SCS runners rule x-country championships

Saipan Community School dominated the 2013 NMA All Schools Cross Country Championships held last Nov. 16 at the Airport Field.

SCS runners won five of the six races in the elementary division and bagged another first place finish in the junior high category to bring home the most championship medals in the cross-country finale.

In the U8 age group, SCS’ Hana Ojima and Jinnosuke Suzuki took first place in the girls and boys divisions. Ojima completed the one-lap course (around 900 meters) in 8:15 to lead schoolmate Michelle Ryu (8:37) and Chloe Seo (10:02) in the podium. SCS also swept the Top 3 in the boys U8 with Suzuki clocking in at 7:46, Kaito Rechocher submitting 7:50, and Reef Camacho tallying 8:20.

In the U10 division, which had the same distance, Lennosuki Suzuki claimed the top honors in the boys category after making it to the finish line at the 7:44 mark, ahead of fellow SSC runners Won Lee (7:53) and Mateo Guerrero (8:43). Vietria C. Torres of San Vicente Elementary School foiled an SSC sweep in the U10 age group after recording 8:40 and beating SSC’s Riko Ojima (8:46). Nathanette Blas of San Antonio Elementary School rounded out the Top 3 after registering 9:07.

In the boys U12, which featured a nearly 1,000m course, SSC had another 1-2-3 finish with Haruya Eda checking in at 7:48, followed by Ken Song (7:51) and Isaac Jang (8:12). In the girls division, Mimi Sakano timed in at 8:49 to beat teammate Desrei Camacho (8:56), while Hopwood’s Jesme Jones and Joshalyn Flores were the other finishers after posting 9:02 and 11:58.

After missing the top finish in the U12, Hopwood runners bounced back in the girls U14 race (about 2,400m course) with Lyka Sally ruling the girls division with her 15:16, followed by teammates Tyvieann They (18:41), and Virginia Imperial (21:26). In the boys division, SCS had a 1-2 finish with Nathaniel Lim coming in at first place with his 14:45 and Paul Heo submitting 15:42.

Hopwood’s Nikolai Balbin completed the Top 3 finish after logging 16:01.

In the U18 age group (about 4,000m), Marianas High School and Saipan Southern High School split top honors with Gabrielle Race winning it for the Dolphins after clocking in at 24:34 and Seiya Eda delivering for the Rays, following his 20:30 in the boys division. It was an all-MHS affair in the girls race, as Lourdes Seman and Sharmaine Alarzar rounded out the Top 3 after recording 30:13 and 30:17, respectively. In the boys division, Southern runners Dylan Ackerman (22:24) and Amami Sakano (22:54) joined Eda in the Top 3.

Turkey Trot tomorrow
Meanwhile, Northern Marianas Athletics will be holding the 2013 Annual Mt. Tapochao Turkey Trot Run tomorrow.

Registration will start at 5:15am at the Lower Base, while the race will begin at 6:30am. Entrance fees in the 4.2-mile race are $8 for adults and $5 for U18 runners.

Interested individuals can enter in the following divisions: male and female U12, 13 to 17 age group, Open, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, and over 50.