It’s a quick turnaround from the CPB/BIIF golf championship to the HHSAA boys golf championship.
Today, exactly a week later, the BIIF’s boys will begin their first of three rounds in the state championship at the Kaneohe Klipper course.
A total of 16 BIIF golfers from five different schools will make their way to leeward O‘ahu to compete among a field of 96 — more than half of which will be from O‘ahu and Honolulu.
Waiakea High and Hilo High will compete as teams — while Kealakehe High, Hawaii Preparatory Academy and Kamehameha Schools – Hawai‘i will enter individuals.
Waiakea
Waiakea will chase its first back-to-back team title in more than 20 years. The Warriors won four straight championships between 1998-2001, and last year’s state title victory was their first since 2003.
They will also enter this season’s tourney with chips on their shoulders due to coming up short at BIIFs.
For the first time in six years, a Waiakea golfer wasn’t the boys individual champion. KS-Hawai‘i freshman phenom Kaha‘i Helm came out of nowhere to shoot two under and snatch the crown, beating runner-up and Waiakea sophomore Jake Otani by five strokes.
“I think they’re more dissapointed than I am,” Waiakea boys head coach Alika Toledo said. “Having two seniors, they’ll never have that opportunity again to be an individual (BIIF) champion.
“For the most part, it was a different season. Bigger team, different strategy — trying to get more players to states, so it’s not like we were able to play our strongest team every match.”
The Warriors’ big three — Jake and his senior brother, Noah Otani, plus senior Ryder Ng — will be accompanied to the state tourney by freshmen Noah Miyazono, Skyler Miyashiro and Olin Sakamoto.
Last year, Ng placed No. 3 overall, shooting +6 after three rounds to lead the Warriors. Noah Otani carded +10 to place No. 9, and Jake shot +14 to place No. 20.
“We’ve been talking to (the freshmen) about it from day one,” Toledo said. “They know that they could be a big part of Waiakea being able to bring home another state title this year. We’re definitely three strong, but we will need Miyazono and Miyashiro to step up this year if we want to be back-to-back state champions.”
Kaha‘i Helm
Helm — who turned heads after carding back-to-back 71s at the BIIF semifinals and finals — will be KSH’s only entry in the state tournament.
Helm had been fielding fairly strong performances for most of the season, but his sudden excellence came as a pleasant surprise to just about everyone around him.
“Prior to the BIIF championship, he had been shooting 78-79,” KSH golf coach Jaysen Manuia said. “Running into the BIIFs shooting 71, that’s huge. Consecutive 71s is incredible. I’m shocked, but I’m not shocked at the same time. I knew the talent was there. He’s just an incredible competitor, and is very coachable.
“There’s so many theories about the golf swing, but if I ask him to try and adjust, it’s pretty immediate — it’s amazing. I’m really amazed by what he’s doing.”
As a dual-sport athlete, the 6’1 freshman has spent the season straddling golf and his position on the front line of KSH’s varsity volleyball team.
“I think he only made it to three out of my almost 30 practices this season,” Manuia said. “He was at volleyball all season. I’m grateful to (KSH varsity volleyball coach) Sam Thomas for letting him golf. It all paid off in the end.”
The tournament
Last year, there was a 16-day gap between the BIIF finals and the start of the boys’ state tourney.
The short interval between tourneys isn’t the only unique challenge this year — the course’s location, inside Marine Corps Base Hawaii, makes it difficult to access for players, coaches and spectators alike.
“There’s a bunch of procedures that the parents and players need to go through, and there’s a timeline on that,” Toledo said. “Luckily the players are not affected, unless they are 18 years old — but, for the parents who want to watch, just like the coaches, we needed to sign an application. They do a background check on you, there’s all kinds of different things you need to do to get on the base.”
BIIF golfers at state
Kaha‘i Helm, KSH
Parker Smithson, HPA
Matty Inaba, HPA
Tyler Maag, Hilo
Reyn Kaneshiro, Hilo
Aidan Puleo, Hilo
Iakona Manuia, Hilo
Kaiden Ambrosio, Hilo
Xander Broderson, Kealakehe
Tristan LaFlamme, Kealakehe
Noah Okazaki, Kealakehe
Noah Miyazono, Waiakea
Skyler Miyashiro, Waiakea
Olin Sakamoto, Waiakea
Ryder Ng, Waiakea
Jake Otani, Waiakea
Noah Otani, Waiakea