By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
Hawaii Prep’s Andrew Paisley fired a 3-under par 69 to grab a four-shot lead over defending champion Chad Suzuki of Waiakea after the first round of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Individual Golf Chmapionships on Sunday.
The first round was played at the Hualalai Resort “in excellent conditions,” according to league coordinator Stephen Perry.
The second round of the three-round BIIF Championships will be played Tuesday at The Club at Hokuli’a. The third-and-final round will be held Thursday at the Mauna Kea Beach Resort. Tee-off is 11 a.m. both days.
Perry, the Hawaii Prep athletic director, said the top nine girls and top 24 boys from the first round advanced to second-round play.
Paisley, a two-time BIIF runner-up, carded a 36 on the front nine and then scorched the back nine for a 33. Suzuki had nines of 36-37 for an opening-round 73. Suzuki, a senior, won four of the six league meets this season.
Waiakea’s Kris Ishibashi (39-38) was third with a 77. Rounding out the top five were Konawaena’s Ryley Chong (39-39) and Hawaii Prep’s Jake Siebert (39-39) with 78s.
Waiakea’s Andi Igawa (36-37) topped girls’ scoring in the first round, shooting a 1-over-par 73 to build a three-stroke lead over teammate Ciera Min, who was second with a 38-38—76. Min won three of the four league meets she competed in this season.
Waiakea’s Megan Kimura (39-39) was third with a 78 while teammate Nani Yanagi (41-41) was fourth with an 82. Yanagi is the defending BIIF champion and captured top honors in two meets this season.
Kamehameha’s Kiana Lumanlan (46-38) was fifth with an 84.
Rounding out the top 9 qualifying girls were: 6. Tiara Inoue, St. Joseph, 44-42—86; 7. Amanda Loeffler, Hilo, 46-46—92; 8. Annie Sadamoto, Hilo, 50-49—99; and 9. Taylor Kaaihili, Kamehameha, 53-53—106.
Rounding out the boys top 10 were: 6. Ho’eu’eu Greenwell, Konawaena, 39-40—79; 7. Richard Chun, Waiakea, 40-42—82; 8. (tie) Steve Kim, Kealakehe, 41-42—83, and Pono Ng, Makua Lani, 38-45—83; and 10. Rayce Bento, Hilo, 42-42—84.
The other boys qualifying were: 11. Davin Yagi, Hilo, 45-40—85; 12. Josiah Leerback, Konawaena, 42-44—86; 13. (tie) Cody Hamane, Hilo, 44-43—87, Kyle Hisanaga, Waiakea, 42-45—87, and Brent Nikaitani, Konawaena, 40-47—87; 16. (tie) Brentson Kinoshita, Waiakea, 43-45—88, Justin Macy, HPA, 43-45—88, Casey Nakatsu, Hilo, 49-39—88; 19. (tie) Cody Pereira, Kamehameha, 43-46—89, Ryan Vazquez, HPA, 49-40—89; 21. Evan Kasberg, Parker, 48-42—90; 22. Eric Dong, Makua Lani, 45-46—91; 23. Ahren Ah Chong, Kamehameha, 42-50—92; 24. Bram Paikuli, Kamehameha, 46-48—94.
Missing the cut were: 25. Stephen Kilkenny, Makua Lani, 52-52—104; 26. Joshua Kitagawa, Hilo, 47-58—105; and 27. Ryson Hirai, Waiakea, 47-58—105.
