WAILUA — Cory Oride finished with a one-under par 71 and Kelli Oride ended with a four-over par 76 to lead the final qualifying round Saturday at Wailua Golf Course.
Those finishes gave the top Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation individualist titles to the brother-sister team from Kaua‘i High School for the second straight year.
For Cory, the 71 was four strokes better than his 75 last week and puts him at the top of the averages at 73. He will be joined by Levi Miyashiro (76-78), Jordan Oda (73-81), Wiley Yoshioka (78-77) and Kyle Furusho (82-76) as the KIF team that will participate in the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association 2009 David S. Ishii Foundation Golf Championships at the Royal Ka‘anapali Golf Course May 12-13.
Kapa‘a golfer Sean Mamaclay, finishing last week’s opening round as one of the leaders with a 73, finished Saturday at 81, but with his good round was able to secure the first of three individual berths to the state tournament with an average of 77.
Weston Moniz, another Kapa‘a golfer, had the exact opposite story from Mamaclay, finishing last week’s round at 88 before charging back with a three-over par 75, Saturday.
“I knew he could do it,” said Fred Levinthol, one of the Kapa‘a coaches. “Anyone who shot in the 70s had a good shot at the state.”
Moniz finished the 36-hole tournament with an 81.5 average and locked up the second berth. Darren Valencia (84-83) filled in the third berth with an 83.5 average.
Mitch Keep, finishing the final 18 holes a stroke better than Valencia, was handicapped by an 87 last week that dropped his average to an 84.5, just missing the cut. Keep finished with the same average as Kapa‘a’s Justin Uegawa who tumbled from an opening round 81 to 88, Saturday.
Kelli Oride finished with a 76, the best score for the girls’ field Saturday. She was joined by fellow Red Raider Rae-Lyn Morikawa who finished at 84, and Kapa‘a’s Gabby Saiki, finishing just three strokes back of Kelli at 76, as the three female individualist joining the four-member Waimea girls team at the state tournament that will be played May 5-6 at the same Royal Ka‘anapali Golf Course on Maui.
Entering the tournament, Kelli leads the field with a 149 average followed by Saiki at 156 and Morikawa at 164.
Melissa Kagawa, pushed to the next level by being paired with the individual leaders, consistently led the Waimea girls who made history by capturing the girls team title this year.
Kagawa finished Saturday’s round at 94 for a 185 average. Also on the Menehune team are Pualani Ragasa (119-111), Quincee Parongao (122-126) and Hanna Pleas (122-131).
