Posted on: Friday, July 11, 2003

Hawai'i athletes honored by NISCA

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Swimmers and divers from Hawai'i have won 34 All-America citations from the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association.

The top 100 public school times and top 30 independent (private) school times were accorded All-American status.

Harvard-bound Hongzhe Sun of Iolani School led Hawai'i with All-American times in nine events, including a 200-yard individual medley time of 1 minute, 49.17 seconds that ranked first among independent schools and second among all high schools.

Sun ranked third among independent schools in the 100 backstroke (50.40), and fourth in both the 100 butterfly (49.73) and 100 freestyle (45.66).

Punahou junior Noa Sakamoto ranked fifth among independent schools in the 200 freestyle (1:39.55) and ninth in the 500 freestyle (4:31.92). Junior Randall Tom of Maui's Seabury Hall was No. 6 among independent schools in the 50 freestyle (21.11) and ninth in the 100 butterfly (51.26).

Iolani boys freestyle relay teams, featuring Sun and junior Mark Eckert Jr., ranked fourth and fifth.

The highest public-school rankings for Hawai'i were 13th in the girls 100 butterfly by Maui junior Chelsea Nagata and 15th in the 50 freestyle by Kapolei's Meredith Egloria.

2003 HAWAI'I HIGH SCHOOL
SWIMMING ALL AMERICANS

Public school boys

• Evan Duffin-Barnes, Kaiser High, grade 11
500 freestyle, 4:40.44 (71st in nation)

Public school girls

• Chelsea Nagata, grade 11, Maui High (2 events)
100 butterfly, 55.78 (13th in nation)
50 freestyle, 23.88 (47th in nation)

• Meredith Egloria, grade 9, Kapolei High (2 events)
50 freestyle, 23.61 (15th in nation)
100 freestyle, 51.72 (53rd in nation)

Independent school boys

• Hongzhe Sun, grade 12, Iolani (9 events)
200 individual medley, 1:49.17 (1st in nation, 2nd overall)
100 backstroke, 50.40 (3rd in nation, 12th overall)
100 butterfly, 49.73 (4th in nation, 13th overall)
100 freestyle, 45.66 (4th in nation, 21st overall)
200 freestyle, 1:40.90 (16th in nation, 43rd overall)
50 freestyle, 21.41 (18th in nation)
500 freestyle, 4:38.49 (33rd in nation -- consideration)
100 breaststroke, 1:00.04 (36th in nation -- consideration)
200 medley relay
200 freestyle relay
400 freestyle relay

• Mark Eckert, grade 11, Iolani (8 events)
200 freestyle, 1:39.77 (6th in nation, 17th overall)
200 individual medley, 1:51.68 (12th in nation, 27th overall))
500 freestyle, 4:33.94 (15th in nation)
100 butterfly, 51.0 (16th in nation)
100 freestyle, 46.67 (19th in nation)
200 medley relay
200 freestyle relay
400 freestyle relay

• Noa Sakamoto, grade 11, Punahou (3 events)
200 freestyle, 1:39.55 (5th in nation, 16th overall)
500 freestyle, 4:31.92 (9th in nation, 24th overall)
200 individual medley, 1:53.18 (18th in nation)
100 backstroke, 53.36 (37th in nation — consideration)
50 freestyle, 21.68 (43rd in nation — consideration)
100 butterfly, 52.19 (47th in nation — consideration)
100 freestyle, 47.56 (51st in nation — consideration)

• Randall Tom, grade 11, Seabury Hall (2 events)
50 freestyle, 21.11 (6th in nation, 39th overall)
100 butterfly, 51.26 (9th in nation,

• Drew Wallace, grade 10, Punahou
1-meter Diving, 439.65 points (22nd in nation)

• Michael Ono, grade 9, Punahou
Diving, 399.55 points (24th in nation)

• C.J. Smith, grade 12, Punahou
50 freestyle, 21.51 (27th in nation)

• Iolani relays:
400 freestyle, 3:09.71 (4th in nation, 19th overall). Team: Mark Eckert, Damon Jones, grade 11, Daniel Lim, grade 10, Honzhe Sun.
200 freestyle, 1:26.29 (5th in nation, 21st overall). Team: Pat Morrissey, grade 12, Hongzhe Sun, Mark Eckert, Damon Jones.
200 medley, 1:38.86 (31st in nation) Team: Hongzhe Sun, Julian Price, grade 12, Mark Eckert, Damon Jones.

• Punahou relays:
400 freestyle, 3:14.41 (31st in nation, missed All-American by one place) Team: C. J. Smith, Zakary Noyle, grade 11, Noa Sakamoto, Geoffrey Long, grade 10.
200 freestyle, 1:28.58 (38th in nation -- consideration) Team: C.J. Smith, Geoffrey Long, Noa Sakamoto, Zakary Noyle.

Independent school girls

• Karly Kopra, grade 12, Hawai'i Prep
100 breaststroke, 1:05.63 (19th in nation)

• Kamaile Crowell, grade 11, Punahou
50 freestyle, 24.51 (38th in nation -- consideration)
200 freestyle relay
400 freestyle relay

• Iolani relays:
200 medley, 1:50.50 (17th in nation) Team: Kimi Ide-Foster, grade 9, April Woo, grade 10, Mallorie Lim, grade 9, Vanessa Ng, grade 12.

• Punahou relays:
200 freestyle, 1:40.00 (24th in nation) Team: Marina Morie, grade 12, Kamaile Crowell, Alison Wilson, grade 12, Natale Rigg, grade 10.
400 freestyle, 3:38.00 (24th in nation) Team: Marina Morie, Natale Rigg, Kaimaile Crowell, Alison Wilson.

• The following Hawai'i public school girls swimmers were not given All-American honors, apparently because their school did not submit applications:

• Cassie Ka'apu Lyons, Waiakea, time of 1:06.49 would have ranked 91st best in U.S. public schools; Waiakea 200 medley relay team, time of 1:50.15 (67th); Waiakea 200 freestyle relay team, time of 1:39.46 (82nd).