GLENDALE — ALA-Queen Creek senior hurdler Kawai King has one goal in mind for the Division III Track & Field State Championships…

14 seconds or less.

Most basketball fans have heard of “7 seconds or less” as an offensive scheme that requires a fast-paced style of play with lots of 3-pointers and little defense.

On the track, 14 seconds or less in the 110-meter hurdles could mean a state record, if not real close to national attention.

“That would be a good goal for me to have,” King told AzPreps365 on May 2. “I’ve put in a lot of work and now I am reaping the benefits.”

The AIA state record is 13.70 set by Michael Bates of Amphitheater High School (Tucson-5A) in 1988.

King was a top hurdler in eighth-grade circles nationally before COVID-19 struck and his freshman season in 2020 was lost. He recorded a 14.2 time his sophomore year but then got hurt and missed the rest of the year.

Junior year included a lot of pain from the “underdeveloped hip” injury he dealt with, something that took him awhile to recover from.

“I wasn’t strong, and had issues running,” King recalled. “It was difficult to experience.”

Now a senior, King is fully recovered and sitting at a personal best 14.09 time in the 110s. He’s a full second-plus ahead of the next contender in the 300-meter hurdles as well with a 38.47 time.

In case you were wondering, the state record for the 300s is 37.01 set by Cylend Simmons of Westwood High School (5A) in 2006.

“To be one of the best hurdlers in the state, it requires hard work, focus and attention to detail,” ALA-Queen Creek head coach Josh DeLano said via email May 2. “Kawai possesses these character traits.”

DeLano said King is a “great athlete to have on our team.”

“He has taken on a leadership role for a very young team,” DeLano said, adding later, “He’s a very experienced athlete who competes every meet and brings it out in his teammates.”

The 18-year-old track star may spend much of his time practicing to be a state-champion hurdler, but he also finds time to work in a football schedule. King started three years for the Patriots.

A self-described “normal high school kid,” King plans to attend Brigham Young University and serve a two-year mission spreading the Gospel before even taking a class.

“I don’t know where I’m going to go yet, but I’ll find out soon. I need to see the doctor and sign paperwork,” King said about what lies next before his missionary trip. “It will be two years of service.”

When asked if he’s nervous about it, he admitted there are some concerns, but nothing that would make him not want to go and serve God.

“It’s exciting and nerve racking,” King said.

As for his track and field career, that should resume with BYU once he returns.

“They’ll hold a place for me and give me chance to compete. Some athletes lose their skills after a mission trip, but I don’t plan on being one of them,” King said.

FAMILY AFFAIR

Stacey and Sabatiney Onyepunuka are two sprinters to watch come May 5-6 at Deer Valley High School. The Agua Fria standouts currently have the top two times in the 100-meter dash in Division III, and Stacey has the No. 1 time in the 200-meter dash as well.

Stacey, sitting at 11.71 in the 100, is looking to top her best. In the 200, she’s at 24.36 but is looking for more.

The junior has been running since she was 4 and will compete in the 100, 200, 400-meter and 4X400-meter relay events this weekend at the Division III State Track & Field Championships.

She placed first overall in the 200 and 400 her freshman year and won the 100 and 200 her sophomore year.

“It takes all my stress away and focuses my mind on being happy,” Stacey said about track and field, and in her spare time, she loves to “take naps.”

Agua Fria head coach David Espinoza said it’s been a “wonderful experience” coaching Stacey.

“She has been working very hard over the past few years, and she has been a wonderful leader in our program,” Espinoza said.

The two sisters aren’t the only athletic standouts in their family. Their older sister, Jessica Onyepunuka, was a sprinter two decades ago for Peoria, setting a state record (5A) in the 100 dash at 11.31 in 2002.

The record still stands today.

STATE INFO

The Division III State Track & Field Championships are scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6, at Deer Valley High School, 18424 N. 51st Ave., Glendale.

Events will be broadcast live on the NFHS Network. Visit AzPreps365.com for more.

D-III STATE LEADERS

100-Meter Dash

Boys: Alex Gallego, Poston Butte, 10.83; Jamaal Young, Marcos de Niza, 10.83; Henry Ord, Arcadia, 10.84;

Girls: Stacey Onyepunuka, Agua Fria, 11.71; Sabatiney Onyepunuka, Agua Fria, 12.27; Odelia Lemons, Agua Fria, 12.53;

200-Meter Dash

Boys: Josiah Anderson, Barry Goldwater, 22.01; Jaiden Lailson, Paradise Honors, 22.24;  Jamaal Young, Marcos de Niza, 22.25;

Girls: Stacey Onyepunuka, Agua Fria, 24.36; Myricle Moffett, Agua Fria, 25.95; Madison Martinez, Salpointe Catholic, 25.95;

400-Meter Dash

Boys: Josiah Anderson, Barry Goldwater, 47.46; Diego Veliz, Salpointe Catholic, 48.86; Bray’zhaun Ogles, Tempe, 49.75;

Girls: Taliyah Henderson, Salpointe, 58.56; Mia Dionisio, Walden Grove, 58.76; Alana Alva, Mica Mountain, 58.96;

800-Meter Run

Boys: Jack Rea, Shadow Mountain, 1:53.87; Bryson Nielsen, Eastmark, 1:55.80; Diego Veliz, Salpointe Catholic, 1:56.64.

