The Kamehameha Maui track team placed in the top three in ten events at the 60th annual Yamamoto Invitational Finals at War Memorial Stadium on March 23, 2013.
The low clouds and cold wind did not bode good weather for the finals, but even though times across the board and for all schools were slower than in the trials, the Warriors brought home five silver medals and five bronze.
“The weather had some effect tonight,” Senior Jamal Jones said, “but I don’t think it kept anyone from doing less than their best.”
Jones came in second in the 200 meter dash and third in the 100 meter dash.
“Today was a little tough on our jumps,” Head Coach Rudy Huber said.
Senior Raven Poepoe placed second in the girls high jump with the bar at 4’11” and third in the 300 meter hurdles.
“I think I did all right,” Poepoe said. “I did the best I could. Getting the medals was different than other track meets because it makes me feel like I accomplished something.”
At the Yamamoto Invitationals, the top three placers win a medal, unlike at the other regular season Maui Interscholastic League meets.
With some athletes out of town on Spring Break trips, not every member of the track team appeared at the qualifications on March 22.
“It’s tough during Spring Break, especially since we don’t have everyone here for the meet,” Coach Huber said. “We will get back on track once break is over. We are still slowly getting better.”
Mrs. Doris Yamamoto, wife of the Yamamoto Invitational founder, Satoki Yamamoto, was in attendance for the sixtieth annual event. She was recognized with a short speech about the history of the meet and given lei to commemorate the event.
“It was nice to be recognized,” Doris said. “I felt good inside.”
Top three finishes among Kamehameha Maui athletes:
Girls 200-meter dash
2nd Taira Lucas 27.84
Girls 300 meter hurdles
3rd Raven Poepoe 52.48
Girls 4 x 100 meter relay Team A
2nd 52.83
Girls High Jump
2nd Raven Poepoe 4’11”
Boys 100 meter dash
3rd Jamal Jones 11.15
Boys 200 meter dash
2nd Jamal Jones 22.50
Boys 110 meter hurdles
3rd Kalaʻi Yap 15.63
Boys High Jump
3rd Davis Neizman 5’9”
Boys Shot Put
2nd Kauanoe Vanderpoel 45-01.00
Boys Discus
3rd Kauanoe Vanderpoel 123-09.00
Click here to see complete meet results at Mile Split Hawaii.
See the full track team back in action at the next meet at 4:00 p.m., March 28, at War Memorial Stadium.
