Waiakea sophomore Isaiah Kanno got off to a hot start with three birdies on the front nine Thursday and shot a 1-over 73 to put himself in contention at the HHSAA boys golf championships at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu.
Kanno was 1-over with three holes remaining before he took a double-bogey on the par 16th hole.
Still, the 2017 BIIF champion was three strokes off the lead and in a five-way tie for fifth at heading into Friday’s final round.
Hawaii Baptist’s Mason Nakamura and Noah Koshi and Roosevelt’s Kolbe Irei were at 70 and St. Anthony’s Chad Lee was another shot back. Koshi (36-34) made seven birdies, Nakamura (36-34) carded 14 pars and Irei (35-35) had an eagle.
Kanno was at his best on par 5 holes on the Fazio Course, taking two birdies and two pars for the Warriors, who were in third place, 21 shots behind the leader, Moanalua – which had four golfers at 74.
Kamehameha’s Pono Yanagi was second among BIIF golfers at 76, and league champ Riley Kaneshiro of Hilo was at 77, a stroke ahead of teammate Ethan Hironaga.
Yanagi (39-37) managed two birdies, while Kaneshiro (38-39) and Hironaga (38-40) each had one.
Also scoring for Waiakea was Aiden Oki (79).
Kamehameha freshman Dillon Ah Chong shot 80 and among the other Waiakea golfers in the field: Riku Omata and Kobe Toledo were at 82, Trey Nakagawa shot 83, Isaac Inouye was at 85 and Scott Igawa and Kobey Babas were at 87 and 90, respectively.
Kealakehe was also represented by Kobe Lorenzo (84).
Among the golfers at 73 with Kanno was Punahou’s Evan Kawai, who made the turn bogey-free at 4-under, then birdied No. 10 before finding trouble.
Kanno is in the penultimate group Friday with Nakamura and Kawai, teeing off on No. 10 at 8:52 a.m.
