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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, February 10, 2008

Mililani boys, girls swim to OIA titles

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

WAIPI'O — Mililani's 200-yard medley relay team of Kent Yamada, Eric Roth, Larry Grippo and Dane Kawamoto broke a 30-year-old meet record yesterday in helping the Trojans capture their third straight O'ahu Interscholastic Association swimming championship at the Veterans' Memorial Aquatic Center.

The foursome finished in 1 minute, 41.92 seconds, eclipsing the mark of 1:43.50 set by Kaiser in 1978. This week was the first time Roth (backstroke), Yamada (breaststroke), Kawamoto (butterfly) and Grippo (freestyle) swam as a medley team.

"I've been injured with a back sprain for most of the season and just came back about two weeks ago," Grippo said. "But we knew before (the race) we would be ready to take down the record, and we took a lot of time off (previous marks) today."

Kalani sophomore Thomas Yi also broke a meet record, in the 100 backstroke. His time was 54.15 seconds, a blink faster than the previous mark of 54.20 set by Jon Allen in 1992.

"It's been a goal of mine for a while, so I was pretty excited when I broke it," said Yi, who also won the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:58.95, less than a second behind the meet record set by Pearl City's Ross Takai (1:58.10) in 1986.

Mililani swept the boys and girls team championships for the second straight year. The boys finished with 249.50 points, with Kaiser (190) taking second, Leilehua (150) third, Roosevelt (132) fourth and Kalani (124) fifth.

The Trojan girls finished with 255 points, followed by Pearl City (218), Kapolei (147), Roosevelt (126), Kaiser (109) and Leilehua (101).

Pearl City's girls barely missed a record in the 200 free relay, finishing in 1:44.07; the record of 1:43.86 was set by Roosevelt in 1991. The Chargers' Sarah Billiamosa finished the 100 backstroke in 1:00.57, just shy of the record of 0:59.97 set by Kapolei's Meredith Egloria in 2004.

OIA swimming results in For the Record.

PUNAHOU SWEEPS ILH

Punahou senior Rachel Cote set a meet record in the 100 backstroke and was part of the Buffanblu's record-setting 200 free relay team yesterday at the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championships at Kamehameha.

Cote finished the 100 back in 57.83 seconds, beating the mark of 58.51 she set at last year's meet. Earlier, she joined senior Michelle Yoshida, junior Christel Simms and senior Kelli Moy in shattering the 200 free relay record with a time of 1:36.85.

Cote also was a member of last year's Punahou 200 free relay team that set the previous record of 1:39.18.

"For the three seniors, we've been swimming together since we were freshmen, so it's fun to come full circle," said Cote, who has signed a letter of intent to swim for Pepperdine next year.

Yoshida, who signed with Fairfield, missed a record in the 50 free with a time of 24.22 seconds. The record of 23.86 was set by Simms last year.

The Buffanblu swept the girls and boys team championships. Punahou's girls finished with 119 points, well ahead of second-place 'Iolani (47). Pac-Five was third with 32 points, followed by Kamehameha (28) and Le Jardin (14).

The Buffanblu boys finished with 109 points, followed by Kamehameha (47), 'Iolani and Pac-Five (32 each), and Le Jardin (17).

ILH swimming results will be in tomorrow's For the Record.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.