For someone who has yet to win a state title, Kaeo Kruse already has been labeled as one of the top runners Kamehameha has ever produced.

That’s quite a distinction coming from Kamehameha coach Steve Jenness, who has coached six boys state cross country champions. Of Kamehameha’s 14 state team titles, 12 were won under Jenness.

Kruse, runner-up at last year’s state meet, has the resume to support his coach’s claim. He’s an experienced runner who knows how to manage race situations. He embodies the speed for long distances, and set the meet record in the 3,000-meter run at May’s state track championships. His swimming background and attention to nutrition also keep him in great shape.

"I’ve been doing this a long time and he’s one of the better ones we’ve had," Jenness said. "I’ve had a handful of really good runners in the 30 years I’ve been doing this. He’s right there. He’s keeping me going."

Kruse exhibited his racing traits at last week’s ‘Iolani Invitational. He chased down the race leaders in the last quarter-mile of the 3-mile race. Kruse passed Mason Coppi of Dana Hills (Calif.) in the final loop and nearly caught up to Andrew Burkhardt of JSerra Catholic (Calif.) in a sprint to the finish line.

Burkhardt won in 14:40.43 and Kruse finished in 14:41.11. After the race, Kruse thought he could’ve started his kick a little earlier. His coach commended his effort to catch the frontrunners.

"He’s a little deceptive as a runner," Jenness said. "A lot of people don’t think he’s as speedy as he is, and he has a good amount speed. He’s a very hard worker. He’s a very focused individual, a smart kid and smart racer. You saw today, he got beat, but the way he picked through that, he almost caught the guy. He’s tough, works really hard every day and does everything we throw at him."

Davis Kaahanui was the Warriors’ top runner and attracted most of the attention last year. So when Kruse finished a few seconds behind Kaahanui at the ILH and state championships, it may have caught some folks by surprise. For Kamehameha coaches, it’s something they knew all along.

"He never surprised us," Jenness said. "He almost beat (Kaahanui) at ILH by a step and everybody was ‘Where did that come from?’ He’s that good, he runs right with him."

Kaahanui finished his Kamehameha career with back-to-back state individual and team titles. Kruse said the two had a great relationship.

"He pushed me in practice, gave me good advice — it was a good camaraderie," Kruse said. "It worked out great. It was a great partnership."

With all of Kruse’s accomplishments last year as a sophomore, he won’t surprise anyone this season. After runner-up finishes at the ILH and state cross country championships, he placed fifth in the 500-yard freestyle and swam on the second-place 400 freestyle relay team at the state swimming championships. Kamehameha finished second in the team standings.

In track, he broke the meet record in the 3,000 run with his time of 8:43.12, helping the Warriors win their first team title in nine years. Pierce Murphy of Island School held the former record of 8:52.44. Both Murphy and Kruse are from Kauai and the two chatted over the summer. Murphy helped Colorado win last year’s NCAA men’s cross country title.

"I feel like I’m stronger, more experienced," Kruse said of this season.

Jenness also cited Kruse’s strength as an area of improvement.

"He’s improved a lot, he’s a lot stronger than a year ago," Jenness said. "The swimming, he keeps himself in good all-around shape. He has a good diet, he tells me what to eat, I should eat that, I shouldn’t eat this. He’s nutrition-minded."

Kruse said his affinity for nutrition comes from his mother, a personal trainer and former triathlete (his father is also a runner). As a Kamehameha boarding student, Kruse watches what he eats and tries to incorporate fruits, vegetables and salads into his diet. Going into his fifth year living away from home, Kruse said boarding prepares him for college. He wants to continue running at Stanford or Colorado and study exercise physiology.

"It’s good because I have more time at school," Kruse said. "I have more time to do my homework, I don’t have to drive from school to my house, and it’s good to get close to the guys at school and grow up and support each other. It gets me ready for college, being away and being independent, which has really helped me."

There’s more that Kruse wants to accomplish. His eyes are set on breaking the 3,000 time of 8:33 held by former Punahou state champion Todd Iacovelli (time was set in a non-state championship meet). He wants to help Kamehameha win another team title and to win a state individual title. He also wants to race on the mainland, where competition is stiffer. Kruse has shared some of his goals with Jenness. Last spring, they worked on breaking the state meet record in the 3,000.

"He’s very goal-oriented," Jenness said. "He’s letting me know I want to do this and I’m just going to try to help him."

Added Kruse: "I can’t do any of this without my teammates and my awesome coaches. Makai Clemons (of Kalaheo) always pushes me super hard and (teammate) Kainalu Ah Sam pushes me. Just thanks to them, I can’t do it without them."