There are instances when a high school coach will get excited hearing about a prospect in the lower ranks, only to be underwhelmed when they see the athlete in person.
There are instances when a high school coach will get excited hearing about a prospect in the lower ranks, only to be underwhelmed when they see the athlete in person.
This is not one of those instances, because nothing about Chenoa Frederick’s BIIF track and field debut Saturday disappointed Kamehameha coach Manly Kanoa.
Quite the opposite.
“For her to come out at our track and perform, with no practice – we weren’t on the track that much the week before – this is just raw natural talent,” Kanoa said. “We’re kind of excited.”
Kanoa heard about some of the track times Frederick put up in middle school, and she made a seamless transition to the BIIF, winning the 200- and 400-meter dashes, as well as the triple jump and high jump. Her most impressive performance came in the triple jump, where she cleared 35 feet, 7.5 inches, good enough for second-best in the state on the young season. Frederick’s time of 26.80 in the 200 second ranks fifth in the state and she’s also in the top 10 in the 400 (1:03.21).
“Her skill-set is a little different than others that have come through our program,” Kanoa said. “It’s not often that you can get somebody that can run the 200 and 400, that can also jump.”
With Saydee Aganus primed for a big junior year, the Warriors have a potential dynamic duo on their hands.
Aganus put up a personal-record Saturday in the 300 hurdles with a 2017 state-best 46.73. She also claimed the 100 dash (12.52) and 100 hurdles (14.90), with each time sitting No. 2 in Hawaii behind Baldwin’s Kaitlin Smith.
The past two seasons, Aganus played the runner-up role in the hurdles behind Hawaii Prep graduate Emma Taylor, who credited Aganus with helping to push her to become the BIIF’s most decorated state champion.
Frederick may fill the role Aganus once held.
“It’d be fun to see what Chenoa can do in the hurdles,” Kanoa said. “We’d love for her to be the one who pushes Saydee, because that means were taking points away from another team.”
While Frederick is far from a finished product, neither is Kamehameha roster. Kanoa said recruitment was ongoing through mid-April.
“We’d like to fill in all the pieces by then,” he said.
Hawaii Prep hosts a meet Saturday.
Other highlights
• Konawaena’s Kamakana Ching reached two state-best distances. He set a Paiea Stadium record in the high jump, clearing 6-2.25, and he reached 22-2 in the long jump. Wildcats teammate Hauoli Akau went 44-0.75 on the long jump, ranking No. 2 in Hawaii.
• Waiakea’s boys won the BIIF championship last season despite getting only six points from their throwers, but coach Moku Pita was encouraged by the Warriors’ showing in the shot put and discus. Jian Pascual won the shot put Saturday and was second in the discus; Fafo Tevaseu took second in the shot; and Maxmillian Aliosia was third in the discus.