WAILUA — Coach Micah Mokuahi of the Kapaa High School paddling teams said if the Warriors medal at the First Hawaiian Bank Hawaii High School Athletic Association canoe paddling state championships Saturday, it would not be a surprise.
“We have a very young group,” Mokuahi said. “At the very minimum, this trip will be a learning experience to see what they have to train against. But they’ve been training hard for the win so I wouldn’t be surprised if they medal.”
Kapaa High School will be sending its varsity boys crew consisting of DJ Manuel, Kaimana Zarbaugh, Kelepi Loketi, Trestin Alfiler, Edward Bernade and JJ Aquino to contest in the state competition which will contest Saturday at the Keehi Lagoons on Oahu.
The Warriors will also be sending its varsity mixed crew consisting of Levi Eulalio, Kaimi Gonzales, Haylee Garcia Raquel, Sariah Mokuahi, Brylin Aiwohi and Cody Anama after Kapaa captured the division title during the Kauai Interscholastic Federation championship regatta at the Wailua River.
“This is not the same crew that raced in the championships,” Mokuahi said. “We already had the division, so we put a new, younger crew in the water to see how they would do.”
Kapaa’s varsity mixed team dominated the KIF regattas, winning top in each of its races except the final race. The margin of points built up during the regattas was more than enough to give the Warriors that division title despite not finishing in the top spot.
The KIF will be fielding three teams in the FHB HHSAA canoe paddling state championships, the two Kapaa teams being joined by the Kauai High School varsity girls team, including paddlers Kamalei Estella Alana Bailey, Charel Landford, Saedy Tumaneng, Brittnee Pablo, Christina Carney, Calcee Nance and Rachel Medeiros.
Kauai earned the right to advance to the state championships after winning its division title by one point over Kapaa during the KIF championship regatta.
Lori Parraga, Kauai coach, is hopeful her team can make the semifinals.
