To win its first state title in nine years, Kamehameha had to slow it down.

Rather than running every day, the Warriors were told to take a break, sit out, and to believe the coaching staff’s strategy was going to pay off in the end.

At Saturday’s Island Movers/HHSAA Track and Field Championships on their home track, the Warriors repaid coach Harvey McInerny by dumping a cooler of water over him — a thank you for leading them to their first team title since 2005.

“Coach said he loves us, so I don’t think he’s too mad,” said Kamehameha’s Kyson Smith Bejgrowicz, who won the triple jump and helped the Warriors finish with 83 points. Along with fellow jumpers, they orchestrated the water dump while the team sang the school alma mater.

“We did a lot of trying to rest guys this year and we tried to be more strategic, not just ramming it down their throats all the time,” McInerny said. “They responded to it.”

The Warriors won four events that included a record-breaking mark in the 3,000-meter run by Kaeo Kruse in 8:43.12. Dylan Kane won the 100 in 11.14 and 200 in 21.92.

Kane was one of those sprinters who were told to slow it down and to believe that his new training would help him peak at states.

“You just realize all the hard work you’ve gone through this whole season and it pays off,” Kane said of winning a state championship. “Listening to your coaches telling you you’re going to peak when you’re supposed to peak, and you peak at the right time … we just came out victorious. Some practices, you don’t feel right, but they say just follow what we tell you, it’ll work out in the end.”

Punahou finished second with 53 points and Baldwin was third with 48.

Kruse skipped the 1,500 to focus on breaking the record in the 3,000. Running in a tight pack, he took the lead with three laps left to break the record of 8:52.44 set by Pierce Murphy of Island School in 2012.

Growing up on Kauai, Kruse used to watch Murphy run at Island School.

“My plan was to take the lead with three laps to go and start hauling,” Kruse said. “I kicked the best I could in that last 100 and finished hard.”

Kamehameha distance coach Steve Jenness worked with Kruse after the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championships to break the record. They knew it was within reach.

“He’s such a level-headed runner, he knows what he’s doing and he works super hard,” Jenness said. “To do that on this night, it’s the way to go out.”

Jenness credited senior Davis Kaahanui, who took second in the 1,500 and 3,000, for scoring big points for the team and rallying back from an early injury.

“He missed half the year being injured and he ran himself into shape the past six weeks,” Jenness said. “He’s been getting better and better. He stepped up for the distance guys as a senior, doing both races and taking two second places. That’s huge for the team.”

Punahou senior Jac Hebert repeated as the 1,500 champion, winning in 4:01.23. He rallied down the stretch to beat Kaahanui.

“Coming around (the final lap), he made a move and took a lead and with about 300 left, I felt comfortable. Coming around this last corner, I took the lead from there and kicked it all the way home,” Hebert said.

In only his fourth-ever 800 run, King Kekaulike’s Jake Jacobs won the event in 1:58.81. He broke away from the lead pack with about 150 meters left to win his second state title. He won the 400 last year.

“I don’t really know how to run the race,” Jacobs said. “I wing it every time.”

BOYS STANDINGS