HONOLULU The Waimea High School boys paddling team finished third, Saturday during the Hawaiian Airlines Hawaii High School Athletic Association paddling championships that was contested at Keehi Lagoons in Honolulu.
HONOLULU — The Waimea High School boys paddling team finished third, Saturday during the Hawaiian Airlines Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association paddling championships that was contested at Ke‘ehi Lagoons in Honolulu.
Comprised of team members Devyn Abergas, Keanu Fernandez, Bulla Ephan, Kahanu Malama, Kaysen Apilado, and Luke “Pandesal” Dela Pena, the Menehune squeaked into the third spot by beating the Kalaheo High School team by just .34 second, stopping the clock at 3 minutes, 44.58 seconds.
The Waimea boys advanced to the state finals after winning the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation division title, and took its first steps toward the state title by edging past the Mid-Pacific Institute crew by .27 second in the preliminary heats. Waimea finished second in the finals with a 3:44.08 paddle.
During the finals, the Menehune came up short against Punahou who captured the boys division on a 3:36.52 paddle followed by Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama stopping the clocks at 3:41.80. The Menehune ended in third with a 3:44.58 run.
The Menehune Mixed team brought home the seventh place in the Varsity Mixed competition, dropping to sixth place finishing King Kekaulike by about a second at 4:00.04. The Varsity Mixed division was claimed by the Kalaheo Mustangs who set the pace on a 3:46.37 paddle.
This was an improvement over the Menehune’s performance in the semifinals where the blueshirts finished second to Mililani High School on a 4:02.04 run.
Kapa‘a girls also came home with a seventh place in the Varsity Girls competition with a 4:38.80 run in the finals that was taken by Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama on a 4:12.61 paddle.
