This year’s Kauai Interscholastic Federation canoe paddling all stars have been chosen.
Kapaa High School has seven all stars on the list of outstanding performers. Kauai High has six, and Waimea has five.
Kapaa has two paddlers in the all star girls crew, three in the boys crew and two in the mixed crew.
Earlier this month, Kapaa’s boys and mixed crews raced in the First Hawaiian Bank Canoe Paddling Championships state competition on Oahu. The boys crew placed seventh in the final race. The mixed crew finished third in its semifinal heat and missed on getting into the final race.
“They’re all hard workers. They’re focused — if I had to pick out a characteristic that they have in common,” said Kapaa paddling coach Micah Mokuahi.
Warriors junior Devonn Manuel said about being selected: “I would say that it shows that if you work hard, you actually can accomplish things if you’re dedicated and you want to work for it.”
Kauai has three paddlers in the girls crew, two in the mixed crew and one in the boys crew.
Kauai’s girls crew was also on Oahu for the state competition, finishing fifth in its semifinal race and missed on getting into the final race.
Red Raiders paddling coach Lori Parraga said each of the Red Raiders all stars were “phenomenal.”
“To be honest with you, every girl played a very instrumental part of winning their (KIF) championship,” Parraga said. “They’re all outstanding paddlers. If I could have everyone named as all star, I’d say basically say every single one has been an all star.”
Red Raiders senior Saedy Tumaneng said about her first all star selection: “When she (Parraga) put me in her mixed crew, it made me feel like I had more pressure. But it made me feel more useful to the team. Knowing that I got all star for mixed is a really big accomplishment for me.”
Waimea has two athletes in both the boys and mixed crew, and one in the girls crew.
“All of them paddled for us at least three years. There’s a couple of them that have paddled for our club (Kilohana Canoe Club) since they were 9 or 10. They’re very, very experienced paddlers,” said Waimea paddling coach Keith Castaneda. “We could have had a couple more selected, but it’s just that we didn’t place. So, we’re only allowed so many slots. But all of them are well deserving.”
Girls crew
Tiani Kama Estrella, Kauai, junior
Christina Carney, Kauai, senior
Rachel Medeiros, Kauai, senior
Haylee Garcia-Raquel, Kapaa, freshman
Sariah Mokuahi, Kapaa, sophomore
Pualilia Kahale, Waimea, junior
Boys crew
Edward Bernabe, Kapaa, junior
Trestin Alfiler, Kapaa, senior
Devonn Manuel, Kapaa, junior
Kaleohono Castaneda, Waimea, junior
William Castillo, Waimea, senior
Donovan Miyasato, Kauai, junior
Mixed crew
Saedy Tumaneng, Kauai, senior
Scott Cushnie, Kauai, junior
Brylyn Aiwohi, Kapaa, senior
Kaimana Zarbaugh, Kapaa, freshman
Kina Hensley, Waimea, senior
Justin Fernandez, Waimea, junior
