in the 400.

Ellison, who played volleyball and ran cross country in the fall and participated in baseball, tennis and track simultaneously this spring, lost in the state tennis quarterfinals Friday at Wailea. He flew to Honolulu yesterday afternoon, just hours before his track events.

"It might have been a blessing to not play tennis this morning (in the finals)," Ellison said. "I don't think I could have done as well in track if I did play."

Ellison's performance was particularly surprising in the 800, an event in which he was seeded 17th earlier this week. He won with a time of 1 minute, 59.81 seconds.

"I told my friends I was running it just for the experience; I never imagined I could run a sub-2:00," Ellison said. "I keep surprising myself."

In addition to playing five sports this year, he also served as student body president, performed in school plays, ran his own DJ business and spoke at middle schools.

"This is a good ending," Ellison said. "Now, I'll just focus on eating, sleeping and graduating. Especially sleeping — I think that'll be my new hobby."