LIHU’E — Brian Martin, a Waimea High School senior shooter, was premature in collecting autographs for his weapon, Thursday. With the KIF Air Riflery title at stake, the Menehune shooters split their series with Kaua’i High School at the Red
LIHU’E — Brian Martin, a Waimea High School senior shooter, was premature in collecting autographs for his weapon, Thursday.
With the KIF Air Riflery title at stake, the Menehune shooters split their series with Kaua’i High School at the Red Raiders’ court to force a shoot off that will take place Monday, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. at the Hanapepe Armory.
Coach Victor Aguilar of the Waimea team said, “If our (boys) shooters had just shot their average, the title would’ve been settled. But, only Brian (Martin) and Nate (Martin) hit their average. Everyone else was below.”
Despite all five Menehune shooters racking up scores above 200 points, the Red Raider boys stepped up their pace and finished with their top five shooters finishing over 200 points for the win, 1780-1739.
Aguilar, content that his Menehune girls had clinched the KIF title with a 1758-1636 win over Kaua’i, said that the finalists for the state competition is due on Wednesday, Oct. 26 so the KIF title would have to be settled on either Monday in order to qualify the boys’ Hawai’i High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) state entrants. “I thought our girls had a better chance than our boys,” Kaua’i High School coach Doug Nobriga said as he pondered the possibilities of the upcoming shootout.
“All during practice, the girls outshot the boys, and throughout the year, the girls were doing better than the boys,” Nobriga added.
Leading the Red Raider boys, Aaron Braun finished with 248, five points short of the day’s top shot, Brian Martin of Waimea who finished with 253.
Cody Navarro (241), Kendall Kusaka (235), Harrison Yamamoto (224), and Jason Cabot (218) made up the winning Kaua’i combination.
Brian Martin (253) was followed by Nathan Martin (229), Christopher Aguilar (226), Kekoa Masuda (225), and Tyren Sakuda (224) for the Menehune.
Sheila Ramos led the Waimea girls with a 244 followed by Sharla Shimono finishing at 237. Kelly Joyce (235), Jenni Ueno (227), and Lynnell Wright (217) rounded out the winning squad.
Charissa Riofta topped the Kaua’i girls with 233 followed by Contessa Ricci (232), Maureen Sibolboro (223), Liane Muraoka (223), and Casey Shimokawa (220).
Tentatively, the tie-breaking shooting match will be held at Hanapepe Armory to eliminate the possibility of cancellation due to weather conditions.
Nobriga spoke with Island School coach Doc Woltmon to see if Woltmon would agree to run the tie-breaker which would involve one relay with Waimea and Kaua’i shooters alternating lanes.
Arrangements for the shootoff were agreed to by the athletic directors of both Waimea and Kaua’i high schools, Priscilla Aguilar noting, “It’s only one relay, so it should go real fast.”
