KIHEI — Island powerhouse Hawaii Preparatory Academy swimming helped represent the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) last weekend on Maui in the K. Mark Takai/HHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships, putting on a performance for the ages.
Ka Makani earned a top-five finish in both competitions Saturday — the boys placing second (36 points) and the girls fifth (15 points) overall. HPA was the highest BIIF finisher in each outing.
“The performance by the boys and girls teams was phenomenal at the state meet,” coach Mark Noetzel told West Hawaii Today.
One of the Ka Makani highlights of the weekend came during the boys 100-yard breaststroke, as sophomore Coleson Pouoa broke a school record of 58.79s in his sixth-place finish — eclipsing former state champion Sean Domingo, who held the record since 2011.
Of the six different relays HPA competed in, Ka Makani placed in the top five in each. The top performance came from the boys team in the 400-yard freestyle relay, who broke another school record from 2011 set by former HPA swimmers Kaikea Nakachi, Ryan Ross, Kyle Katase and Logan Borowski. Their performance was eclipsed by Kekai Haines, Hulton Chicoine, Kaiea Hudgins and Lucas Duba — swimming a record-setting time of 3:12.38 (second overall).
The top HPA girls relay result was also in the 400-yard freestyle, as Eddy Bratin, Morgan Kearney, Pemma Norbu and Maile Imonen swam in 3:42.24 for a No. 3 finish.
Duba was also crowned as an individual champion in the boys 100-yard freestyle, placing first in 46.14s. The senior also placed No. 2 overall in the 200-yard freestyle, racing in 1:42.94.
HPA junior Finn Wirum collected two top-five finishes on Maui — placing third in the boys 100-yard backstroke (53.59s) and fifth in 200-yard IM (2:00.10).
Norbu and Hudgins also collected points for Ka Makani. Norbu placed fifth in the girls 100-yard breaststroke, as the sophomore raced in 1:08.83 in the finals. Hudgins’ 21.60s time in the boys 50-yard freestyle was good enough for No. 5 in the state.
Over in diving, sophomore Holden Lahey placed second in the boys 1-meter dive (351.40), while Molly Batol claimed fourth in the girls 1-meter (394.80).
Other BIIF schools
Kealakehe was another BIIF squad to swim at states — placing 13th overall in the girls competition. Waveriders senior Bella Shurley placed second in the girls 100-yard backstroke at 57.95s. Shurley also qualified for the girls 100-yard butterfly finals, placing sixth for a 59.85s overall time.
Kealakehe freshman Ethan Ng was also on Maui for the boys 100-yard backstroke, notching eighth individually in 55.56s. KS-Hawai‘i’s Oliliu Wise placed eighth individually in the girls 100-yard breaststroke. Parker’s Beaudin Schad (21.80s) and Hilo’s Dakota Domingo (21.96s) placed seventh and eighth in the boys 50-yard freestyle, respectively.
Hilo as a team finished sixth in the boys 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:32.14.
Official team results
The official team results from the 2024 HHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships can be found here:
Boys
1. Iolani – 65 pts.
2. Hawaii Preparatory Academy – 36 pts.
3. Punahou – 32 pts.
T4. Maui Preparatory Academy – 24 pts.
T4. KS-Schools-Kapalama – 24 pts.
6. Le Jardin Academy – 11 pts.
T7. Kalaheo – 9 pts.
T7. Kauai – 9 pts.
T9. Hawaii Baptist Academy – 6 pts.
T9. King Kekaulike – 6 pts.
T9. Mid-Pacific Institute – 6 pts.
T12. Pearl City – 4 pts.
T12. Lahainaluna – 4 pts.
14. Maryknoll – 3 pts.
15. St. Louis – 1 pt.
Girls
1. Punahou – 73 pts.
2. Iolani – 36 pts.
3. KS-Schools-Kapalama – 35.50 pts.
4. Mililani – 24 pts.
5. Hawaii Preparatory Academy – 15 pts.
6. Kalani – 10.50 pts.
T7. Kaiser – 8 pts.
T7. Maui – 8 pts.
9. Island School – 7 pts.
T10. Maui Preparatory Academy – 6 pts.
T10. King Kekaulike – 6 pts.
12. Le Jardin Academy – 5 pts.
13. Kealakehe – 4 pts.
14. Campbell – 2 pts.
