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Spartans, Na Alii girls, Sabers boys win MIL swim titles

By Dakota Grossman 5 min read

KIHEI -- Aniston Eyre couldn't imagine a better way to conclude her high school swimming career.

The King Kekaulike High School senior went home with four gold medals from the Maui Interscholastic League swimming and diving championships Saturday at Kihei Aquatic Center, racking up points to also lead Na Alii to a tie with Seabury Hall for the girls team title at 54 points.

The win ended the Baldwin girls team's 11-year reign atop the MIL, while the Maui High boys totaled 61 points to stop the Bears' eight-year run in that division.

For coach Reid Yamamoto and his team, it was redemption after the Sabers fell short last year, when a relay disqualification cost them valuable points.

"It feels great, I mean, kudos to Baldwin and to Lahaina, all those teams, but I think the boys really wanted it this year," Reid said. "Everybody contributed, from diving to getting a point here and there, you know, we have a great bunch of kids. ... It's not all of me per se, it's the kids that make us successful, so I think it's a team effort -- the coaches, the school, our principal and our AD."

Eyre started her day by anchoring Na Alii's winning 200-yard medley relay and then finishing first in the 50 freestyle in 24.04 seconds. It was her fourth straight MIL title in the event, which she still holds the meet record for at 23.62.

"What a meet to finish off my high school career in the MIL, winning the relay with my team just blew my mind, we've come so far over my four years," she said. "It's such a great meet for our team and it's such a great way. ... I'm shaking."

Later, she jumped back into the pool to win the 500 free (5:05.61), which is not always a common distance for her, but "it was fun to try something different."

Eyre also helped King Kekaulike's 200 free relay team to a close victory over Maui High, 1:41.00-1:43.02.

"Our relays and individuals are placing really well and getting good times, but also there's just a great team dynamic," she said. "I'm just so excited to be experiencing this."

The Na Alii girls also got a victory from Afton Page in the 100 butterfly (1:00.09 ) as well as a runner-up finish from Cecilia Buckingham in the 100 free.

"Wow, it's just great watching their dream, it's just been fantastic," said Na Alii coach Malcolm Cooper. "They all swam better than they knew they could. ... I just had a lot of fun coaching them."

The Spartans and Na Alii have shared lanes during practice this season, which made the tie even more special for Seabury coach Kyle Drake.

"As far as I know, that was our first swimming win," Drake said. "It was great, and even more so because we practice in the same pool as King K, so winning with the people that we swim with every day is a little bit extra of how special it was."

The Spartans climbed up the rankings with wins in the final two events -- the 100 breaststroke, won by Kamille Pellettieri in 1:07.63, and the 400 free relay, which included Kalla and Kamille Pellettieri, Helena Colletta and Madison Eiting.

Kamille Pellettieri also placed second in the 200 individual medley, Colletta was runner-up in the 500 free and Eiting took silver in the 50 free and 100 fly.

The Maui High boys got a mix of individual and relay victories to pull away from the rest of the teams.

After KaiMana DeGuzman-Meya won in 1-meter diving, Patrick Garduque (100 fly, 53.56), Connor Gunderson (100 free, 48.54) and Aaren Orquia (500 free, 4:45.61) picked up individual golds while also joining Kian Leonard for wins in both free relays.

While Baldwin finished second in the boys standings and third in the girls, the Bears still left the pool with a pair of double champions.

"It feels good, hard work pays off," said Carl Vincent McNabb, who trusted his training to win the 200 free (1:45.26) and came back for gold in the 100 back (54.70). "I just go in, do my best, and go into each and every race knowing what I'm doing, and learn what I'm capable of doing."

Now he feels "pumped up" for the state championships, set for Feb. 14-15 at Kihei.

Bears sophomore Maria King was in tears and surrounded by her teammates after edging Maui High's Karissa Ginoza in the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.82. Ginoza finished second in 58.96.

Earlier in the day, King won the 100 free in 53.97, saying that this year "I surprised myself a lot."

"I'm really overjoyed that I was able to hit that time because all season I've been pushing for it but I just haven't been making it," she said. "The competition is so wild and crazy, everyone is so fast around, so I think it brings out the best times in everybody and so I was able to push myself because of my competition."

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