Punahou has always had a top-level boys track and field program, so the Buffanblu didn’t really need starting quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele to come out this year and contribute. He wound up overpowering his competition.
Kapolei’s Jordan McQueen proved to be a quick study in a pair of jumping events on his way to becoming the only three-event boys state champion.
Maui High’s Jared Cantere put on an inspirational performance.
Hawaii Baptist’s Connor Malinger finally got past his rival.
These were a few of the interesting story lines that took place during the boys competition of the Island Movers/HHSAA Track and Field Championships at Kamehameha on Friday and Saturday.
Punahou won the team title with 73 points, Saint Louis finished second with 49 and Kapolei placed third with 38.5. The Buffanblu have won 36 team titles, including the past four with no state meets being held the past two years because of COVID-19.
The Buffanblu got an added boost this season from Sagapolutele, who decided to follow his friends and compete in the shot put and discus after passing for 935 yards and seven touchdowns during the football season.
Sagapolutele, a junior, caught on quickly in his new sport and wound up winning the state shot put title with a mark of 51 feet, 11.5 inches on Friday and the discus with a distance of 153-2 the following day.
>> PHOTOS: State track and field
>> RELATED: Punahou girls find strength in numbers
“My coaches remind me every day, I still need to work on my technique, just keep getting better each and every week and stuff,” he said.
The state shot put record is 59-8.75, while the discus mark is 186.
“I just want to improve each year each time I compete. Hopefully, I can beat the state records for both,” Sagapolutele said.
Punahou coach Todd Iacovelli has been impressed with Sagapolutele’s mental game.
“John is such a special type of athlete because his own ability to get focused on something that is new and unfamiliar to him, that’s not his main sport at all, but to still really come into it in a way where he was able to win not one, but two titles speaks to him as a person,” Iacovelli said.
Punahou’s Kainoa Ronquilio also won gold by completing the 400-meter dash in 50 seconds.
“Man, I can’t even believe it. In the offseason I worked so hard for this. It was all worth it,” said Ronquilio, a junior.
Punahou also got runner-up finishes by Balen Rigg in the high jump (6-2), the 4×100 relay team (43.46) and the 4×400 relay team (3:25.76).
The top boys performer was Kapolei’s McQueen, who competed in the long jump and triple jump for the first time this season. The 6-foot-3 senior, who previously specialized in the sprints, won the long jump with a mark of 21-8.50 on Friday, and claimed the triple jump with a distance of 44-9.75 and was a member of the winning 4×400 relay team Saturday.
McQueen, who also competes in football, basketball and gymnastics, said he only started practicing the triple jump two weeks ago.
Maui High’s Cantere won the 800-meter run in 1:59.92 despite a right Achilles injury. He had an ice pack above his ankle afterward and had trouble getting up to the top spot on the podium to receive his gold medal.
“Me and my coaches have practiced finishing strong, finishing hard and having that last kick, always prepared and everything,” said Cantere, a senior.
Hawaii Baptist’s Malinger beat rival Parker Wagnild of Mid-Pacific in the 3,000-meter run for the first time.
Malinger finished in 9:06.24 and Wagnild crossed second in 9:18.80. Both are seniors.
“I just kept pushing it because I knew if I gave up a little bit, he’d come back,” Malinger said.
Malinger finished second to Wagnild in the earlier 1,500-meter run and didn’t really think he’d win the 3,000.
“I was thinking before from the 1,500, this is it, this is a good way to end the season, but this is so much better,” Malinger said. “I’m so happy I was able to end my high school career like this.”
HHSAA state track and field… by Honolulu Star-Advertiser
HHSAA state track and field… by Honolulu Star-Advertiser
