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Na Alii, Pueo capture MIL titles

Conan Gentil of Seabury Hall rides a wave en route to winning the boys shortboard title on Saturday at Hookipa. -- 1morephotography / DAYANIDHI DAS photo

King Kekaulike High School repeated as the Maui Interscholastic League boys surfing champion while the Maui Prep girls won their second title in three years Saturday in double-overhead waves at Hookipa Beach Park in Kuau.

Na Alii won big at their home break, placing all four of their surfers and bodyboarders in the top eight on the way to 5,147 points. Na Pueo were second with 3,302.

Alex Fahland, a sophomore, was King Kekaulike’s only champion, taking the bodyboard title after finishing third last year. Miles Obley was fourth, Ezekiel Pagan seventh and Trae Grow eighth.

In the shortboard, Axel Rosenblad was third, Jackson Green sixth, James MacKenzie seventh and Ethan Anderson eighth.

“I’m really happy,” Fahland said. “A lot of credit goes to my coaches and teammates. We help each other in heats.”

Maui Prep’s Sophia Johnston competes during girls shortboard Saturday — she placed second in shortboard and won the bodyboard competition. -- 1morephotography / DAYANIDHI DAS photo

King Kekaulike’s team comprises only underclassmen.

“They are young and are amazing, super nice kids,” said Na Alii coach Matt Brown. “They show up for practice, super positive, great attitudes.”

The girls team race was closer — Maui Prep finished with 4,794 points, 716 more than King Kekaulike.

Na Pueo’s Sophia Johnston took the bodyboard title for the second time in three years and finished second in shortboard — she had won that division in 2015 and 2016.

“Very stoked, that’s been my mission over these last two years, to take home the gold for the team,” Johnston said. “It was a good way to wrap up my last high school contest.”

Girls shortboard winner Kayla McCarthy of King Kekaulike competes. -- 1morephotography / DAYANIDHI DAS photo

Maui Prep coach Andrew O’Riordan said: “Sophia is our heart, soul and leader. She has such positive energy inspiring the other girls. She’s very encouraging to the other girls. We’ll miss her dearly.”

Kayla McCarthy of King Kekaulike was the shortboard champion.

“I gave it to God and asked him for a few waves,” she said.

Conan Gentil of Seabury Hall won boys shortboard for his first MIL title. He placed third last year.

“It’s so good to win in such good waves,” Gentil said. “I believed I could do it, I was confident.”

Na Alii’s Alex Fahland wins boys bodyboard. -- 1morephotography / DAYANIDHI DAS photo

Kaawaloa Shamblin of Hana and Irie Gonah of Maui Prep received new surfboards after the contest for being selected by contest officials as most improved surfers.

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MIL MEET NO. 4

Saturday’s Results • At Hookipa Beach Park

Boys

Team–1. King Kekaulike 5,147; 2. Maui Prep 3,302; 3. Seabury Hall 2,440; 4. Baldwin 2,198; 5. Kamehameha Maui 2,083; 6. Hana 1,995; 7. Lahainaluna 1,449; 8. Haleakala Waldorf 899; 9. Maui High 810.

Shortboard–1. Conan Gentil, Seabury Hall; 2. Tyler Kirby, Maui Prep; 3. Axel Rosenblad, King Kekaulike; 4. Spike Shannon, Baldwin; 5. Dante Silva, Maui Prep; 6. Jackson Green, King Kekaulike; 7. James MacKenzie, King Kekaulike; 8. Ethan Anderson, King Kekaulike; 9. Xavier de Jetley, Hana

Bodyboard–1. Alex Fahland, King Kekaulike; 2. Tyler Kirby, Maui Prep; 3. Tanek Rucynski, Maui High; 4. Miles Obley, King Kekaulike; 5. Colton Luke, Kamehameha Maui; 6. Xavier de Jetley, Hana; 7. Ezekiel Pagan, King Kekaulike; 8. Trae Grow, King Kekaulike; 9. Kaawalos Shamblin, Hana

Girls

Team–1. Maui Prep 4,794; 2. King Kekaulike 4,078; 3. Seabury Hall 2,623; 4. Kamehameha Maui 2,194; 5. Haleakala Waldorf 1,743; 6. Maui High 1,196; 7. Lahainaluna 961; 8. Hana 348; 9. Baldwin 306

Shortboard–1. Kayla McCarthy, King Kekaulike; 2. Sophia Johnston, Maui Prep; 3. Irie Gonah, Maui Prep; 4. Kamalei Roback, Kamehameha Maui; 5. Cici Buckingham, King Kekaulike; 6. Skylar Lickle, Seabury Hall; t7. Luna Bellinghausen, Maui Prep; t7. Kira Caterina, Seabury Hall; t9. Kylie Malcolm, Haleakala Waldorf; t9. Madison Runyon, Lahainaluna.

Bodyboard–1. Sophia Johnston, Maui Prep; 2. Kayla McCarthy, King Kekaulike; 3. Cici Buckingham, King Kekaulike; 4. Jaden Sing, Maui High; 5. Irie Gonah, Maui Prep; 6. Kaya Givensel, Seabury Hall; t7. Madison Runyon, Lahainaluna; t7. Kamalei Roback, Kamehameha Maui; t9. Alex Narayan, Maui Prep; t9. Isabella Talavs, King Kekaulike.

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