For each team that won an OIA paddling title on Saturday at Keehi Lagoon, whether it was a one-year absence or first time overall, it felt long overdue.
The Kalaheo boys paddling team won the OIA championship after a year-long hiatus from the top, while the Roosevelt girls team won its first OIA paddling title in school history. Rounding out the day’s champions was the Kalaheo mixed team, which won its first OIA title since 2012.
The victories weren’t expected for Chelsea Bizik, who coaches Kalaheo’s boys and mixed teams. Radford had bested the Mustangs boys multiple times earlier in the year. However, after posting a time of 3:42.90, Kalaheo picked up its fifth OIA title in six years and seventh overall since 2004.
The Mustangs outpaced the Rams, who came in second at 3:47.07. Had it not lost to Kaiser in 2015, Kaiser would have made it six straight OIA championships.
Bizik also had to make some adjustments after some younger additions to her crew.
“We were actually underdogs. … We were able to move up two of our JV paddlers into our varsity crew and we never paddled together before until the week before OIAs,” Bizik said. “We were able to find a way to blend together, become one and paddle as a crew, and do as well as we did today and win.”
The Kalaheo mixed team was also victorious after posting a time of 3:59.04, with Nanakuli coming in second at 4:03.55. It is their fourth OIA title in the mixed division, which consists of five girls and five boys in a canoe.
The Mustangs will have to face another quick turnaround with the HHSAA state championships on Saturday. It is a challenge that Spencer Vanderkamp, steersman for both the boys and mixed squads, is embracing.
“It feels pretty good since we’ve been so close the past couple of years … Definitely looking forward to states,” Vanderkamp said.
On the girls side, Roosevelt prevented a Kalaheo sweep with the day’s slimmest margin of victory. The Rough Riders posted a time of 4:19.11, edging the Lady Mustangs, who took 4:20.49 to finish.
With the victory, Roosevelt coach Kenny Pua’a feels as though it has almost gone full circle. Pua’a, a Roosevelt alum, paddled for the Rough Riders boys during his high school days.
“Amazing. … I just took the job last year and unfortunately this is my last season due to a military transfer. My goal was to put Roosevelt on top,” Pua’a said. “My girls pulled through and helped me accomplish what I set out to do.”
The Roosevelt girls look forward to the challenge of competing for a state title as well. The Rough Riders will aim to become the first OIA team to win a state paddling title.
“It’s very nerve-wracking, but it’s also very rewarding,” Roosevelt paddler Tyra Wallrabenstein said. “I feel that we worked so hard for it and it’s very rewarding to be able to work so hard to get to that point.”
