Big Island repeats at Hawai'i Invitational
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
WAIMANALO — With Jarett Hamamoto and Amanda Wilson alone in the zone, the Big Island defended its championship in the Hawai'i All-Star Invitational yesterday at Olomana Golf Links.
Hamamoto, Wilson and Gabriel Wilson — Amanda's older brother — shot 71 in the final round. That, and Seril Shimizu's 77, transformed the Big Island Interscholastic Federation's 11-shot opening-round lead into a 15-shot victory over the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (596). Kaua'i (600) was third, followed by Maui (609) and the O'ahu Interscholastic Association (615).
The team format of the second annual event used the best three-of-four boys scores and one-of-two girls scores each day.
Wilson, a Waiakea freshman, was so imposing her team didn't touch the scores of state high school champion Leah Whiting (78-157), who finished fourth in the Girls Division.
It was the exclamation point on a marvelous May for Wilson, whose sweet swing and vigorous work ethic led to runner-up finishes in the high school championship and Jennie K. Wilson Invitational. Her 146 total at Olomana was four shots better than Maui High valedictorian Rie Ganir (74) and fourth-best overall.
Wilson didn't come close to bogey, birdying the first hole of a 6-hour day and parring the final 17. Ganir made a run with an eagle-three at the 474-yard 15th, scattering the threesome on the green when she hit her 3-wood 200 yards to within four feet of the hole. But Wilson was too focused to falter.
In his final junior event, Hamamoto (71-139) won medalist honors by two shots over Iolani junior Pomaikai Shishido (72), with Gabriel Wilson third and Iolani senior Matthew Ma (69-146) fourth. Hamamoto, who won the last two high school championships, leaves June 25 for basic training at the Air Force Academy.
"He's a very strong-minded player, very aggressive," BIIF coach Lance Taketa said. "He's not afraid to take chances. He has a really good head.
"I think he's very satisfied with his choice of schools."
Olomana played to a par-70 for the boys, who hit from the back tees (6,304 yards). The girls played it as a par-72, from the middle tees (5,905 yards). Amanda Wilson, Ma and Castle's Jonathan Hirata (69) were the only players to break par yesterday.
No one could break the Big Island's hold on this tournament. The BIIF won the inaugural event in 2000. The teachers' strike kept it from happening last year. This year's Big Island team all came from Waiakea (players were picked based on season stroke average), which won the girls state championship and was second to Kamehameha in the boys.
The BIIF dominance could be a cycle. Many expect Kaua'i to rise to the top of the state in the next few years. But clearly the depth of the Big Island's junior program is going to make it difficult.
"The kids are all so committed on the Big Island," said Deron Doi, who coached the KIF this weekend. "They get a lot of support from the community, they have good instruction, the kids believe in themselves and it shows. They really work hard on their games."
Tournament director Casey Nakama is contemplating a national or international format for future Invitationals.
"It might be a different tournament," he said. "It might be Hawai'i against Seattle with six players each. But now I'm just getting feedback about keeping it Hawai'i only.
"That was the idea in the first place. We thought about making it international, but I decided I wanted to take care of the Hawai'i players first, get them some exposure. Then go from there."
SHORT PUTTS: The ILH was missing Kamehameha's Christian Akau, who had the league's best stroke average, and Eric Fong, who was fourth-best, because of graduation. ... The OIA was missing Wai'anae's Earl Medeiros, who played in a national event that conflicted with the Invitational. ... Kapa'a senior Juston Thomas was the only non-Kaua'i High player on the KIF team. Thomas is going to Midland Lutheran in Nebraska. ... Only seven seniors played in the Invitational — three for the BIIF, two for the KIF, one each for the ILH and MIL, and none for the OIA.
