Repeat for Agape, Brilliant Star

Agape Christian School runners head out to the course during the opening leg of the 2020-2021 Public School System/Northern Marianas Athletics All Schools Cross Country Series held early this month at the CPA Airport Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

It seems like Agape Christian School and Brilliant Star School runners are favored to battle for the top individual honors in the co-ed elementary division of the 2020-2021 Public School System/Northern Marianas Athletics All Schools Cross Country Series judging from the results of the first two qualifiers.

Agape’s Jessie Campbell ruled Heat 2 of the second qualifier for the U11 age group after clocking in at 8:15 in the 1.1-mile race held last Friday at the CPA Airport Field. His time was five seconds faster that his record in the opening leg, which he also won.

On Heat 1, Brilliant Star’s Akeen Edvalson checked in at 8:01 to top the group that had 23 runners. Edvalson’s victory made it two in a row for Brilliant Star, as Moshe Sikkel prevailed in the first qualifier last Nov. 6 with the fastest time (7:56) so far this season. Sikkel did not race in the second leg, as Brilliant Star brought a new set of runners for last weekend’s event.

Middle school runners go for the first lap of the 2.1-mile course during the second leg of the cross country series. (Contributed Photo)

In other results, coming in at second place on Heat 2 was Saipan Community School’s Emma Sablan. Saipan International School’s Landon Pudney, Suki Peng, and Aubrey White completed the Top 5, making the Geckos a threat to Agape and Brilliant Star’s bids for top team honors in next month’s championship round.

The final race in the U11 division will be held on Dec. 4 with the team award to be decided based on the combined performance (accumulated points with the squad getting the lowest scoring winning the category) of the Top 4 finishers of each school.

Agape had two other runners placing in the Top 5 of Heat 2 in the second qualifier with Benjamin Cai ranked third behind Mt. Carmel School’s Stephen Yeom and Daniel Huang finishing fifth. Isla Montessori School’s Oliver Pauling came in at fourth on Heat 2, which had 12 other U11 runners completing the one-lap race.

Mt. Carmel School runners keep a steady pace as they navigate the first half of the 1.1-mile course during the elementary school division race. (Contributed Photo)

Meanwhile, the third and last qualifying race in the elementary division will be held this Friday afternoon. Both Sikkel and Edvalson will be racing for Brilliant Star on Heat 1 and they will battle new set of runners from SIS and returnees from Saipan Community School and William S. Reyes Elementary School.

On Heat 2, Campbell will again anchor Agape’s complete co-ed team (six runners plus one alternate and the Torchbearers will be up against the representatives of Mt. Carmel, Isla Montessori and Kagman Elementary School.

The final qualifying races in the middle school and high school will also take place this weekend with the U14 and U18 students running at the CPA Airport Field tomorrow morning.