Leilehua sweeps OIA

The faces in the lineup keep changing, but Leilehua continues winning.

The Mules won their seventh straight Oahu Interscholastic Association cross country team title at Saturday afternoon’s league championships at Waialua High School. Elliot Estrada won the boys 3-mile race in 16 minutes, 9.70 seconds and was one of four Leilehua runners to place in the top 10. A Leilehua runner has won every league title since 2006.

"We’re a (more) balanced team than last year and the year before," said Estrada, a senior. "This team is really good compared to the years before. This year we really tried to get the boys and girls to run closer together, going out together, running together."

The Mules finished with 35 points and Mililani was second with 73. Members of the winning team were Dylan Martinez (fourth, 16:49.13), Christopher Olverson (fifth, 16:55.75), Branden Miya (eighth, 17:07.58), Jordan Castro (18th, 17:37.43), Joshua Castro (32nd, 18:22.18) and Richard Blackburn (50th, 19:00.94).

Leilehua coach Shawn Nakata said the team’s leadership has helped continue the Mules’ run through the OIA.

"The captains are a big part," Nakata said. "They grew up with the team; they know how things are run, so they just keep it going, especially the seniors now. They run closer than ever before. This year we really tried to get the boys and girls to run closer together, going out together and running as a team."

Estrada was hoping to go under 16 minutes, but said a nagging hamstring problem prevented him from doing so. He hopes to break 16 at Saturday’s state championships on Maui. He also hopes the Mules can take the team title.

"I want to hit a 15, doesn’t matter if it’s a high 15," Estrada said. "We definitely want to get first. Our main competition is Kamehameha because they won last year. We’re just going to try our best."

Leilehua last won state titles in 2007 and 2008, while Kamehameha has won the last two. A Leilehua runner has won the state meet since 2006.

In the girls race, Leilehua won its first team title since back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2007. Leilehua’s Katelyn LaCamera (20:15.83) and Brooklin Jensen (20:23.47) finished first and second in the 3-mile race as the Mules placed four runners in the top 10 to finish with 34 points. Radford was second with 76.

"We just run together to push each other; that way we can do our best," said LaCamera, a junior. "I’m just proud of our team. It’s like a second family."

Jensen described LaCamera as an amazing runner and her inspiration.

"It felt so good to have my friend right there with me, to feel her support with me," Jensen said. "It’s really nice to get to know that they’re there for you."

Members of the winning team were Rhiannon Cleveland (fifth, 20:58.04), Celina Eklund (10th, 21:32.58), Michaela Ross (16th, 21:59.60), Mary Eccles (19th, 22:14.30) and Tiffany Abear (66th, 25:47.00).

"We’re just really close, we all run with heart, we care about each other," Jensen said. "We’re not running for ourselves, we’re running for our team."

The top 50 boys and 51 girls qualified for the state championships at the Kapalua Village Golf Course on Maui.