Courtney Cabral became the two-time defending champion in the flags event Saturday at the Junior Life State Championships on the Big Island. “We got there and everything, all the distances, were twice as long as they were on Kaua‘i because
Courtney Cabral became the two-time defending champion in the flags event Saturday at the Junior Life State Championships on the Big Island.
“We got there and everything, all the distances, were twice as long as they were on Kaua‘i because they actually measured them instead of eye-balling it,” she said. “That’s when I got nervous.”
The 16-year-old competitor was one of 30 junior lifeguards who participated in the event. Despite having traveled the farthest out of any of the other junior lifeguards, the Kaua‘i team came out on top, becoming the first island to win four state championships in a row.
Prior to that, O‘ahu and Kaua‘i were tied at three apiece.
The conditions at the beach on the Big Island posed a challenge for Kaua‘i’s lot because they were slightly different from what they were used to.
“The sand was soft so it was harder to run on,” Cabral said. “Then it was super windy when we got in the water.”
But she still came out on top.
“I think it was easier for me because I was nervous so I had more energy,” she said.
She also finished fourth in the paddleboard competition.
Sarah Faraola, who went into the championships a two-time defending champion in the 1,000 meter run event for the 13 to 14 year olds, fell to second place on Saturday. She still, however, managed to place in every other event she competed in.
Also in that division, Tiare Welborn took third in the 1,000 meter run. The girls then took first through fourth finishes in the flags event.
Lily Frederickson finished first, followed by Faraola, Sweden Kealoha took third and Sonia Gordines took fourth.
For the run, swim, run, Emma Rausch finished first with Faraola and Anya Littleford taking third and fourth.
Littleford also took third in the 200 meters. Rausch and Faraola finished fourth and fifth.
Kealoha took first in the paddleboard. Faraola finished fifth and Rausch finished sixth.
The teams earn points for every first through sixth finish.
In the girls 15 to 17 division, Caralyn Broyles took second in the 1,000 meters. Carly Matsumoto finished fourth and Keokiana Smith finished fifth.
They practically dominated in the flags event with Cabral defending her title, Matsumoto coming in second, Casie Ford in fourth, Broyles took fifth and Smith took sixth.
For the run, swim, run, Meaghan Sims took second, Ford took third and Kara Dastrup finished fourth. Dastrup and Sims also placed second and third in the 200 meters.
Ford, Smith and Cabral placed second through fourth in the paddleboard.
On the guys side, Pierce Murphy took first place in the 1,000 meter run for the boys 13 to 14 division. Brycen Phillips took second, John Tangalin placed third and Matt Milbrand finished fourth. Milbrand also finished second in the flags and sixth in the paddleboard event. Kaimana Wong took fourth in the paddleboard.
In the 15 to 17 boys division, Scott McGrath took the top spot for the 1,000 meters. Teammate Chris Barich took fourth. Matt Ross placed in two events, fifth in the run, swim, run and third in the 200 meters.
Nathan Carvalho also placed in two events, fifth in the flags and fourth in the paddleboard.
Roy Yamagata, one of the senior water safety officers who accompanied the junior lifeguards, said that even though so many of them placed in the events, the overall winner wasn’t that immediately determined.
“It was real stressful waiting for them to announce the winner,” Yamagata said. “They kept giving out these awards and we were just waiting. The suspense was almost unbearable. But I think it was worth it.”
As soon as it was announced that the junior lifeguards from Kaua‘i were the state champions for the fourth time in a row, they all started screaming and yelling.
“Four in a row!” some shouted.
Coincidentally, there are four pieces to the large wooden trophy they received. And though they just returned from the Big Island Saturday night, Yamagata said they’re already looking to the future.
“We won’t be losing too many of them to the age restriction. We’re looking for win number 5,” Yamagata said.
• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
