0Posted on: Thursday, May 19, 2005
Medalist Watabu helps Kaua'i retain state title
 |
||||||
| Winston Ogata, right, Kaua'i High golf coach for 26 years, said this was the strongest team he's taken to the state tournament. He was right as the Red Raiders won their second straight title and fourth overall.
Timonthy Hurley • The Honolulu Advertiser |
||||||
|
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Staff Writer
WAILUKU, Maui — It wasn't until he easily birdied the 11th hole yesterday that Kellen Watabu realized he was probably headed for a very satisfying finish in the HHSAA/David S. Ishii Foundation Boys Golf State Championship.
"I focused like I knew what I was doing," the Kaua'i High School junior said. "I was in a zone after that."
Shooting a tournament-low 3-under-par 69, Watabu climbed out of a first-round, seventh-place tie to finish at 1-over 145 and help his Kaua'i Red Raiders defend their state title at the Wailea Emerald Course.
Kaua'i, which won last year on its home course of Wailua Municipal, finished with a score of 606, besting King Kekaulike by eight shots. Punahou was third at 621, followed by Kamehameha-O'ahu at 627 and Iolani at 630.
It was the Red Raiders' fourth state team title. Kaua'i also won in 1979 and 1989.
Winston Ogata, Kaua'i's golf coach for 26 years, said this team — Watabu, Cory French, Michael Garcia, Bret Netzer and Chad Nonaka — was the strongest he had ever taken to the state tournament. While there aren't any individual standouts, most of the members average about 75 or 76 and all five have a lot of tournament experience.
"I knew if we could play about average that we should be able to shoot well enough to win," Ogata said.
Ogata said Watabu's performance was a pleasant surprise, considering he played inconsistently during the season and was not feeling well in the week approaching the tournament.
"I knew he was very capable of winning," Ogata said. "But my question was when would he be able to do it. I'm glad he pulled it off now, because it helped us out a lot."
Watabu said he felt confident coming into the event because he had won two consecutive age-level Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association Tournament of Champion titles on the 6,730-yard Wailea Emerald Course.
"This course is one of my favorites," he said.
As for yesterday's performance, Watabu said he kept telling himself to calm down after every shot and to be patient and focused. "I was not thinking ahead," he said. "That's one of the things I've been needing to work on."
To win, Watabu overtook teammate and Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation champion Cory French, who shared the first-round lead at 74.
French, a senior, was handicapped for most of the day after he broke his "go-to club," a 2-iron, on the second hole. The club hit a tree.
"I just wasn't feeling it from the start," he said.
French shot a 74 and finished tied for second with Kamehameha-O'ahu's Thomas Kua (74) and King Kekaulike's Bryan Bangerter (71) at 148.
Reach Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 244-4880.
• • •
| STATE GOLF SCOREBOARD
Final Round Yesterday At Wailea Emerald Golf Course, Maui Par 72; 6,730 yards Team results (Best four of five individual scores) 1, Kaua'i 606 2, King Kekaulike 614 3, Punahou 621 4, Kamehameha-O'ahu 627 5, Iolani 630 6, Mililani 638 7, Maryknoll 639 8, Lahainaluna 640 9, Waiakea 645 10, Pearl City 651 11, Kaiser 658 12, Kahuku 667 13, Kealakehe 676 14, Kapolei 699 Individual results Kellen Watabu, Kaua'i 76-69—145 Bryan Bangerter, K.Kekaulike 77-71—148 Thomas Kua, KS-O'ahu 74-74—148 Cory French, Kaua'i 74-74—148 Shunsuke Aonuma, Iolani 74-76—150 Alvin