BY KEVIN JAKAHI | STEPHENS MEDIA ADVERTISING HILO — It was a heart-pounding sprint to the finish for all three races, with high drama and an emotionally charged atmosphere sharing equal roles in the day’s excitement at the Hawaii High
BY KEVIN JAKAHI | STEPHENS MEDIA
HILO — It was a heart-pounding sprint to the finish for all three races, with high drama and an emotionally charged atmosphere sharing equal roles in the day’s excitement at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association canoe paddling state championships.
For the hometown fans, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation crews had a bad day at the office. No one placed in the half-mile boys, girls or mixed races on a slightly windy, overcast Friday at Hilo Bay.
Try as it might, the BIIF just couldn’t muster much on its home course. Honokaa took seventh, and Kealakehe finished eighth in the girls finals. The boys and mixed championships were filled with visitors. The Parker mixed team finished sixth.
But for the purists, the racing, especially the furious finishes, couldn’t have gone better. Everything was so close, particularly the jockeying of the top two spots between Interscholastic League of Honolulu schools in all three events.
The biggest surprise was Punahou edging Kamehameha-Oahu in a boys race by the slimmest of margins, 3 minutes, 34.825 seconds to 3:34.959.
History was on Kamehameha-Oahu’s side. And not just that, but one other important thing, too.
During the ILH season, the Warriors won five regattas, including the league championship, a 6-mile jaunt. The Buffanblu captured one ILH meet. (The BIIF and Oahu Interscholastic Association run half-mile regattas.)
Even more surprising was Punahou’s lack of experience. Only senior Aaron Madden is a returning starter. He was the lead stroker throughout the season, but he moved to the No. 5 seat for the state championships.
Sophomore stroker Walker Bolan set a good sprinter’s pace, and junior steersman Keanu Chee navigated Punahou’s steady glide powered by Madden, senior Austin Ayer, sophomore Oliver Lewis, and junior Kaimana Rosso.
State Paddling Regatta
Held Saturday at Hilo Bay
HALF-MILE
Boys: 1. Punahou (Austin Ayer, Walker Bolan, Keanu Chee, Oliver Lewis, Aaron Madden, Kaimana Rosso; Kyle Gion, Alika Philpotts, Kaimi Sakamaki, Easton Watamull), 3:34.825; 2. Kamehameha-Kapalama (Savili Bartley, Keanu Gututala, Darrin Lee, Hopena Pokipala, Max Wellein, Kaeo Lindsey, Tyler Meditz, Makualii Perry, Beau Shishido, Kaleopaa Vares), 3.34.959; 3. Kalaheo, 3:39.047; 4. Kailua, 3:45.755; 5. Roosevelt, 3:46.564; 6. Baldwin, 3:48.844; 7. Maui, 3:50.290; 8. Leilehua, 3:54.498.
Girls: 1. Pac-5 (Megan Kono, Ocean Hay, Raven Howser, Maryna Feldberg, Clara Schlieman, Kahala Schneider, Natasha Staman, Iolani Kahapea-Aquino, Kylie Faildo, Taeler Akana), 4:01.936; 2. Kamehameha-Kapalama, 4:02.413; 3. Seabury Hall, 4:06.573; 4. Kamehameha-Maui, 4:14.021; 5. Kapaa, 4:21.849; 6. Kailua, 4:26.352; 7. Honokaa, 4:27.929; 8. Kealakehe, 4:33.888.
Mixed: 1. Kamehameha-Kapalama (Hopena Pokipala, Kaeo Lindsey, Tyler Meditz, Iisha Fu, Keolewa Puhi, Nani Woolsey; Savili Bartley, Keanu Gututala, Zoey Kalahiki, Tressie Ostermiller), 3:43.430; 2. Punahou (Lauren Ashford, Jennifer Bell, Ericka Saito, Kylie Courtney, Victoria Rooks, Aaron Madden, Walker Bolan, Eric Rosso, Geoffrey Lewis, Austin Ayers), 3:43.620; 3. Kalaheo, 3:46.695; 4. Seabury Hall, 3:48.450; 5. Baldwin, 3:56.150; 6. Parker, 4:01.944; Kailua, 4:03.504; 8. Moanalua, 4:07.180.
sports@hawaiitribune-herald.com
