Running/Track

PANTHERS SWEEP CC TITLES, RINK & BADER TOP RUNNERS

The IIAAG Cross Country Season concluded at Two Lovers Point Thursday evening with the Guam High Panthers sweeping both titles.

by
GSPN
November 18, 2021

By Robert Balajadia

The 2021 All-Island Cross Country meet went down at Two Lovers Point Thursday evening with the Guam High Panthers sweeping both the boys and girls titles. Panther Alex Rink finished his senior season as the first place finisher for the boys while St. John’s Knight Jordan Baden topped the girls list.

Rink was in a battle all race long with last years All-Island winner in St. John’s Knight Alex Clark. Rink finished the final 400m of the race pulling away from Clark to take the top spot with a time of 18:16.08. After finishing as high as 10th in previous meets, coming in first while leading his team to a title was a special sendoff for his final year.

“Some people might say that this is a stress reliever, like having a big burden taking off your shoulders, but today was a chance to show everyone the four-year experience that I’ve had and what coach Joe Taitano had taught me,” said Rink reflecting on his performance.

Panther Alex Rink celebrates at the finish knowing he’s capture 1st place. (Photo by Michael Blas)

Preparation for the big race started a week in advance for Rink to ensure that he and his team were able to perform to the best of their ability.

“We had to stay away from fast food and just listened to what coach was telling us. We drank water with high PH all week and we were tapering all week so our practices were easier because we didn’t want to spend any energy that we didn’t need to,” said Rink on All-Island prep.

The Panthers captured spots 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 to secure their victory in the boys division. The lady Panthers took key spots in 2, 3, 5, and 9 with their top finisher Keira Paz coming in a minute behind St. John’s Baden at 21:43.31.

Baden topped all female runners with a 20:52.68, leaving everything she had in the race. Baden was unavailable for post race interviews due to recovering from the run.

IIAAG Top finisher Jordan Baden had a lead throughout the entire race. (Photo by Michael Blas)

Final Team Standings

Boys
Guam High – 22
St. John’s – 48
FD – 75
Harvest – 98

Girls
Guam High – 32
St. John’s – 46
Harvest – 67
Academy – 77

FULL RESULTS POSTED BELOW PHOTO GALLERY

The boys division burst out the starting line in the IIAAG All Island Cross Country race. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Alex Rink leads at the midway point. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Anthony Pellosma crosses the midway point of the race. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther runners pace themselves as they make the halfway mark turn. (Photo by Michael Blas)

HCA Eagle Elijah Dixon makes the turn at the half way mark of the race. (Photo by Michael Blas)

SJS Knight Jacob Jackson makes his way up the steady incline. (Photo by Michael Blas)

Runners begin making their move at the midway point of the race. (Photo by Michael Blas)

FD Friar Francis Pastones paces himself as he passes the midway marker. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Alex Rink celebrates crossing the finish line in first place. (Photo by Michael Blas)

SJS Knight Alex Clark finishes strong as he comes in second place. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Trayton Crandell sprints towards the finish line. (Photo by Michael Blas)

SJS Knight Alex Clark and company recover after a fast paced race. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GACS Starfish Reason Sanford makes his way on the final stretch of the race. (Photo by Michael Blas)

The girls division kicks off as runners blaze out the starting line. (Photo by Michael Blas)

SJS Knight Jordan Baden leads at the midway point of the race. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Keira Paz closes the distance at the midway point. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Avrie Farrington turns at the half way mark. (Photo by Michael Blas)

SJS Knight Franchesca Villagomez picks the pace up at the midway point. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Rebekah Stringham paces herself as she passes the midway mark. (Photo by Michael Blas)

Runners make their way up the steady incline. (Photo by Michael Blas)

Runners make their way up the midway point. (Photo by Michael Blas)

SJS Knight Jordan Baden sprints towards the finish line for first palce. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Keira Paz finishes second overall. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Avrie Farrington finishes third overall. (Photo by Michael Blas)

SJS Knight Franchesca Villagomez sprint towards the finish line for fourth place. (Photo by Michael Blas)

GHS Panther Rebekah Stringham celebrates with family after finishing in the top five. (Photo by Michael Blas)

SJS Knight Jordan Baden receives assistance after a fast paced race. (Photo by Michael Blas)

The boys B team make their way out the starting line. (Photo by Michael Blas)

The 2021 IIAAG All Island Cross Country Meet kicked off Thursday afternoon at Two Lover's Point. (Photo by Michael Blas)

