12 of Kaua’i’s best marksmen will vie for a state title at the 7th Annual Civilian Marksmanship Program Air Riflery State Championships on Tuesday, November 1 at the Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall on O’ahu. The Menehune girls dominated the
12 of Kaua’i’s best marksmen will vie for a state title at the 7th Annual Civilian Marksmanship Program Air Riflery State Championships on Tuesday, November 1 at the Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall on O’ahu.
The Menehune girls dominated the 2005-06 season with an undefeated record. The Menehune and Red Raider boys fought it out until the end, as Waimea won a special play-off on Monday, which gave them the KIF title.
The KIF champion Waimea boys and girls squads are comprised of Chris Aguilar, Brian Martin, Nathan Martin, Tyren Sakuda, Kevin Aguilar (alternate), and Kekoa Masuda (alternate) will compete for the boys title, along with Aaron Braun and Kendall Kusaka of Kaua’i High School.
Meanwhile, all female competitors except one are from Waimea High School. The team is made up of Kelly Joyce, Sheila Ramos, Sharla Shimono, Jenni Ueno, Lynell Wright, and Lovely Abalos (alternate).
Kelli-Rose Hooser of Island School is the only non-Menehune to make the KIF girls squad.
Ramos topped all girls shooters with a 967 season total. She was followed by Shimono (958), Joyce (940), Ueno (925), Hooser (922), Wright (918), Abalos (917), Kaua’i’s Samantha Riofta (911), and Casey Shimokawa (895).
The boys competition saw Brian Martin in first-place with a total mark of 1,004. Chris Aguilar took second with a 943, followed by Braun (917), Kusaka (915), Nathan Martin (911), Sakuda (911), Kaua’i’s Harrison Yamamoto (905), Masuda (900), Kevin Aguilar (898), and Kapa’a’s Reyn Mossman (896).
All 60 competitors in each gender will fire in three positions (prone, kneeling, standing). Shooters will fire 20 shots in each position. All competitors will shoot at the same time, beginning with the prone position from targets that are 33 feet away.
Since its inception in 1999, St. Louis School has won all but one state title. Waiakea took last year’s championship. In the meantime, it’s been all Sacred Hearts and Punahou School, with both institutions taking all the titles from the start. Sacred Hearts won four, including last season’s crown and Punahou triumphed from 2001-02.
The tournament is set to begin at 9 a.m. for both the boys and girls competitions, with the awards ceremony starting at 3 p.m.
The OIA fields the most participants with 27 boys and 26 girls, followed by the ILH with 20 total participants. The KIF has the least with 12 shooters.
Hawai’i’s riflery championship is one of two in the United States that is sanctioned by a high school association. The other state championship is coed and held in Georgia.
