Thomas KimCross Country

Seoul American

Last week: Won the opening race of the Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference season and helped boost the Falcons to a sweep of their boys and girls dual meets on Saturday at International Christian School-Uijongbu. Kim, a senior, was timed in 17 minutes, 25 seconds — 47 seconds ahead of runner-up Japeth DeVries of ICS-U. Kim paired with freshman teammate Siarria Ingram, who won the girls’ race in 20:37. This comes after a summer in which Kim earned All-America honors in USA Track and Field and AAU 2,000 steeplechase events and the 800. “We want him to show some leadership as well as running really well,” Falcons coach Steve Boyd said, adding that Kim’s goal for this season is to run 3.1 miles in under 16 minutes and win the Far East individual gold medal at Misawa Air Base, Japan. “We have a long way toward Misawa. But that’s his goal. If he keeps working like he’s doing … he’s going to get better and better.”

Jessica PowellCross country

Kubasaki

Last week: Captured first place in Wednesday’s Okinawa Activities Council season-opening race at Jack’s Place course on Kadena Air Base, and handed two-time defending island champion Chasity Cordova of Kadena her first regular-season defeat in two years. Powell, a sophomore, was timed in 21 minutes, 59 seconds; Cordova was next in 22:21. Dragons coach Paul Campbell termed Powell’s performance a “pleasant surprise.” It followed a somewhat pedestrian 2008 campaign in which she placed fourth in the OAC district championship but failed to finish in the top 15 at the Far East meet. But Powell has stepped up her game, Campbell said. “She has a good work ethic and has developed as a runner over the past year,” he said, adding that last year, she was “cross training” from swimming for the Okinawa Dolphins over to running. “This year, she’s running, not a swimmer who runs on the side.”

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