State runners take on Maui golf course

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Course management is important for any golfer, and it can be just as important for a cross country runner scurrying across a golf course.

YASUDA

FERGUSON

Course knowledge could come into play again tomorrow at Maui Lani, when the Honolulu Marathon/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association championships are held at 9 a.m. (boys) and 9:45 a.m. (girls).

"Normally they let the kids walk the course the day before, but we can't do that this year," said Iolani girls coach Greg Char. "It's a real disadvantage, because it's a very tough course with varied terrain. There's a lot of challenges, some tricky areas and a lot of hills. The times are not gonna be fast."

But Baldwin coach Fred Losano, who guides the Bears' boys and girls teams, said Maui Lani should make for good competition.

The intriguing venue seems fitting for an intriguing field.

Ferguson finished second in the 2001 state meet on Kaua'i but spent last year in Santa Barbara, Calif. Iolani junior Nicole Anderson is the defending champion, but lost last Saturday's Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship by 1.84 seconds to Hawai'i Baptist's Lauren Ho.

And then there is Moanalua junior Emily King, a transfer from North Carolina who won the OIA meet by 40 seconds but did not compete in any of the other big meets against runners from other leagues.

"She's the mystery girl," Char said.

Team-wise, things could get mysterious, too, Char said. His Raiders are the two-time defending champions and won the ILH last week.

"But Kamehameha did not have their best day," Char said. "And you can't rule out Baldwin, because they have four girls who are within 10 seconds of each other. Their front two can run with girls in our league — they finished fifth and sixth at the Punahou (Invitational). We're very wary of them."

Char said Kamehameha defeated Iolani two weeks ago.

"I doped this meet using their times from that day, and it puts them within five points of winning," Char said. "That's how close it's going to be."

In the boys race, Baldwin's Kainoa Guerin could use course knowledge to help put himself over the top. Guerin, who won the Punahou Invitational, won the MIL meet last Saturday despite coming off a cold.

"He was sick the week before, but he feels well now," Losano said. "He knows the other runners pretty well and knows what to do. If he sticks to his game plan, he should be all right."

ILH champion Jon Yasuda of Iolani and OIA champion Ryan Shell of Radford could be Guerin's biggest challengers. Yasuda won his meet by 12 seconds, Shell by 34.

Team-wise, Iolani won its first-ever ILH title by taking five of the top eight places. Losano also expects Kamehameha and Punahou to finish strong.

"We hope to break in somehow," Losano said. "We took third at Punahou, so we have a lot of seasoned runners. But I try not to worry too much about the times. We'll just go out there and have fun."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.