“First, let me say welcome back to Kaleo: I’ve always appreciated the coverage the paper’s given Kahuku High sports,” said Athletic Director Joe Whitford. “We still have teams playing, so let’s start with the ones going now”:

Girls basketball

“The girls basketball team is probably in fifth place right now, with a couple of big games coming up,” Whitford said, “and we’ll probably go to the OIA playoffs in that position.

He added that Peni Latu is the new varsity head coach, succeeding Valerie Cravens
Anae. “This is his first season. He also coached the JV boys in the winter season.”

“The JV girls are currently in second place and are battling for an OIA playoff position, so we’re right in the thick of things.”

Golf

“Our golf team is doing better, and is right at the top of the OIA East standings: We are the defending OIA boys champion in golf. I think we have a chance to repeat as champs again this year. Jovan Joaquin, a Kahuku graduate (’83), is our golf coach. This is his second year at the helm. Our best golfer this year is Inoka Kahawaii, a sophomore.” Whitford said.

Judo

“In Judo, former coach Reggie Torres has stepped down. He’s still head football and head wrestling coach; and we have a brand-new coach: Ray Imada, a sensei (teacher) out of Kaneohe area who wanted to have the opportunity to coach here. He used to coach Castle,” the AD said.

“Reggie still helps, and the boys are currently in third place in the OIA. The girls aren’t doing quite as well. Our better competitors include Richard Torres, Reggie’s son; Daymon Carr and Ira Casey.”

Track & Field

“Our boys are still champions in the OIA East this year. In fact, we are the defending five-time champions, and we have a pretty decent team again this year. We’re also the defending boys state champions. This is head coach Sean Makaiau’s fifth year.

“Jon Cummings, a senior this year, one of our better runners, is leading in the sprints. We’re also pleasantly surprised with another senior, Kyle Hungerford. This is his first year running track, and he’s helped out quite a lot in the relays. He never ran track in his life before.

“In our field events Pat Au has done really well; but our all-around track athlete recognition should perhaps go to Paipai Falemalu: He runs the 100, the 4X100, he throws the shot put and discus, and also runs the 110 hurdles. He’s kind of like a pentathlete,” Whitford said. “He does very well in all those events, which is a rare combination.”

Baseball

“Our baseball team, under head coach Steve Van Ness, likes to compete and has won two games so far, and has an outside chance of making the playoffs.”

Girls water polo

“Our girls team is 10-and-0 [wins-losses]. This is their fifth year of OIA competition, and so far they’ve never lost a game in the OIA. They are the defending state runner-up, losing last year to Kamehameha, 5-3, in the finals.

Whitford singled out the play of Gina Ahue, a junior, “and a solid core of girls. We have a strong team. For example, this is Ella Aiwohi’s third year as goalie.

“This is also head coach Aukai Ferguson’s last season. He’s been with the program since 1994, so hopefully the team can deliver a state championship for him.

My daughter, Makana Whitford, will be taking over the program starting in the summer with the Paumalu [Sunset Beach] Water Club team. That’s how they’ve stayed consistent through the year. They’ve traveled to Maui and played on the mainland.”

Whitford explained that Makana, a 2001 Red Raider, played for the University of Hawaii for three years on scholarship, and got back from a Mormon mission in Barcelona, Spain, last August. “She served as Aukai’s assistant this year,” he added.

In other Kahuku High sports and related news:

  • “We recently hired Benny Kai Jr. as our new girls soccer coach, replacing his daughter, Krisha Kai, who’s serving an LDS mission in Taiwan. His oldest daughter, Natasha “Tasha” Kai, is on the U.S. women’s team.”
  • “We’re also making a change in girls softball: Former coach Anue Santiago missed all her daughter’s soccer matches because softball games are on the same day at the same time. Her replacement is Dean Hughes, who was her assistant.
  • “Mona Ah Hoy is not coming back as volleyball coach. She’s stepped down because she wants to spend more time with her son, who’s playing PeeWee football, and also go up and see her daughter, Camilla Ah Hoy, play at Oregon State in Corvallis. She’ll be a sophomore there next year. “She’s given many years to Kahuku sports,” Whitford said, “not only to volleyball, but she served as girls basketball coach for a few years and has also been very busy with the North Shore Volleyball Club.“Uila Vendiola will replace her, and Teisa Fotu will assist. Uila played her college ball at Chaminade; and Teisa’s a former HPU and UH star, who also helped Wendy Anae as an assistant coach for the BYU-Hawai‘i women’s basketball team last season.”
  • “Spring football begins on May 21st,” Whitford continued, “and we’ll have a scrimmage in early June. “We have 210 kids who have signed up. They’ll also be traveling to Utah to play their 5A champ, Bingham High, on September 1st at Southern Utah University in Cedar City. The team will play there, which is cooler, but stay in nearby St. George.” He added the team will fly into Las Vegas.