WAILUA — Kanoa Nii roared back to finish with a two-over 74 on Saturday during the final round of the Kauai Interscholastic Federation qualifying golf tournament at Wailua Golf Course.
Kanoa trailed in sixth place following the opening round Friday, posting an 84. He charged back against the brisk winds and the opening round of the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association 14 and Under Junior Tour Series-Kauai to finish with a two-day 158.
The score gave him the KIF Boys Individualist honor and a spot in the David S. Ishii Foundation Hawaii High School Athletic Association boys golf state championship that will contest May 10 and 11 at the Turtle Bay course on Oahu.
Taryn Taguma of the Kauai High School girls team captured the KIF Girls Individualist title after overcoming a strong challenge from fellow Red Raider freshman Jessica Hreljac.
Following the opening round, Friday, Hreljac held a one-stroke lead over Taguma, and was tied at the crossing on the second day before Taguma pulled off the win on the back nine to finish with a two-day 164 (80-84), two strokes ahead of Hreljac (79-87-166).
Both girls are part of the KIF girls championship team and will head to the David S. Ishii Foundation HHSAA girls golf state championship that will contest May 8 and 9 at the Turtle Bay Resort course on Oahu.
Other members of the KIF girls championship team include Sabrina Murphy (88-87-175) and Tyra Oshiro (96-83-179).
Girls individualists making the state cut include Kauai’s Keesha Brown (95-100-195) and Kapaa’s Alicia Hayakawa (106-99-205) who needed to break 100 in the final round. She made the cut with a final round 99, getting a big congratulatory hug from mom Susan. Waimea’s Kelsey Tomimoto (111-100-211) is the alternate.
Kauai’s AJ Apalla, tied for the lead with Kapaa’s Kekoa Eisenhour at the end of the opening round, finished Day 2 six strokes back of Kanoa to end the two days at 159 (79-80), one stroke off the pace.
Apalla leads the Kauai High School boys team that includes Deven Kimoto (81-82-163), finishing third overall, Christian Ganir (89-86-175), tied for eighth overall with Waimea’s Nick Esposo, Riley Gokan (84-93-177), and Jaydon Kyono (90-89-179).
Joining Kanoa as individualists at the state tournament will be Kapaa’s Eisenhour (79-85-164), Island School’s Reece Valencia (83-81-164), and Kanoa’s brother Kamden Nii (83-84-167). Island School’s Niki Upson (85-85-170) is the alternate for the boys.
Results
• Boys: Kanoa Nii (Kau 84-74-158), AJ Apalla (Kau 79-80-159), Deven Kimoto (Kau 81-82-163), Kekoa Eisenhour (Kap 79-85-164), Reece Valencia (IS 83-81-164), Kamden Nii (Kau 83-84-167), Niki Upson (IS 85-85-170), Nick Esposo (Wai 83-92-175), Christian Ganir (Kau 89-86-175), Braeden Yokoyama (Kau 93-83-176), Riley Gokan (Kau 84-93-177), Jaydon Kyono (Kau 90-89-179), Jussten Solatre (Kau 88-94-182), Jayson Serrano (Kau 89-95-184), Luke de la Pena (Wai 89-98-187), Nathan Marugame (Kau 97-101-198), Ryan Martin (Wai 101-105-206), Braden Kobayashi (Wai 107-104-211), Henry Scherer (IS 112-104-216), Kylan Constantino (Wai 104-118-222), Keanu Yamamoto (Wai 105-119-224), Mosiah Bautista (Kau DQ), Kaimana Zarbaugh (Kap DQ), Tyren Nakamura-Palacio (Kap WD).
• Girls: Taryn Taguma (Kau 80-84-164), Jessia Hreljac (Kau 79-87-166), Sabrina Murphy (Kau 88-87-175), Tyra Oshiro (Kau 96-83-179), Keesha Brown (Kau 95-100-195), Alicia Hayakawa (Kap 106-99-205), Kelsey Tomimoto (Wai 111-100-211), Daneica Muraoka (Wai 118-115-233), Kyra Robley (Kau 131-119-250), Breanne Garcia (Kau 131-138-269).
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