IIAAG All-Island 2021 Boys                    
     Name                  Yr Team                      Time   Pts
 1 Alex Rink             12 Guam High School     18:16.08      1
   2 Alex Clark            10 St. John             18:24.44      2
   3 Trayton Crandell      11 Guam High School     18:43.52      3
   4 Anthony Pellosma         Guam High School     19:10.88      4
   5 Adam Cruz             12 St. John             19:25.54      5
   6 Mitchell Westlund      9 Guam High School     19:40.75      6
   7 Elijah Dixon           9 Harvest Christian Ac 19:45.55      7
   8 Ronan Perry           12 Guam High School     19:51.47      8
   9 Sean Muller           11 Guam High School     20:04.81      9
  10 Hunter Zinz            9 Guam High School     20:14.83     10
  11 Jacob Jackson         10 St. John             20:42.38     11
  12 Francis Pastones      11 Father Duenas Memori 20:56.36     12
  13 Bas Schils            11 Father Duenas Memori 21:00.42     13
  14 Tim Hutapea           11 St. John             21:03.88     14
  15 Christian Arriola     11 Father Duenas Memori 21:34.93     15
  16 Bubba Sullivan        10 St. John             21:43.99     16
  17 Breyton Sison         10 Father Duenas Memori 21:44.66     17
  18 Cameron Arriola        9 Father Duenas Memori 21:47.84     18
  19 Daniel Ohno            9 Harvest Christian Ac 21:54.33     19
  20 Luca Flores           11 St. John             22:09.95     20
  21 Jurien Limtiaco       11 Father Duenas Memori 22:17.78     21
  22 Troyton Prins          9 Harvest Christian Ac 22:30.59     22
  23 Ziah Afalgue          11 Father Duenas Memori 22:56.80     23
  24 Tony Tran              9 Harvest Christian Ac 24:38.61     24
  25 Joshua Chun            9 St. John             25:22.85     25
  26 Qarmejlo Arciaga       9 Harvest Christian Ac 25:35.77     26
  27 Dre Muna              11 Guahan Charter       26:07.64       
  28 Koren Espia            9 Harvest Christian Ac 26:55.43     27
  29 Reason Sanford        11 Guahan Charter       28:51.94       
  30 Jesse Manglona        11 Guahan Charter       29:47.55       
  31 Charles Wei           11 Harvest Christian Ac 30:40.46     28
  32 Noah Tabunar          11 Guahan Charter       36:39.60       
              IIAAG All-Island 2021 Boys Team Scores              
     Team                   Pts     1    2    3    4    5   (6)  (7) 
 1 Guam High School       22      1    3    4    6    8    9   10  
       Total Time: 1:35:43      Average: 19:08.54      1-5 Split: 1:36
   2 St. John               48      2    5   11   14   16   20   25  
       Total Time: 1:41:21      Average: 20:16.05      1-5 Split: 3:20
   3 Father Duenas Memori   75     12   13   15   17   18   21   23  
       Total Time: 1:47:05      Average: 21:24.85      1-5 Split: 52
   4 Harvest Christian Ac   98      7   19   22   24   26   27   28  
       Total Time: 1:54:25      Average: 22:52.97      1-5 Split: 5:51
                    IIAAG All-Island 2021 Girls                   
     Name                  Yr Team                      Time   Pts
                               Girls                              
 1 Jordan Baden          11 St. John             20:52.68      1
   2 Keira Paz             11 Guam High School     21:43.31      2
   3 Avrie Farrington       9 Guam High School     22:11.95      3
   4 Franchesca Villagomez 10 St. John             23:37.68      4
   5 Rebekah Stringham     11 Guam High School     23:46.30      5
   6 Shiyori Shibahata      9 Harvest Christian Ac 24:53.13      6
   7 Annabel Taylor        11 Harvest Christian Ac 24:57.89      7
   8 Olivia Hughes          9 Harvest Christian Ac 25:28.64      8
   9 Genevieve Nelson      11 Guam High School     25:33.53      9
  10 Maeva Conroy          10 St. John             25:53.97     10
  11 Taylor Santos         10 Academy of Our Lady  26:07.06     11
  12 Rian-Anne Guzman      12 Academy of Our Lady  26:27.40     12
  13 Kaila Castro          10 Guam High School     27:04.64     13
  14 Raylene DeBenedictis   9 St. John             27:10.35     14
  15 Veronica Fernandez    11 Academy of Our Lady  27:12.00     15
