ACS, SIS tops 1st x-country meet

It didn’t feel like typhoon season in the CNMI as the sun shone on a rare, bright Saipan morning.

The morning dew, cones on an open field, and children running signaled the start of the cross-country season as school children took on the first PSS/NMA All Schools Cross-Country 2024-2025 qualifier at the CPA Airport Field last Saturday.

Dripping with sweat and with sun-kissed skins, Agape Christian School Torchbearers and Saipan International School Lady Geckos topped the 18U high school divisions.

In the boys division, the Torchbearers accumulated 21 points, while Marianas High School scored 32. Third was SIS at 34 and Mount Carmel School came in last at 74 points.

The Lady Geckos topped the high school girls division with 18 points; and the Lady Torchbearers came in second with 24 points, and the Lady Dolphins were third at 44 points.

Cross-country is similar to golf in that the lowest score wins.

Top 3 in the boys division was SIS’ Victor Nash Santos who came in at 18 minutes flat; second was Takeru Jim just two seconds behind at 18:02; and third was ACS’ Jireh Wang with a time of 18:14.

Top 3 in the girls division was SIS’ Andrei Kaithlyn Chavez with a time of 20:56; second was teammate Addalee Taflinger at 22:13; and third was Aubrey White at 25:06.

Santos, who overtook the leader of the pack on the last lap of the three-mile high school course around the CPA Airport Field, said he felt an adrenaline rush towards the end. “Some of them were cheering for me and it really pushed me,” said the recent transfer to SIS from MCS.

The high school junior then said for the next meets, “I just hope to get better. This is just the first race, and everyone will just get better from here.”

On SIS’ chances of topping the boys division this year, he said, “We’ll have to work for it. Like anything, it will be challenging. It’s gonna be a challenge between MHS and Agape but we’ll just keep trying to get better every single meet.”

With his new school and teammates, he said, “It’s a very nice environment and they’re very supportive. They push me to get better and the coaches are very supportive too. It’s just a really good support system and they really try to help you be the best that you can.”

Dr. Ron Snyder, SIS headmaster and coach and meet director said after the first meet, “It is nice to see the sport developing.”

The next qualifier is Saturday, Sept. 14, hosted by Run Saipan at the American Memorial Park; the SIS Gecko 5000 at Banzai Cliff is on Sept. 28; the ISA Invitational with the location to be determined is on Oct. 5; and the championship is set for Oct. 12 at the Saipan Country Club at Saipan Vegas.

Results of the 14U middle school and 9U and 12U elementary school divisions will be posted in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.