Okada, Wai'anae 78-72—150 Chan Kim, Kaimuki 81-70—151 Michael Tsutsumi, Hilo 77-74—151 Eli Wilson, Punahou 75-76—151 Nick Shimozaki, St. Anthony 77-75—151 Edward Han, Maryknoll 79-73—152 Colin Imaoka, Mililani 77-75—152 Sam Cyr, King Kekaulike 78-74—152 Sean Maekawa, Honoka'a 75-78—153 Jonathan Khil, Punahou 77-76—153 Michael Sato, Pearl City 77-76—153 Thomas Robertson, K.Kekaulike 78-76—154 Sean Ogawa, Kula 76-78—154 Kirk Usui, Waiakea 78-76—154 Maikai Laureta, KS-O'ahu 82-73—155 Cole Cheng, Maryknoll 78-78—156 Eric Emmel, Lahainaluna 80-76—156 Kel Kunitake, Maui 77-79—156 Bret Netzer, Kaua'i 80-76—156 Kurt Nino, Damien 76-80—156 Scott Yoshida, Castle 83-73—156 Max Bonk, Hawai'i Prep 82-75—157 Ryan Nagata, Kalani 75-82—157 Chad Nonaka, Kaua'i 80-77—157 Matt Heyd, Baldwin 79-79—158 Brandon Isobe, Punahou 81-77—158 Shawn Sakoda, Kaiser 77-81—158 Taylor Shimomura, Moanalua 82-76—158 Kawika Shoji, Iolani 84-74—158 Eddie Moore, Kaiser 81-78—159 Gavin Okabe, Waiakea 80-79—159 Scott Seki, Punahou 80-79—159 Keli'i Sur, Mililani 80-79—159 Tim Trenholme, Baldwin 82-77—159 Randy Yadao, Moanalua 84-75—159 Israel Zablan, Lana'i 81-78—159 Sean Abreu, Pearl City 81-79—160 Burt Bonk, Hawai'i Prep 82-78—160 Edward Huang, Iolani 81-79—160 Aram Hudson, Lahainaluna 83-77—160 Jared Sawada, Mililani 80-80—160 Aaron Castro, K.Kekaulike 82-79—161 Dillon Soldwisch, Lahainaluna 85-76—161 Levinthol Jett, Kapa'a 82-80—162 Andrew Kane, Kahuku 80-82—162 Sam Nevius, Baldwin 82-80—162 Jonathan Sanchez, Castle 85-77—162 Spencer Shishido, Iolani 83-79—162 Kelly Aoki, Leilehua 82-81—163 Andrew Coon, Lahainaluna 85-78—163 Ross Murashige, Waiakea 82-81—163 Shaun Sutherland, Kahuku 83-80—163 CJ Balboa, Pearl City 86-78—164 Michael Garcia, Kaua'i 83-81—164 Ryan Kusunoki, Kealakehe 80-84—164 Travis Toguchi, Kapa'a 83-81—164 Mark Arakaki, Kalani 82-83—165 Jeremy Bac, Maryknoll 87-78—165 Cory Takata, Roosevelt 82-83—165 Ryan Hironaka, Maryknoll 82-84—166 Larry Ishimine, KS-O'ahu 91-75—166 Isaac Jaffers, Kahuku 83-83—166 Andrew Lam, Punahou 87-79—166 Ryan Nakao, King Kekaulike 88-78—166 Pono Calip, KS-Hawai'i 86-81—167 Reis Marushige, Waiakea 86-81—167 Craig Neves, Campbell 88-79—167 Joel Furuto, Konawaena 87-81—168 Jamie Hannman, Kaiser 85-83—168 Kamalu Kaina, KS-Maui 88-80—168 Shane Keliiaa, KS-O'ahu 80-88—168 Jared Matsuda, Kailua 82-86—168 Jack Sisler, Punahou 84-84—168 Daniel Zane, Roosevelt 81-87—168 Luke Blum, Leilehua 90-79—169 Ross Gaylord, Punahou 82-87—169 Hunter Larson, Kealakehe 84-85—169 Colton Mikalonis, 'Aiea 82-87—169 Koa Siverly, KS-O'ahu 86-83—169 Rance Yanabu, University High 85-84—169 Bradley Hiyakumoto, K.Kekaulike 87-83—170 Ian Kendrick, Kapolei 94-76—170 Stefan Tachibana, Waiakea 83-87—170 Ricky Marumoto, Kalani 88-83—171 Torres Noel, Waimea 85-86—171 Eddie Lee, Kealekehe 89-83—172 Sean Kau, Kaiser 88-85—173 Todd Kitamori, Waiakea 91-82—173 Casey Mori, Kealakehe 86-87—173 Brandon Nahale, Hawai'i Baptist 86-87—173 Bryan Chee, Mid-Pacific 89-85—174 Joey Padeken, Le Jardin 85-90—175 Shane Adversalo, University High 90-86—176 Kevin Katano, Pearl City 87-89—176 Matthew Kim, University High 92-84—176 Elden Mahelona, Kahuku 94-82—176 Preston Miller, Kapolei 90-86—176 Dane Serikaku, Mililani 83-93—176 Kenji Ackert, Kealakehe 87-90—177 Jon Ichimura, Mililani 93-84—177 Robb Inouye, Iolani 91-86—177 Jayce Teruya, Maryknoll 94-84—178 Reece Yamada, Kapolei 89-89—178 Noren Irie, Hilo 87-93—180 Hunter Hughes, Kapolei 92-88—180 Trevor Martin, Castle 88-92—180 Sam Denn, Kapolei 98-84—182 Sam Quel, Wai'anae 96-87—183 Mikah Obrero, Hawai'i Baptist 97-93—190 Paul McWilliams, Kalaheo 99-93—192 Taylor Kunioka, Kailua 101-93—194 Scott Chulakote, Kailua 93-108—201 |