  16 Alexandria Levy       10 Guam High School     27:40.08     16
  17 Kasey Xu              11 St. John             27:58.25     17
  18 Catalina Perez        10 Guam High School     28:39.18     18
  19 Phoebe Pangelinan     10 Guahan Charter       28:43.61       
  20 Tyra Duenas            9 Academy of Our Lady  29:15.03     19
  21 Nierra Ubaldo         12 Academy of Our Lady  29:15.70     20
  22 Lola Martin           12 Academy of Our Lady  29:50.88     21
  23 Alicia Murday          9 Harvest Christian Ac 29:59.01     22
  24 Bailey Cepeda         12 Academy of Our Lady  30:29.62     23
  25 Sanford Trinity        9 Guahan Charter       31:05.04       
  26 Kaley Gutierrez        9 Harvest Christian Ac 31:13.31     24
  27 Melody Moyer           9 Harvest Christian Ac 31:30.34     25
  28 Rhianalynn Rivera      9 Guahan Charter       32:38.36       
  29 Clara Arcilla         10 St. John             33:34.19     26
  30 Zoe Ayala             11 St. John             34:29.99     27
           Girls IIAAG All-Island 2021 Girls Team Scores          
     Team                   Pts     1    2    3    4    5   (6)  (7) 
 1 Guam High School       32      2    3    5    9   13   16   18  
       Total Time: 2:00:20      Average: 24:03.95      1-5 Split: 5:22
   2 St. John               46      1    4   10   14   17   26   27  
       Total Time: 2:05:33      Average: 25:06.59      1-5 Split: 7:06
   3 Harvest Christian Ac   67      6    7    8   22   24   25    -  
       Total Time: 2:16:32      Average: 27:18.40      1-5 Split: 6:21
   4 Academy of Our Lady    77     11   12   15   19   20   21   23  
       Total Time: 2:18:18      Average: 27:39.44      1-5 Split: 3:09
                      IIAAG All-Island 2021 B                     
     Name                  Yr Team                      Time   Pts
                               Girls                              
 1 Madeline Musser       10 Guam High School     29:06.36       
   2 Chloe Matro            9 Guam High School     29:25.43       
   3 Eden Van Orman         9 Guam High School     29:34.29       
   4 Katrina Padayhag      11 Guam High School     30:07.12       
   5 Lulu Shao             11 St. John             45:13.97       
                               Boys                               
 1 Yadiel Figueroa       10 Guam High School     20:34.60      1
   2 Aidan Puga            10 Guam High School     21:19.93      2
   3 Judah Alcantara        9 Guam High School     21:51.21      3
   4 Evan Flanagan         10 Guam High School     21:57.89      4
   5 Ryan Douglas          10 Father Duenas Memori 22:02.46      5
   6 Landon Brewster        9 Father Duenas Memori 23:20.32      6
   7 Dane Santos           10 Guam High School     23:34.96      7
   8 Landon Alegre         12 Father Duenas Memori 23:51.12      8
   9 Ian Gaza               9 Father Duenas Memori 23:52.26      9
  10 Zachary Diaz          12 Father Duenas Memori 24:09.20     10
  11 John Austria          10 Father Duenas Memori 24:46.54     11
  12 Tristan Mendiola      12 Father Duenas Memori 25:12.12     12
  13 Jordan Guzman          9 Father Duenas Memori 25:25.67       
  14 Luke Taisipic         12 Father Duenas Memori 25:38.35       
  15 Ryan Marutani          9 St. John             26:48.21       
  16 Mark Wang             11 St. John             27:18.50       
  17 Jared Anulao          12 Father Duenas Memori 28:08.78       
  18 Jeremey Tang             Father Duenas Memori 29:23.95       
  19 Alphius Dela Rojo     11 Father Duenas Memori 29:43.49       
  20 Mike Zhu              11 St. John             30:13.70       
  21 Elijah Dungca          9 Harvest Christian Ac 30:18.31       
  22 Kaleb Duvall           9 Harvest Christian Ac 33:03.36       
             Boys IIAAG All-Island 2021 B Team Scores             
     Team                   Pts     1    2    3    4    5   (6)  (7) 
 1 Guam High School       17      1    2    3    4    7    -    -  
       Total Time: 1:49:19      Average: 21:51.72      1-5 Split: 3:01
   2 Father Duenas Memori   38      5    6    8    9   10   11   12  
       Total Time: 1:57:16      Average: 23:27.08      1-5 Split: 2:07