PO‘IPU — Kapa‘a coach Fred Levinthol was hoping none of his golfers would DQ Saturday. With some of his golfers away for spring break, Levinthol said, “I need all the golfers I have. If any one of them DQs, it’s
PO‘IPU — Kapa‘a coach Fred Levinthol was hoping none of his golfers would DQ Saturday.
With some of his golfers away for spring break, Levinthol said, “I need all the golfers I have. If any one of them DQs, it’s all over.”
But Levinthol’s boys didn’t DQ, and with only four golfers to count towards the team scoring, Kapa‘a boys finished 34 strokes back of Kaua‘i High School which finished at 323 in team scoring and taking the match.
Kapa‘a followed at 357 with Waimea rounding out the team scoring at 377.
But Levinthol was not alone in trying to get the most out of spring break as Kaua‘i’s top girl golfer, Kelli Oride and her brother Cory, were away as well.
That gave the top score in the girls competition to Kapa‘a’s Gabby Saiki who carded an 82 (41-41) at the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation match, punctuated with showers and rain, played Saturday at the Po‘ipu Bay Golf Course.
Rae-Lynn Morikawa, Kaua‘i’s top girl finisher, followed five strokes off the pace at 87 (43-44).
Melissa Kagawa, one of the improving girl golfers from Waimea, filled in third at 99 (48-51) followed by Kristy Rapozo (53-53-106), Alex Dorn (64-74-138) and Hamia Arquette (77-82-159) whose ball was an unmistakable pink.
With the absence of Cory, Kaua‘i boys got a strong showing from Levi Miyashiro who finished the back nine at 1-under-par for a total of 74 (39-35).
Wiley Yoshioka, who parred the front nine, succumbed to the blustery weather on the back nine to finish at 79 (36-43). Taylor Bell (39-42-81), Allen Koerte (47-42-89) and Kyle Furusho (43-47-90) rounded out the Raiders’ team scoring.
Sean Mamaclay topped the Kapa‘a team scoring for the boys with an 81 (40-41) followed by Justin Uegawa finishing eight strokes off the Warrior pace at 89 (44-45). Kevin Wataya (45-45-90) and Anderson Dreisch (56-51-107) followed.
Justin Moriguchi led the Waimea team scoring with an 82 (41-41) followed by Grant Paiste (47-42-89).
Jake Kuzen, described by some of the spectators as one of the most improved Waimea players, finished a solid No. 3 for the Menehune by carding a 104 (50-54). Joshua Waalani Matsusaka (51-59-110) and Kellen Nadatani (63-57-120) rounded out the team scoring.
Eric Gyett represented Kula Intermediate & High with a 111 (59-52) and Ryan Wong had the bright blue for Island School. His front nine score came in at 51, but no back nine scores were available at press time.
Other golfers on the course included Mitch Keep (48-47-95), Jordan Oda (43-44-87) and Eric Onadera (46-48-94) for Kaua‘i High School.
Adam Chandler (55-47-102), Jacob Matutino (58-61-119), Ka‘imi Kaohi Miyashiro (60-60-120), and Camden Nakashima (57-59-116) wore Menehune blue.
The KIF golf match moves back to the Wailua Golf Course this Saturday with the first group teeing off at 11:30 a.m.
Kaua‘i coach Ipo Yoshioka said with the state championships being held on Kaua‘i in early May, he wanted the players to have a lot of experience at Wailua where the HHSAA state championships will be played.