KAPALUA — It was just the third team match of the season, but for Landon Long and his Maui Preparatory Academy teammates it was another step toward their goal of returning to the state tournament.

Long, Chris Salem and Renner Chumley were all members of the 2022 state championship boys team and the trio of juniors led Na Pueo to a 151-181 win over Maui High on Tuesday at the Kapalua Bay Course.

Chumley fired a 1-under-par 36, Long and Salem each shot 38, and Arshayah Marshall and Kai Shively both shot 39, one of which was dropped in the five-drop-one format over nine holes. Carter Bozich shot a non-scoring 43.

For the Sabers, Hunter Kitagawa shot 38, Deegan Silva had a 44, Landon Oshita shot 47, Tyler Kanno carded a 52 and Kyptin Yamazaki’s 57 was dropped.

Maui Prep improved to 3-0 in the Maui Interscholastic League West Division. The MIL has split into divisions for the team portion of the season, similar to the league’s tennis format.

Long shot 82-81–163 last season at the state tournament at Wailua Golf Course on Kauai — he finished in a tie for 29th. Long was Na Pueo’s fourth scorer behind Chumley, Salem and now-graduated Dillon Jonke, who all finished in the top eight.

Maui Prep finished second in the team standings, by six shots last year.

“Early in the season, we’re getting back in the swing of things, definitely,” Long said. “We’re learning to play together a lot more. This team’s got so much depth, I will tell you that right now. We’ve had great teams in the past, my freshman year was obviously amazing. Last year we had a solid squad, but this team’s got depth. We’ve got four, five, six, seven guys who can break 40.”

Long has some unfinished business to complete this season.

“It means so much to be back out here,” he said. “I mean last year, it was a good year, but it was heartbreaking at the end, especially for me personally. And you know, I owe it to these guys to put forth my best foot. Last year my prep wasn’t as good as it usually is.

“Obviously, I want to translate that to a better season this year, so I’m so excited to be out with these boys and just prove that I can back them up because I know they can back me up.”

Salem said he is also ready to roll, especially after verbally committing recently to continue his golf career at the University of Hawaii upon his MPA graduation next year.

“It’s always an awesome feeling getting to play with my teammates,” Salem said. “You know, the offseason is great, you get to work on your game, you get to play in a lot of tournaments, but once MIL season and state season comes around you get to really be with your teammates and really form that bond. Yeah, it feels good just to be around the boys.”

The MIL West Division includes Maui Prep, Maui High, King Kekaulike and Kamehameha Maui. The MIL East Division includes Seabury Hall, Kihei Charter, Lahainaluna and Baldwin.

The new format has the teams playing a double round-robin within their divisions, a total of six nine-hole team matches.

Then on March 12, the divisions will compete in a playoff format with first place vs. fourth and second vs. third. On March 14, the divisional semifinal winners will play in a divisional final to determine the first- and second-place teams in each division.

The top two teams in the East and West will enter league championship team playoffs where a pair of nine-hole matches will be played matching the top team from the East vs. No. 2 from the West and vice versa on March 27 and 29 — the total aggregate numbers from the two matches will determine the semifinal winners.

Championship team aggregate matches will be held between the two semifinal winners on April 3 and 5. The teams in the championship will play 108 holes — or the equivalent of six full rounds — in the team portion of the season.

The individual portion of the season will be four full rounds, April 12, 13, 19 and 20. MIL boys and girls state qualifiers will play an additional full round on April 24, while the girls state qualifiers will get one more full round on May 2, prior to the state tournaments.

The boys play their state tournament April 30 and May 1, the girls play their state tournament May 7-8, both at the Kaneohe Klipper Course on Oahu.

The MIL team boys champion grabs the league’s first five spots to the state tournament, while the rest of the MIL state qualifiers will be determined in the individual portion of the league season.

“I like it head-to-head because it really gets everybody involved,” Salem said. “So, you’ve got five guys — we have a pretty deep team, so we’re having tryouts and everybody has got to make the team before you can play. It’s great just to bring that competitive aspect to it.”

While the players appear to favor the team portion of the season, coaches are not so sure.

Jeff Hall is in his first season as head coach for Maui Prep boys and girls.

“From an outsider — I consider myself an outsider because I’m pretty new — the nine-hole matches, it seems a little much,” Hall said. “I kind of am a fan of doing 18-hole matches, bring everybody to the same course and then playing everywhere.”

Maui High coach Wade Kitagawa is in his third year guiding the Sabers and he is not a fan of the nine-hole matches.

“I don’t like it because I think all the teams should get together like Big Island does, boys and girls play 18 holes,” Kitagawa said. “On a Saturday, maybe at noon. The only problem I heard was that maybe they have to pay, but nobody said golf is free. If the parents have to pay maybe $25, so be it, per course, per outing, but at least these boys have the opportunity of playing 18 holes and walking 18 holes.

“We’re the only island that plays nine holes, so when we go to the states they’re playing 18 holes and they’re like tired.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

ALSO TUESDAY

• SEABURY HALL 170, BALDWIN 175

At Maui Country Club

Golfers–Seabury Hall: Tyler Loree 36, Daniel Arashiro Garcia 38, Keahi Sjostrand 48, Jack Brown 48, Bromo Dorn 54 (dropped). Baldwin: Ben Cafferio 38, Brady Yokouchi 42, Tyce Keen 47, Zach Karaoka 48, Rylan Silvery 49 (dropped).

• KAMEHAMEHA MAUI 192, KING KEKAULIKE 204

At The Dunes at Maui Lani

Golfers–Kamehameha Maui: Kalaheo Sakamoto 43, Kahiau Ting 46, Thunder Caulford 48, Gauge Dumlao 55, Preston Lorenzo 55 (dropped). King Kekaulike: Jericho Hagler 48, Jake Hackett 49, Laakea Mossman 53, Ethan Emmanuel 54.