Girls: Lucy Turley, Greenway, 2:21.47; Kylie Wild, Salpointe Catholic, 2:22.69; Nya Valenzuela, Deer Valley, 2:23.60;

1600-Meter Run

Boys: Bryson Nielson, Eastmark, 4:15.14; Michael Urbanski, Salpointe Catholic, 4:16.40; Jace Schaub, Canyon Del Oro, 4:27.43;

Girls: Kylie Wild, Salpointe Catholic, 5:08.59; Evangeline Dunckley, Saguaro, 5:13.13; Lucy Turley, Greenway, 5:15.32;

3200-Meter Run

Boys: Michael Urbanski, Salpointe Catholic, 9:18.27; Bryson Nielsen, Eastmark, 9:25.15; Dash McQuivey, Flagstaff, 9:32.97;

Girls: Kylie Wild, Salpointe Catholic, 10:55.48; Evangeline Dunckley, Saguaro, 11:07.73; Lucy Turley, Greenway, 11:11.13;

4X100-Meter Relay

Boys: Poston Butte, 42.32; ALA-Queen Creek, 42.58; ALA-Gilbert North, 43.13;

Girls: Agua Fria, 47.56; ALA-Gilbert North, 49.10; Salpointe Catholic, 49.11;

4X400-Meter Relay

Boys: ALA-Queen Creek, 3:24.06; Barry Goldwater, 3:24.37; Salpointe Catholic, 3:26.75;

Girls: Agua Fria, 4:00.79; Deer Valley, 4:10.06; ALA-Gilbert North, 4:10.28;

4X800 Meter Relay

Boys: Salpointe Catholic, 7:56.84; Shadow Mountain, 7:57.37; Flagstaff, 8:07.44;

Girls: Salpointe Catholic, 9:45.54; Arizona College Prep., 10:13.22; Coconino, 10:20.21;

110-Meter Hurdles

Boys: Kawai King, ALA-Queen Creek, 14.09; D’Vaughn Hicks, Barry Goldwater, 15.35; Lateef Ellington, Dysart, 15.44;

Girls: Karsten Lewis, Canyon Del Oro, 15.28; Remy Romney, ALA-Queen Creek, 15.37; Julia Harris, Poston Butte, 15.48;

300-Meter Hurdles

Boys: Kawai King, ALA-Queen Creek, 38.47; Hunter Clare, Combs, 39.72; Mateo Hernandez, Shadow Mountain, 40.17.

Girls: Karsten Lewis, Canyon Del Oro, 45.91; Julia Harris, Poston Butte, 47.16; Sophia Bryant, St. Mary’s, 47.34;

High Jump

Boys: Robert Stith, Walden Grove, 6-2; Thomas Duncan, Walden Grove, 6-2; Damion Miller-Coleman, Moon Valley, 6-1;

Girls: Tatum Rollins, ALA-Queen Creek, 5-5; Kyana Williams, ALA-Queen Creek, 5-4; Hannah Platt, Bradshaw Mountain, 5-4;

Long Jump

Boys: Jack Mason, Prescott, 23-8; Brasen Durkalec, Mingus, 22-9.75; Eric Bowcutt, ALA-Queen Creek, 21-4;

Girls: Madison Martinez, Salpointe Catholic, 17-6.5; Becca Jasso, Salpointe Catholic, 17-4; Rylea Simonich, Cactus, 17-3.75;

Triple Jump

Boys: Jack Mason, Prescott, 47-9; Hunter Clare, Combs, 44-6; Toby Hopper, Mesquite, 43-1.5;

Girls: Madison Martinez, Salpointe Catholic, 37-9.5; Nicole Crisman, Thunderbird, 35-10; Isis Burden, Thunderbird, 35-8.5;

Shot Put

Boys: Richard Legarra, Flowing Wells, 54-4; Drayden Allen, Lee Williams, 53-10; Reese Quiroz, Eastmark, 49-8;

Girls: Brinlee Clouse, ALA-Queen Creek, 38-4.5; Rowan Hankerd, Mica Mountain, 38-0.5; Liz Ugwu, Sahuaro, 37-9.5;

Discus

Boys: Richard Legarra, Flowing Wells, 175-0; Drayden Allen, Lee Williams, 170-0; Keiton Blake, Eastmark, 169-9.

Girls: Katrina Trahan, Canyon del Oro, 127-2; Liz Ugwu, Sahuaro, 124-2; Arianna Hannan, Lee Williams, 119-10;

Pole Vault

Boys: Charles Pieper, Seton Catholic, 14-4; Cole Hagaman, Coconino, 14-0; Rodrigo De Leon Bran, Salpointe Catholic, 13-7.

Girls: Ashlyn Powell, ALA-Gilbert North, 10-8; Elizabeth LeBlanc, Prescott, 10-1; Raely Palmer, Coconino, 10-1;

Javelin

Boys: Mitch Jensen, ALA-Queen Creek, 168.3; Wyatt Mullenaux, Eastmark, 161-9; Kendric Astacio, Canyon Del Oro, 161-0;

Girls: Angelee Bawek, Estrella Foothills, 123-0; Morgan Van Dyke, Paradise Honors, 106-1; Elizabeth Weiss, Arizona College Prep., 104-8;

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.