CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Champion of last November’s Far East high school cross-country meet, Matt Coon also laid claim Thursday to the Okinawa Activities Council district track and field meet long-distance crown — and he did it in record fashion.

The Kubasaki sophomore rallied in the home stretch to win the two-mile run, overcoming Kadena senior Anthony Tillman by a second, 10:20-10:21, and also shattered the district meet’s old record by 10 seconds. Coon also won the mile, edging Tillman 4:58-5:00.

“I had somebody to beat. Tillman ran out there pretty fast, so I had to do what I could to catch him,” said Coon, who employed a late kick to overtake Tillman at the finish line.

Four district records fell, including Coon’s record-setting two-mile feat, and another was tied in Thursday’s meet. Kadena repeated its boys team title and Kubasaki its girls team crown.

“These guys were flying today,” Kubasaki coach and meet organizer Charles Burns said. “We had chamber of commerce weather. Good weather will do that. It sure beats last Saturday,” when rain forced the meet to be postponed five days.

Among the record-breakers:

¶ Kadena senior Manuel Duran beat his own long-jump record, leaping 21 feet, 9 inches to shatter the 21-3 standard he set last year. “It’s not too much pressure” to beat one’s own record, Duran said. “I’m just seeing if I can better myself. If you’re second, you’re saying, ‘I want to be where he’s at.’ ”

¶ Freshman Lakesa McClain of Kubasaki demolished the girls discus record, tossing it 94 feet, 2½ inches — better than the previous district best of 79-11 set two years ago. “It’s cool, (but) my work is not done yet,” she said of the Kanto Plain Invitational coming up on May 19. “I compete a lot better when I have more competition.”

¶ Another Kubasaki freshman, Dominic Webb, ran the 800 in 2:09, nosing past the old mark of 2:10 set a year ago by Kubasaki’s Brian Davis. “You’re seeing a glimpse of the future,” Burns said of Webb. “He’ll be here until he graduates. He’s the heir apparent” to Coon, who transfers this summer to Illinois.

¶ Yet another Kubasaki freshman, Julie Monti, completed an unbeaten season by sweeping the two-mile, mile and half-mile, tying the 800-meter record of 2:37 set three years ago by Kubasaki’s Crystal Sandness. “It burns, but it’s a good burn,” Monti said. “It’s been an exciting season.”

Kubasaki senior sprinter Charles Vinson Jr. captured the “Okinawa’s fastest human” title, sweeping the 100 in 11.09, edging Duran by .06 seconds, and clocking a 23.03 in the 200.

“It feels pretty good,” Vinson said, adding that Duran, who’d only run the race three times all season, was “always a concern. Each race can go differently. Manny’s a strong runner.”

The girls 100 hurdles produced the tightest finish in the meet’s 18-year history when Kadena’s Shannon Steele nipped Kubasaki’s Dominique Henson 16.8 to 16.81.

“I was worried” that Henson might have caught her, Steele said. “I was really relieved when I found out I’d won.”

Undermanned Kadena girls strikers survive scareKADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — With all four starting defenders and goalkeeper Helen Schrock sidelined by injuries or illness, Kadena’s girls soccer team, unbeaten in 46 matches dating to 2003, found itself trailing Oroku, a Japanese team, 3-2 in the closing minutes.

Only a through pass by Tanisha McChesney to record-setting senior striker Jen Abel rescued the Panthers from losing for the first time with Abel in uniform. As it was, Kadena tied Oroku 3-3, and has recorded two ties in its last three matches, its worst stretch since 2003.

“It’s better than a loss,” said Abel, who has 49 goals this season and who set the Pacific’s season mark a year ago with 70.

“Too close,” Kadena coach Hoa Nguyen said. “They (Oroku) played well. They saw our weaknesses. We have some holes to fill.”

Summaries2007 Okinawa Activities Council District Track and Field ChampionshipAt Mike Petty Stadium, Kubasaki High School, Camp Foster, Okinawa

