TOKYO — Saturday marked the last day the Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools’ track and field league ever stages a mile race.

Defending Far East cross country champions Andrew Quallio of Zama American and Gee Mi Jorde of Nile C. Kinnick ensured the final miles would be memorable ones.

Quallio, a junior, posted a 4:29.4, his personal best, a school record and the fastest time in the Pacific this season, edging American School in Japan sophomore Sam Krauth (4:30.6) in the Kanto Invitational track and field meet at Niiza Park in Tokyo’s western suburbs.

The meet saw three Kanto league records fall and another one tied, along with three Pacific season bests, including Quallio’s mile.

"Having Sam on my shoulder the whole time helped. He’s an excellent runner. It’s so much fun to race guys of that caliber," said Quallio.

Unlike last week’s rain-soaked Kanto league final at Yokota High School, Saturday’s race was held under partly cloudy skies with a temperature in the high 70s. Blake Bannister of Christian Academy In Japan nosed out Quallio 4:31-4:33 on May 10.

Jorde came two seconds short of a 2008 Pacific best and four short of the league record, but she did hand Nako Nakatsuka of International School of the Sacred Heart her first loss of the season 5:32.4-5:36.1.

"That’s an accomplishment," said Jorde, a freshman who posted a personal best in her final race in Japan; she transfers to Washington state in June.

With the Pacific season over, the mile and two-mile races become part of history. Kanto and the Okinawa Activities Council will convert to the 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs used in east coast high school leagues; Guam made the conversion last year.

For the second straight year, CAJ’s boys won the team title, barely nosing out Kubasaki of Okinawa 88-86. ASIJ again ran away with the girls title, compiling 113 points; Kubasaki was again second with 88.

"Not bad, considering we had some injuries, had to plug in some people, but I’m happy. Great way to end the season," Kubasaki coach Charles Burns said.

The other two Pacific bests achieved Saturday came in the 400 relays. Seisen International’s girls ran a 51.91, .13 seconds better than Kadena in the OAC district finals April 25, and Kadena’s boys clocked a 43.94, .10 better than their own mark in the districts.

After crossing the finish line, Kadena senior Shun Bowens pounded his chest with his right fist and shouted, "Let’s go! We’re not done yet!" to indicated that his team still had more races to run.

"They’re very focused. That’s driven them all season," Kadena coach Beth Pulaski said of a relay team that picked up seniors Roosevelt Payne and Ernest Carr as transfers last summer. "They’ve been a bonus for us, absolutely."

Leading the record-book assault was ASIJ’s girls. In the 100, Rebekah Siebach clocked a 12.3, topping the old mark of 12.5 set in 1980.

"There are no words," an emotional Siebach said. "I’m amazed I could do that. It’s an honor to be up there. I can’t believe it."

The Mustangs girls later topped their own seven-year-old 1,600 relay record of 4:16.5; they ran it in 4:15.3. Anchor runner Gwen Thornton celebrated her 17th birthday by tying her own 310 hurdles mark of 47.8.

Bannister for the third time this season broke his own 800-meter mark with a 1:57.27. "I had my doubts," he said of approaching the finish. "I saw my time, 1:45 with 80 (meters) to go and I couldn’t feel my legs. It was a matter of will."

Multiple winners included junior Mark Lieberg of Seoul Track Club, who just outdistanced CAJ’s Miles Peterson in the shot put 13.90-13.82 meters, and tossed the discus 35.80 meters.

He credited two months of weightlifting in the morning and practice in the afternoon. "A lot of sacrifice. A lot of hard work," he said.

STC coach Kevin Madden credited the arrival of assistant coach Chris Parks, a five-time NCAA Division II All-American as a thrower. "He’s made a difference. We’re going back to basics. The best is yet to come," Madden said.

Kadena’s Payne enjoyed a rare type of victory – a dead heat in the 200 at 23.0 seconds with Marquette Warren of Kubasaki. "It’s become a rivalry, somewhat," he said of Kadena and Kubasaki sprinters.

"They’re cooking," Burns said. "This is Okinawa weather for them. Perfect weather. Hot. Something the fellas are used to. Another day at the office for them."

Unable to better his 400 hurdles mark due to a left knee injury, Yokota’s Phillip Williams only ran the 110 hurdles and accomplished a stated goal, outdueling Kubasaki’s Randall O’Bannon. "It’s a good accomplishment, but it’s not good enough for me," he said.

Overshadowed by Kadena’s Shannon Steele and Zion Christian Academy’s Kelly Colbert all season, Angela Tennant of Kubasaki finally rose up and won the girls high jump, leaping 1.52 meters to Colbert’s 1.48.

"That was a great confidence boost for her," Burns said.

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