Tradition was upheld at the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division Track and Field Championships yesterday at Kaiser.

The Kahuku boys won their fifth consecutive title, while the Kaiser girls claimed their third straight crown.

The Kahuku boys won two individual events and both relays — 4x100 and 4x400 meters — and finished with 111 points. Moanalua was second with 105 and Kaiser third with 84.

Kahuku led Moanalua by two points entering the final event — 4x400 relay. The Red Raiders won in 3:43.2, while Na Menehune finished third in 3:46.6.

"I give them some creative freedom to put them in order on how they want to run (in relays) or what they want to run, and turn them loose," Kahuku coach Sean Makaiau said.

The Kaiser girls won six individual running events and finished with 147 points. Kahuku was second with 124 and Roosevelt third with 77.

"We put the girls in the best possible position as coaches, and they just run as hard as they can and we see how it plays out," Kaiser coach Kevin Kruszona said.

The top six finishers in each event scored points for their teams on a 10-8-6-4-2-1 basis. There were eight running and six field events.

For the relays, teams earned points on a 10-8-6-4 basis.

Kahuku senior Jon Cummings won the 100 (11.1 seconds) and junior Paipai Falemalu Jr. won the discus (153-2.75 feet). Cummings also was on both winning relay teams.

In the 100, Cummings and Kaimuki senior Joshwa Salvador both were timed in 11.1, but judges ruled Cummings crossed the finish line first. Kaiser senior James Saffery was third in 11.2.

Cummings said he got off to a slow start, but finished strong to edge Salvador.

Cummings said he is looking forward to seeing how he stacks up in the OIA championships on May 3 and 5 at Mililani.

"(Yesterday's victory) really doesn't feel like anything because OIAs is coming up and I know there are a lot of faster guys in the West," he said. "For me, I have to train harder so I can race those guys in the OIA championships."

Kaiser senior Leialoha Bratton won the 800 meters (2:36.6), 1,500 (5:30.9) and 3,000 (12:19.4); sophomore Cordray Vorderbruegge won the 100 hurdles (17.3) and the 300 hurdles (52.8); and senior Rochelle Lee won the triple jump (31 feet, 9 inches).

"I'm very proud of all the kids that ran and participated up to this point," Kruszona said. "The backbone of our team was Leialoha Bratton, who was a multiple winner, and Rochelle Lee."

The most dominating performance of the meet was turned in by Kalani junior Yasmina Taketa, who won all four events she entered despite pulling her left quadriceps in Thursday's trials.

She won the 100 meters (12.2), 200 (25.9), 400 (61.9) and long jump (16-7.25) with a heavily wrapped thigh. She needed only one attempt to win the long jump.

"It feels really good to get it over with," said Taketa, who quit playing basketball this year to focus on track. "I have two more weeks until the (OIA championships), so I have a lot of time to regenerate and stuff."

On the boys side, the top individual performer was Castle senior Ethan Rista, who won the 200 (22.9), 110 hurdles (15.4) and 300 hurdles (41.9).

"It feels really good. I've been training for as long as I can remember," Rista said.

In the girls JV meet, Kahuku sophomore Tajana Santiago won the 100 (16.9), 300 hurdles (49.6), long jump (14-3.5) and triple jump (33-7.5). She also was a member of the winning 4x100 (55.1) and 4x400 (4:42.8) relay teams.

The Red Raiders girls and Roosevelt boys won JV titles.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.