Runners warming up at Punahou

It’s looking more and more like a golden year for a select few athletes in prep track and field, including several from the ILH. Saturday’s double winners at the windy Ruby Tuesday Invitational on Punahou’s campus were Buffanblu long-distance champion Teri Brady, Saint Louis sprinter Drew Kobayashi and Pearl City sprinter Diamond Briscoe.

Brady, who is just a sophomore, posted a time of 4 minutes, 52.15 seconds to win the 1,500-meter run. Later, she outlasted teammate Noe Obermeyer by nearly six seconds to place first in the 3,000 run, crossing the finish line with a time of 10:38.56.

Kobayashi’s busy season continued with success. After traveling to Southern California and Nevada in recent weeks for football-related events, the 6-foot-2 sophomore took first place on Saturday in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. He won the 100, running into the face of the wind, with a time of 11.29, ahead of teammate Jaisen Sanchez (11.43). Kobayashi took the 200 race in 22.63, edging Kamehameha’s Dylan Kane (22.91).

"It was the windiest meet I’ve been to so far this year," Kobayashi said. "I was trying to get my PR, even against the wind."

Kobayashi’s best 100 time this season was 11.07 two weeks ago at an ILH meet. Since then, It’s been a whirlwind of plane rides, football combines and 7-on-7 tournaments squeezed into his regular schedule.

"Missing practices, it’s affected me, but not really too much," said Kobayashi, who may participate in one more tournament, a 7-on-7 in Redondo Beach, Calif., in mid-April.

Briscoe, a senior, won the girls 400 dash with a time of 57.58 seconds, her best of the season. Her top 400 time in 2013 was 56.26 at the state championships. She captured the 200 dash in 26.06, ahead of Campbell’s Kameron Smith. Briscoe’s top 200 time last season was 25.32.

Kamehameha’s powerful Kekahiliokalani Novikoff had a stellar day despite the trades blowing hard from Manoa Valley. She put the shot 38 feet, 6 inches to win by a margin of more than 2 feet. Her top distance this season was 40-11 two weeks ago at the Ralph Martinson/Henry Lee Invitational. She also had a 39-04 at the first ILH meet in late February.

Novikoff’s best shot put effort last year was 42-10.5 at the state championships after building up to a peak. In 2013, she didn’t reach 39 feet until late March, and she didn’t get beyond 40 until the state meet.

Another remarkable performance came from Punahou pole vaulter Sammy Marumoto, who sailed over the 12-6 mark on Saturday. That equalled her best height from last year’s state championships. Her previous high this season had been 12 feet at an ILH meet in late February.

The boys 3,000 run had a blazing finish as Alex James of Canada edged Kamehameha’s Kaeo Kruse by fewer than 3 seconds. James crossed the finish in 8:53.22. Kruse came in at 8:56.05. He was the state cross country runner-up last fall.

James was the top cross country runner in the CALTAF Athletic Association and 19th overall in the Canadian cross country championships in December.