Logan Aruga and Maileen Nakashima maintained their standing as the Big Island Interscholastic Federation’s top shots.
On a relatively uneventful day for the league compared to the past four years, the BIIF champions led the way for the Big Island on Tuesday at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association air riflery championships in Honolulu.
Aruga, a Kamehameha junior, missed a top-10 finish by two points, finishing 11th with a 523. Just behind him were Waiakea’s Tre Soultz (520) and Konawaena’s Mikhail Watkins (518).
Nakashima (518), a Waiakea senior, was 14th in the girls race. Kamehameha’s Jessie Coney (511, 19th) was the only other Big Islander in the top 20.
Waiakea failed to bring home at least one gold from states for the first time since 2009, but the Warriors managed third-place finishes in both team races as the top public school.
The Punahou (2,121) boys reigned at states for the seventh time since 2005, while Hawaii Baptist’s Darren Nirei (540) captured the individual championship.
Mid-Pacific (2,104) was runner-up. Josh Ohara and Guy Yokoe also finished in the top 20 for Waiakea (2,028).
Mid-Pacific bagged its first girls crown, edging defending champion Pearl City (2,106-2,103). St. Francis’ Isabel Villanueva posted the best score of the day in either 60-shooter field with a 548.
Kamehameha’s Kealapua Bernabe was the second BIIF girl in 25th, and she was followed by four Waiakea shooters: Tiara Pacheco (27th), Allena Shimabukuro (31st), Jamie Ikeda (34th) and Amber Nagata (36th) — the latter three combined with Nakashima to contribute to the Warriors’ 2,002 team score.
Kamehameha’s Kaleikaumaka Lee was 39th, Hilo’s Liza Saludares was 41st and Christian Liberty’s Janae Pacheco 60th.
The island’s other boys finishers were Kamehameha’s Kaheikili Donner (30th) and Taylor Au (33rd), Waiakea’s Dillon Jon-Gabriel (37th) and Trent Taniguchi (42nd), and Hilo’s Wyatt Wilson (52nd).