WAILUKU-Last night, more than half of the KS Maui track team qualified for the finals of the Yamamoto Invitational Trials to be held today, March 26, at War Memorial Stadium.

Tonight, the top eight finalists in each of last night’s events will be competing in their respective categories.  Other events that were not included in the first round last night, such as distance running, will also be in the competition today.

Participating in the invitational are all Maui high schools as well as Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i, Moloka’i High School, Mid-Pacific Institute, Punahou School, and Oak Bay Secondary School from Victoria,  British Columbia, Canada.

Among the seasoned KSM competitors are seniors Jesse Yamada and Aisha Jones.  Both students have been involved in track and field since they were freshmen.

Yamada said that he began running track to keep in shape for the other sports he plays during the year, but as he continued in the sport, his favorite aspect of track became the fellowship of his teammates.

“I think the best part is hanging out with the team at meets. The hardest part is running,” Yamada said.

Jones anticipates that the team will continue to improve in years to come.

“A lot of the younger people have potential. They would do really well if they stay determined and work hard,” she said.

The hard work of this year’s Warriors showed in the number of athletes who qualified for today’s next round of competition. The qualifiers for tonight’s 4:00 meet include Kiana Antonio, Ian Armitage, Mahina Bantilan, Jessi Lynne Bista, Nainoa Bright, Aaron DeCoite, Diondra Gomes, Aisha Jones, Jamal Jones, Keali’i Ka’aikala, Daylan Machado, Jordan Nauka, Raven Poepoe, Makana Pundyke, Kaimalu Stanich, Jared Toba, Kauanoe Vanderpoel, Jesse Yamada, and Kala’i Yap.