BOYS

Kadena 73, Kubasaki 41

(race distances and long-jump result in meters)100—1, Charles Vinson Jr., Kubasaki, 11.09 seconds; 2, Manuel Duran, Kadena, 11.15; 3, Nick Berry, Kadena, 11.71.200—1, Charles Vinson Jr., Kubasaki, 23.03; 2, Nick Berry, Kadena, 23.62; 3, Shun Bowens, Kadena, 24.53.400—1, Manuel Duran, Kadena, 51.88; 2, J.R. Wright, Kadena, 52.54; 3, Robert Wilson, Kadena, 54.15.800—1, Dominic Webb, Kubasaki, 2 minutes, 9 seconds (district record; old record 2:10, 2006, Brian Davis, Kubasaki); 2, Cordera Ray, Kadena, 2:10; 3, Matt Coon, Kubasaki, 2:14.1,600—1, Matt Coon, Kubasaki, 4:58; 2, Anthony Tillman, Kadena, 5:00; 3, Kevin Vazquez, Kubasaki, 5:05.3,200—1, Matt Coon, Kubasaki, 10:20 (district record; old record 10:30, 2006, Tim Nabonne, Kadena); 2, Anthony Tillman, Kadena, 10:21; 3, Andre Tillman, Kadena, 10:57.110 hurdles—1, Randall O'Bannon, Kubasaki, 16.66; 2, Andre Tillman, Kadena, 17.64; 3, Shanon Lautenschlager, Kadena, 18.62.400 relay—1, Kadena, 45.16; 2, Kubasaki A, 46.93; 3, Kubasaki B, 48.55.800 relay—1, Kadena, 1:35; 2, Kubasaki A, 1:38; 3, Kubasaki B, 1:42.1,600 relay—1, Kadena A, 3:44; 2, Kubasaki B, 3:53; 3, Kadena B, 3:54; 4, Kubasaki A, 3:56.Shot put—1, Lawrence McClain, Kubasaki, 38 feet, 9 inches; 2, Roman Harris, Kadena, 35-0½; 3, Justin Gilbert, Kadena, 32-0.Discus—1, Marxcus Fowler, Kadena, 105-0; 2, Justin Gilbert, Kadena, 94-0; 3, Lawrence McClain, Kubasaki, 89-3.High jump—1, Cordera Ray, Kadena, 5-8; 2, Jason Hunt, Kubasaki, 5-0 (fewer tries); 3, Robert Wilson, Kadena, 5-0.Long jump—1, Manuel Duran, Kadena, 6.24 (21 feet, 9½ inches, district record; old record 21-3, 2006, Manuel Duran, Kadena); 2, Cordera Ray, Kadena, 5.81; 3, Roosevelt Payne, Kadena, 5.5.

GIRLS

Kubasaki 65, Kadena 49

(race distances and long-jump measure in meters)100—1, Lorien McKinney, Kadena, 13 seconds; 2, M.J. Townsel, Kubasaki, 13.12; 3, Kayelynn Perkins, Kubasaki, 13.25.200—1, Kyera Tennyson, Kubasaki, 26.96; 2, Lorien McKinney, Kadena, 27.2; 3, Lia Monti, Kubasaki, 27.31.400—1, Rio Harris, Kadena Middle School, 1 minute, 2.97 seconds; 2, Shelby Witschen, Kadena, 1:06.28; 3, Lia Monti, Kubasaki, 1:06.34.800—1, Julie Monti, Kubasaki, 2:37 (ties district record, 2004, Crystal Sandness, Kubasaki); 2, Rio Harris, Kadena Middle School, 2:40; 3, Michelle Castillo, Kadena, 2:41.1,600—1, Julie Monti, Kubasaki, 5:51; 2, Michelle Castillo, Kadena, 5:56; 3, Gabby Falco, Kubasaki, 6:30.3,200—1, Julie Monti, Kubasaki, 12:52; 2, Michelle Castillo, Kadena, 13:00; 3, Violetta Remeslova, Kubasaki, 14:40.100 hurdles—1, Shannon Steele, Kadena, 16.8; 2, Dominique Henson, Kubasaki, 16.81; 3, Kathryn Dunston, Kubasaki, 22.4.400 relay—1, Kadena A, 51.98; 2, Kubasaki A, 52.18; 3, Lester Middle School, 57.99.800 relay—1, Kubasaki, 1:54.7; 2, Kadena, 1:57.1,600 relay—1, Kubasaki, 4:25; 2, Kadena, 4:28.Shot put—1, Elisha Salanga, Kubasaki, 27 feet, 8 inches; 2, Lakesa McClain, Kubasaki, 26-10½; 3, Jasmin Garrigan, Kadena Middle School, 26-10½.Discus—1, Lakesa McClain, Kubasaki, 94-2½ (district record; old record 79-11, 2005, Cristina Carlson, Kadena; 2, Bregan Schultz, Kubasaki, 81-9; 3, Cerah Armstrong, Kubasaki, 66-0½.High jump—1, Kyera Tennyson, Kubasaki, 5-0; 2 (tie), Shannon Steele, Kadena, and Dominique Henson, Kubasaki, 4-4.Long jump—1, Lorien McKinney, Kadena, 4.65; 2, M.J. Townsel, Kubasaki, 4.53; 3, Copeland, Kubasaki, 4.26.

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