Sparks provides spark as Punahou girls win ILH

The Punahou girls and Kamehameha boys won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu track and field championships Friday at Kunuiakea Athletic Field on the Kapalama campus.

Buffanblu sprinter Emily Sparks broke four records but chose to talk about her teammates first.

“All of my teammates stepped up. Hayden Wong was PRing in everything. My soccer teammates Olivia Schiel and Maya Yoshimura, too,” she said.

Wong, Yoshimura and Schiel were right behind Sparks in the 100 meters as she broke Lauren Dignam’s 24-year-old state meet record by posting 12.11 seconds.

Sparks is inspired by her mother, Tracee, and aunt Diane Kawahara, who starred at the University of Hawaii. Also, her grandmother, Nancy Kawahara, died during the season.

“We spent a lot of time together,” Sparks said. “She gave me this chain. I always know she’s looking out for me.”

Sparks also set a meet record in the 200, winning in 29.94, with Wong second again at 25.37.

Schiel, Yoshimura, Wong and Sparks combined for a meet record in the 4×100, running 48.03.

Sparks plans to play soccer at Seattle University, majoring in art and education.

Destiny Look of Mid-Pacific was nearly unstoppable as usual in her events, winning three and settling for a second in another.

“I’m glad I’m not a hurdler,” said Sparks, who has no desire to challenge Look at one of her many events. “She’s amazing.”

Look took the 100 meter hurdles in 14.07 and was second in the shot put with 32 feet, 9.5 inches to 32, 11.5 by Kamehameha’s Dream Malo-Wiggins. She won the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 1.75 inches and the triple jump with 41 feet, 0.5 inch. She provided nearly half of the Owls’ 80 points that gave them fourth place.

Punahou won with 166 points, with ‘Iolani scoring 89.

The boys meet was closer, as Kamehameha had 136 with ‘Iolani and Saint Louis tying for second with 112.

“I don’t think this was our plan,” Kamehameha boys coach Pili Kitashima said.

He pointed at Tyler Love-Tabion, who delivered an unexpected victory in the 110 meters for 10 points and added eight points for second place in the 300 hurdles.

It was no surprise, though, that Kalei Harbottle delivered firsts in the shot put, where he launched one 64 feeet, 3.75 inches, breaking his own state record. Teammates Alfred Gomes and Kaimana Fake were second and third.

Harbottle doubled, with 172 feet in the discus, nearly 20 feet ahead of the next competitor, Punahou’s Maximum Orem.

The OIA championships are today at Mililani, starting at 4 p.m. The HHSAA championships are next week at Kamehameha.

Hawaii Prep World

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