Freshman Zhane Santiago won three events at Saturday's O'ahu Interscholastic Association track and field championships to help Kahuku win its first team title.

Santiago won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.63 seconds, 300 hurdles in 47.46 seconds and the triple jump with 35 feet, 7 inches. She also finished second in the long jump and was a member of the second-place 4x100 relay team.

Two weeks earlier, she helped the Red Raiders win the league's junior varsity team championship.

"It feels good we won," Santiago said after Saturday's meet. "We won OIA JV championships and that was good. To take this was a big accomplishment."

Kahuku coach Garth Spurrier said Santiago, who doesn't look that fast, has opened a lot of eyes.

"She's coachable, quiet. She could be considered a star since she's the league champion in three events, but she's very humble, doesn't allude to anything like she's better," Spurrier said. "She's happy to be a part of the varsity team, works well with the other girls. She's a big asset to the girls team."

An athletic background and a strong support system from family, friends and coaches have helped her. Her father, Keala, is Kahuku's hurdling and sprint coach.

"She was brought up and taught when you work hard, it will pay off," Spurrier said.

Santiago said competing "shows pride for our school."

While Kahuku has had strong track and field athletes in the past, like current U.S. soccer national team member Natasha Kai and her sister, Krisha, there wasn't a supporting cast to help the Red Raiders pull through. This year has been much different with throwers, jumpers and runners scoring big points for the team, and Spurrier credited his coaching staff for making that possible.

"They are more responsible than I am for what has happened," Spurrier said. "They work directly with the athletes. Our assistants, they are the power behind our team."

One-hundredth of a difference: Kaiser senior Dawson Vorderbruegge had to convince his coach to run just one event at the OIA championships.

He went on to break the 3,000-meter record and become the first runner in state history to record a sub-9-minute time.

Vorderbruegge, who withdrew from the 1,500, finished in 8:59.99, well ahead of the previous mark of 9:27.88.

"I was hoping he'd get a low 9 and when I yelled at him to keep going, he kept putting it on," Kaiser coach Dennis Swart said yesterday. "On the last straightaway with 100 meters left, then I thought that he had a chance to break 9 minutes."

Former Punahou runner Todd Iacovelli, who holds the state championship mark of 9:01.80 from 2002, said yesterday there has never been a runner in the state go under 9 minutes. However, Iacovelli did run a 8:33 in the 3,000 at a meet held in California while he was at Punahou. The 3,000 became a track event in 1999, replacing the 3,200.

"It was very encouraging to see that kind of performance," Iacovelli said.

Leilehua's Paul Williams, who set the OIA 1,500 record earlier in the meet, was second in the 3,000 in 9:17.06.

"Paul, he was there to push the early going," Swart said. "You don't do it by yourself. Someone has to be there with you. You can't run that easily without that somebody that's helping along in that area."