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The week began with adversity, but Moanalua senior James Millare survived. Millare sprained his right ankle during practice on Tuesday, but he recovered in time to defend his OIA boys cross country championship on Saturday morning at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park. He finished the hilly course in 16 minutes and 27 seconds, pulling away from Dallin Kilton of Pearl City (16:29) and Stephen Kozuma of Radford (16:41) in the final mile. He won the 2024 OIA championships with a time of 16:34. Sophomore Sadie Krueger of Moanalua made it back-to-back OIA titles with a time of 17:59. Senior Ashlyn Jacobsen of Campbell was runner-up at 18:40 and senior Eve Cody led the Kalaheo contingent with a third-place finish at 19:30. Mililani junior Kaitlyn Bitterman placed fourth (19:37). Kalaheo won the girls team title with 44 points, ahead of Radford (72), Mililani (83), Campbell (96) and Moanalua (111). The Lady Mustangs’ depth was exceptional, with freshman Anna Rasmussen (fifth, 20:01), sophomore Ainsley Dalby (sixth, 20:11), junior Mia Junk (10th, 20:46) and junior McKenna Dalby (22nd, 21:57). “We’ve got a program where it’s for everybody. We value every runner. Everybody’s treated the same. Everybody’s valued,” longtime coach Peter Jay said. The boys team standings were orange at the top. Campbell won its first OIA boys cross country championship. The Sabers led the way with 54 points, followed by Moanalua (95), Kalaheo (97), Radford (106) and Mililani (118). Ian Matthew Eugenio, a senior, paced the Sabers with a fourth-place finish (16:45), joined by senior Enrique Mahabir (eighth, 17:22), sophomore Ryan Jacobsen (ninth, 17:23), sophomore Zharn Bolton (13th, 17:49) and senior Caleb Walker (20th, 18:00). “I’m super proud of our team,” Sabers coach Mark Inay said. “I sent my team captains a message to share with the rest of the team: Don’t overthink it. Don’t let the moment overtake you. Treat it like any other race. We’ve run here so many times already. You know the course. Trust your training. Trust your body. Listen to yourself.” A gentle breeze greeted harriers for the boys’ 8:30 a.m. pistol firing, with tradewinds “heavier” on the top of the hill, Millare said. Millare won the state crown in 2024 with a time of 15:57 on a flat course at Keopuolani Regional Park on Maui. His senior-year OIA championship run took a detour, however, on Tuesday. “I rolled my ankle fully on the (school stadium stairs). It took me out two, three days. For a second, I wasn’t sure about running,” he said. Saturday’s race was in a slightly different realm with an ankle that was “90%” and somewhat muddy terrain. “I started out fast, got a good spot. It was different because they got out ahead of me a little more. I just knew to kick it in the last mile. The injury definitely took some time away. I slowed down so much on the second mile. I was getting a little tired. That’s when Dallin and Stephen were there.” After he separated on the down-slope straightaway, there was a minor problem. “I slipped down there on a rock in the last part, a little rock just laying there,” he said. Millare kept his balance and prevailed. Krueger has been a cross country phenom from day one at Moanalua. This year’s campaign was much different after she suffered an IT (iliotibial) band injury in her left hip. The injury sidelined her in August and part of September. “I’d never heard of it. It’s like a rope in your hip. It felt like a fire, a jolting (pain),” she said. She returned for the OIA Eastern Division championships last week. “She worked really hard to get back,” her father, Jim, said. That included rehab in a pool. “I went to the gym and did mobility and all that. I’ve learned so much through that period of time. Last week was my first race and it went really well,” Krueger said. “I want to enjoy every race because I only have three this season.” Krueger’s time on Saturday, 17:59, was substantially better than her time in the OIA Easterns a week earlier on the same course, 18:28. On Saturday, she pulled away from Jacobsen and Bitterman on the first run uphill. She had a lead of roughly 25 yards. On the second downhill portion of the race, Jacobson was ahead by 25 yards. “I like to start out really fast, but throughout this training I’ve learned to pace myself a little bit,” Krueger said. “I made sure I settled in. It was really good. Ashlyn is an amazing person and she pushes me to new limits.” Training on Moanalua’s flat surfaces, occasionally on hills, and preparing for the slopes of CORP all add up. “I’ve learned to love hills since last year. I just tell myself, I love hills, I love hills,” Krueger said. “When I got close to the finish I just tried to speed up a little bit. I just mark spots and speed up at each spot. Sometimes it’s a giant kick. Sometimes, it’s a progression.” Krueger was swarmed by teammates, friends and a large tribe of newly arrived family friends after the race. She barely had a moment to catch her breath but seemed fresh after another signature victory. “A bunch of my family friends, they just moved here this summer, so they surprised me coming to the race. They’ve been so encouraging and I love them to pieces,” she said. Talent makes Krueger a cross country version of “The Natural,” but her grit was tested this season. It is champion level. “In the beginning when I first got injured, I thought, maybe (this season) is over, but I had to have faith. I prayed. Please let me have at least one race. I’m so lucky I get to be myself and just run again,” she said. “My dad is my biggest supporter. He’s been motivating me and teaching me. He’s like my hero. And my mom (Rachel) has been there motivating me and supporting me.” Millare is optimistic about defending his state crown next Saturday. The Honolulu Marathon/HHSAA State Championships presented by the Hawaii National Guard will be held at CORP. The preparation plan for states is normal as can be. His best time on the course is 16:05. “I’ll be running sub-16 next week,” he said Kalaheo’s experienced staff has the girls — and boys — prepared to peak at states. “Just do the best you can that day. They’ve done the work,” said Jay, now in his 14th year of coaching. “Shout out to the staff. We have six coaches that just love the kids. That’s why we’re out here. Year after year we have good kids and good families, and the school is supportive of the program. We’re raring to go next week.” The Mustangs get their hill work done at nearby Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Gardens. “We go there once or twice a week,” Jay said. “We do intervals and stuff like that.” Campbell’s strong cross country culture has been sustainable even as standout runners graduate each year. “We’ve made it engaging for the kids, getting them to come out, developing relationships,” Inay said. “Their friends are running.”
