Surge of state swims on the eve of KIF champs

LIHUE — Kapaa High School swimmer Maddie Hoesel led the way with five state qualifying swims, Saturday at the Kauai Interscholastic Federation qualifying swim meet at the YMCA pool, the only swimming facility equipped with electronic timing equipment.

With the KIF championship meet looming, Saturday, the KIF swimmers took advantage of the final qualifying meet to pull together 14 state qualifying swims, including the five attained by Hoesel.

Hoesel qualified in two relay events —the Girls 200 yard Medley Relay, and the Girls 200 yard freestyle relay — as well as three individual events — the Girls 50 yard freestyle where she finished first on a 24.87 second swim, the Girls 100 yard freestyle event where she touched the wall at 56.07 seconds, and the Girls 100 yard backstroke where she touched at 1:04.95.

Kauai High School junior Kai Norman led the boys qualifiers, picking up an individual state cut in the 100 yard freestyle where he finished first on a 51.21 swim, making the state cut by less than a second. Norman also qualified in two relay events — the Boys 200 yard freestyle Relay, and the Boys 400 yard freestyle Relay that finished second on a state qualifying time.

Norman was joined by Raider sophomore Kai Mottley on the 400 yard freestyle Relay team. Mottley also picked up his individual state swim by finishing first in the Boys 500 yard freestyle event on a 5:08.50 swim.

Norman’s first place finish set the pace for Kapaa High School swimmer Ian Raquel who ended second on a state-qualifying 5:17.65, nearly three seconds off the qualifying mark.

Raquel also qualified in the Boys 400 yard Freestyle Relay with Tyler Tanaka who made his individual state swim in the Boys 200 yard Individual Medley where he touched the wall first on a 2:08.46 swim.

The KIF swim championships will hit the water, Saturday starting at 10 a.m. at the YMCA pool.