(Stars and Stripes)

Sometimes, it’s not how you finish but how you start.

That was the case Friday for Jeremiah Tucker, who broke out of the blocks “perfectly” as one coach put it and raced to a Pacific record in the 100-meter dash Friday at Kubasaki’s Mike Petty Stadium.

Tucker, a junior, outran Kubasaki junior Ryan Hater 10.45 seconds to 10.59, breaking the old Pacific record of 10.53 set last season by D’Jhontae Douglas of Humphreys.

“I’m telling you, he got out of the blocks perfectly (and) got a step ahead of Ryan,” Kubasaki coach Joshua McCall said. “The temperature was perfect, there was no wind. Perfect conditions for a meet.”

Tucker has been battling Hater and Kadena senior Neil Kentish – who did not run the 100 Friday – all season, and said the key was to get out quickly to have a chance.

“I said to myself if I could just get in front of him (Hater), I could be at top speed for the run,” Tucker said. “He was right there with me.”

It was the next to last meet of the Okinawa regular season; the last meet is scheduled for next Thursday and Friday at Kadena.

Kinnick’s Lucas throws 13th no-hitter of Pacific season

The weather at Misawa Air Base was chilly and gusty, but that didn’t seem to bother Lilly Lucas.

The Nile C. Kinnick freshman right-hander tossed the 13th no-hitter of the Pacific diamond season in a 14-2 win Friday at Robert D. Edgren.

Lucas allowed two runs and three walks while striking out eight, throwing 50 of 84 pitches for strikes.

“She did such a good job,” Red Devils coach Taylor Kigerl-Hill said of Lucas, who improved to 7-2 on the season despite winds gusting to 25 mph that made 50-degree weather feel much colder.

“There was a ton of wind, but she just kept pounding the zone and did a great job,” Kigerl-Hill said.

Rain held off until after the game ended, leaving open the possibility of a rainout Saturday.