Hilo’s Isaiah Kanno traded comfort for uncertainty Wednesday.
But if there’s one thing Kanno took away from his tedious turn at Hokulia, it’s that’s “every stroke counts.”
That’s especially true in a sudden-death playoff.
The Hawaii State Junior Golf Association championships came down to a BIIF showdown, and Kanno held off the hard-charging Pono Yanagi with a par on the extra hole to claim the crown.
“This is one of my better accomplishments, as I have never went into a playoff,” said Kanno, a Waiakea junior and the 2017 BIIF champion. “I have never went into a playoff and winning my first one is something I’m proud of.”
Yanagi made a valiant run to get to the playoff and gave himself a chance to defend his championship. The Kamehameha senior made up a five-stroke deficit with a 1-under 71, the round of the day, to catch Kanno at even-par 144.
“My mindset was to just play my game and have fun competing out there,” Yanagi said. “Congratulations to Isaiah. He played hard and played solid on the playoff hole.”
Kanno was in a class by himself in Tuesday’s first round, carding a 68, but his fortunes changed Wednesday. His sixth bogey on No. 18 finished off a 76, his four-shot lead long gone.
“I was excited and nervous that we were going to have a playoff,” he said.
Returning to the 361-yard, par-4 18th, Kanno hit his tee shot into the rough about 80 yards from the flag, then pitched to the green within 30 feet, where he two-putted, tapping in a 3-footer for par.
Yanagi bogeyed the hole, just as he had earlier in the day.
“Pono played well and solid both days,” Kanno said. “Congrats to him.”
In the girls competition, Maui’s Reese Guzman closed with a 72 to card a two-stroke win. The first round-leader, Honolulu’s Miki Manta, slumped to a 78.
Yanagi’s 71 matched the round he shot in mid-June at Turtle Bay on Oahu in an Optimist qualifier. On that day, Kanno came in at 72.
On Wednesday, Yanagi caught fire on No. 12, turning in four of his five birdies during the next six holes.
“I feel that my scrambling around the greens was my strongest part of my game,” Yanagi said. “I was able to get some important ups and downs that kept me in he in the mix.”
Hilo’s Aidan Oki shot an 80 to finish in 10th place at 18-over, reigning BIIF champion Riley Kaneshiro (80) of Hilo was at 167, one shot ahead of Hilo’s Riku Omata (87). Keaau’s Ethan Hironaga (84) came in at 176.
The top girls finisher from Hilo was Lacey Uchida, who shot an 81 and tied for 10th at 158. Kaelyn Uchida (85) came in at 165 and Kaley Saludares (88) finished at 172
In the boys 13-14 flight, Honolulu’s Joshua Chung (74) cruised to a nine-shot victory at 3-over. Hilo’s Dysen Park (79) was second and Waikoloa’s Ethan Jaehn (81) came in third at 159.
Honolulu’s Jennifer Seo (80) capped a wire-to-wire victory in the younger girls division, turning in a 157.
Hilo’s Kailey Oki shot consecutive 82 to tie for third. Hilo’s Elle Otani (87) and Kiersten Saludares (91) were at 175 and 177, respectively.
