HHSAA CROSS COUNTRY: Jenkins leads Leilehua to second-straight cross country championship and third-straight individual title

Two-time defending state champion Bryce Jenkins displayed a gritty performance, capturing his third-straight individual state title and lead Leilehua  to a second-straight team championship in the 44th annual Honolulu Marathon/HHSAA cross country state championships at Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island.
 
Jenkins navigated the three-mile course to cross the finish line with a time of 17:13.00 on what many believe is one of the most challenging in the state with an elevation higher than 2,000 feet above sea level.
 
Winning a third state individual crown seemed unlikely for the Leilehua senior, who overcame injury and competed in a select few races.  Jenkins has managed to stay in top running form to claim the OIA west championship on Oct. 11.  His only other race this season was the Hawaii Prep Invitational on Sept. 20, which he finished last as he walked the entire race to maintain eligibility.  Jenkins ties Hawaii Baptist Academy’s Matt Stevens record of three state cross country titles.   
 
The Leilehua boys took home the gold with three out of five scoring runners in the top ten, which included Jenkins (1), Margarito Martinez (4), Shannon Cosey (10), Shannon White (17) and Noel Cabato (43).  Other Mules competing in the race were Evan Igarashi and Jayson Dumaoal.
 
Rounding out the top three boys teams were Kamehameha-Kapalama and Iolani.
 
In the girls race, King Kekaulike senior Bailey Massenburg clocked a time of 20:42.90 to capture the gold medal.  Massenburg had a strong showing in last year’s state championship finishing third at Kapalua on Maui.
 
In team competition, the Punahou girls had an impressive showing with all five scoring runners in the top 20 and a fourth-straight team title in as many years of the 3-mile-course distance.  The Buffanblu team included Farrah Madanay (5), Brooke Laporte (7), Julia Brand (8), Kyleigh Mann (9) and Kaycie Won (19).  The two non-scoring runners also managed impressive performances in Tama Fukuyama and Courtney Choy finishing 26th and 42nd, respectively. 
 
Also earning individual medals was 2007 state champion Kristin Ali Keith who finished sixth, and 2006 state champion Juliana Besenbruch who finished fourth.