The Kapa‘a High School varsity girls finished sixth at the First Hawaiian Bank Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association state paddling regatta Friday at Keehi Lagoon on O‘ahu. Coached by Sueo Higa and Micah Mokuahi, the Warrior girls was the only
The Kapa‘a High School varsity girls finished sixth at the First Hawaiian Bank Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association state paddling regatta Friday at Keehi Lagoon on O‘ahu.
Coached by Sueo Higa and Micah Mokuahi, the Warrior girls was the only team of three Kapa‘a teams to place in the finals, finishing ahead of the Punahou team by just .01 second with their 4:45.59 paddle in the finals.
Seabury Hall (4:24.37) topped the varsity girls division with team members Hi‘ilei Aiwohi-Kolt, Bela Hamilton, Kaulu Lu‘uwai, Mikaela McDaniel, Alexis Smith and Kamaile Lee under the coaching of Paul Lu‘wai.
Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama filled in the runner-up berth at 4:26.40.
The Kapa‘a girls paddling team was given the opportunity to compete at the state regatta after the Kaua‘i High School girls, leading through the final run, was disqualified following the paddle. That gave Kapa‘a a chance, who filled in the runner-up berth after overtaking Kawaikini in the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championships.
Kapa‘a fared through the semifinals of the state regatta, its varsity boys team placing fourth in the second heat of the semifinals on a 3:57.81 paddle, losing the third place berth by about a second to Leilehua (3:56.45).
Kamehameha-Kapalama, with its team including Ruckus Lindsey, Tyler Meditz, Makuali‘i Perry, Beau Shishido, Azariah Distajo, Kapono Fujitani and coached by Napali Woode, filled in the top spot of the Varsity Boys division on a 3:41.67 run in the finals.
Punahou took the runner up spot (3:49.55) followed by Mid Pacific (3:56.95).
The Warrior wahine topped the second heat of the semifinals, crossing the line on a 4:35.44 run, nearly four seconds back of the top-finishing Parker (4:31.59), and more than three seconds ahead of its heat’s second finisher Kalaheo (4:38.70).
The Kapa‘a Mixed team finished fifth in the semifinals on a 4:26.03 run.
Kamehameha-Kapalama, with its team members Lindsey, Meditz, Distajo, Iisha Fu, Keolewa Puhi, Kekahiliokalani Novikoff and coached by Woode and Kehau Meyer, topped the Mixed division on a 3:52.73 run in the finals.
Punahou (3:55.42), Seabury Hall (3:55.92) and Kalaheo (4:07.18) rounded out the leaders.
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• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
