Fifth Place for Team, Runner

Boys’ cross country season starts strong.

The Molokai High School boys’ cross country team placed fifth out of eight teams at the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL)’s first meet two weekends ago. Top runner at the meet held in Hana was Akona Adolpho, who placed fifth with a time of 18:40.07.

“Akona…faded toward the end but ran really well,” said Coach Mahina Hou. “Hopefully [we] get higher up in the next team standings.”

The Farmers were represented by five runners at the Aug. 28 meet: Paka Adolpho placed 20th, Kailen Inoye placed 36th, Michael Kikukawa placed 38th and Hunter Pawn-Kalilikane placed 41st.

“[The meet] was actually a good chance to see where we started [this season],” Hou said, adding their workouts will become more intense with hill and interval work leading up to their next meet.

The boys will be travel to the Baldwin Invitational on Sept. 25. The girls’ cross country team travels to the Lahainaluna Invitational on Sept. 18 for their first race.