The future for the Waiakea girls golf team looks as bright as sunshine with three promising freshmen in Kaelyn Uchida, Kaley Saludares and Anne Nakamoto.
The future for the Waiakea girls golf team looks as bright as sunshine with three promising freshmen in Kaelyn Uchida, Kaley Saludares and Anne Nakamoto.
Last season, Hilo won the BIIF championship, breaking the Warriors’ 10-year, double-feat streak (league medalist and team title).
Andi Igawa, who’s playing at UH-Hilo, captured the BIIF individual crown, extending Waiakea’s medalist run to 11 consecutive years.
In the BIIF season-opener on Wednesday at Hilo Muni, where a friendly wind didn’t bother anyone, Uchida and Saludares stamped themselves as serious contenders.
Uchida shot a 14-over-par 85 to take medalist honors, and Saludares was right behind with an 86. Nakamoto carded a 97 for fifth while senior Keely Kitamura had a 99 for sixth.
The Warriors easily won the team race with a 268, far ahead of Hilo’s 300 and Kamehameha’s 307.
Waiakea also has more depth, with freshman Shaye Nishimura and sophomore Maya Oshiro. Both didn’t compete on Wednesday, but provide insurance that coach Sandra Goodale didn’t have last year.
The freshmen all grew up in the Big Island Junior Golf Association together, and push each other when they play in Hawaii State Junior Golf Association events.
“Our goal is to get six to qualify for BIIFs,” Goodale said. “They’re working as a team, and it was a good start for us. We play the game as individuals, but the goal is to play as a team.”
Uchida didn’t drop any birdies but she had a string of par putts on holes 2, 3 and 4, and 7, 8, 9. Then she added two more pars on holes 11 and 14.
During the summer, her highest finish was third at a HSJGA event on Oahu. When it was time for her BIIF debut, Uchida was her harshest critic.
“I was playing well on the front nine, and that was it,” said Uchida, who took a brief moment to enjoy being the medalist. “It feels good, but I have stuff to work on, my short game and my putting. The last hole I lipped out for par.”
Like Uchida, Saludares is big on self-improvement.
Saludares had one birdie, a chip-in on the 10th hole, and four pars.
“I had some clutch putts for par, and some to save bogey,” she said. “My driver was actually going good, but everything in-between wasn’t too sharp. It was kind of rough. I couldn’t get up and down. I had to restart and not think about the front nine.”
Saludares, who started golfing at 7 years old, had an enjoyable summer. She was third at a HSJGA event on Oahu, and won the Big Island Candies tournament.
Finishing second is nothing to sneeze at, especially in a freshman BIIF debut, but Saludares’ competitive drive ran over any sense of satisfaction.
“I still have some things to work on. My score was still too high,” she said.
Waiakea’s double-feat streak was the greatest in BIIF history. There isn’t anything close to that in other sports where a league individual and team champion is crowned.
The team part is over, but at least the medalist streak is still going. And it looks like Waiakea will be a good bet to make it 12 for 12, when the BIIF individual championships come around.
Even better, the young Warriors are following Goodale’s philosophy.
“Our goal is to work together as a team. We had a good start,” said Uchida, who echoed her coach.