by Lloyd Yonemura
The Hawaii Swimming Club (HSC) captured the team championship trophy of the 1996 Hawaii Age Group State Long Course Swimming Championships in Hilo. The five-day meet, hosted by HSC-Hilo, was the culmination of the long course season in Hawaii but the season continues with the Western Zone Long Course Championships currently under way in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
HSC amassed 1248.50 points to outdistance the second-place Aulea Swim Club who totalled 1093 points. The Maui Swim Club (814.50 points) finished third and Punahou Aquatics (729 points) placed fourth. Eighteen local swim clubs participated in the championship meet.
The HSC's head coach is Reid Yamamoto of HSC-Kahului. Yamamoto heads a staff based on four islands and the former University of Hawaii standout will be bringing the groups from Maui, Hawaii, and Honolulu to Molokai in September. Please see accompanying article! Rodney Hayashi and Taskie Hoopii coach the Maui group, Carla Spidell and Patty Kimball head the Hawaii club, and Keith Arakaki head the Oahu clubs.
Leoho'onani Reyes of Ranch Camp, the daughter of Fred and Louann Reyes, is in Cheyenne with the Hawaii All-Stars at the Zone Championships, competing against the best swimmers in the Western Region of the United States Swimming Association. Leo earned qualifying times in the 50 M and 100 M Breaststroke events. She qualified for the 100 M event at the state championships which was the final opportunity for all swimmers to qualify for the Zones.
Leo swam in eight individual events at the state meet. Her best efforts resulted in a fourth place finish in the 100 M Breast and a fifth place finish in the 50 M Breast. She also swam the 50 M, 100 M, and 200 M Freestyle events, the 50 M Butterfly, the 50 M Backstroke, and the 200 M Individual Medley. Although her season in the 10 & under age group is not over yet, Leo will age up during the next season and will compete in the 11-12 division.
Leo also earned a gold medal in the 200 M Medley Relay along with teammates Holly Fernandez, Marlene Yafuso, and Tia Orian. Fernandez led off with backstroke leg and Leo followed with the breaststroke leg. Yafuso's butterfly leg preceeded Orian's closing freestyle leg. Yafuso, out of HSC-Hilo, was the outstanding female swimmer in the 10 & under age group. She won seven of eight events and set two new state records in the process. She was also on three relay teams.
Lenn Yonemura closed his career in the 13-14 age group with a strong performance. He was entered in seven individual events, attained personal best times in all of those events, and came through with three top eight finishes.
Lenn placed seventh in the 100 M and 200 M Breaststroke events and also placed seventh in the 400 M Freestyle. He also swam the 50 M, 100 M, and 200 M Freestyle and the 200 M Individual Medley. Lenn was the first alternate in the 200 M Free and the 2nd alternate in the 50 M Free.
Loni Yonemura still has another season remaining in the 11-12 short course season to begin in November, but she close her 11-12 long course career with eight individual and three relay efforts in Hilo. She equaled or bettered six of her previous bests in the process.
Loni swam the 50 M, 100 M, 200 M, and 400 M Freestyle events, the 50 M and 100 M Butterfly, the 50 M Backstroke, and the 200 M Individual Medley. She teamed with Jessica Bartolome, Pualana Reys, and Nicole Okuna in the 200 M Medley Relay, with Bartolome, Reys, and Ashley Sugiyama in the 400 M Freestyle Relay, and with Bartolome, Sugiyama, and Helena Suehiro in the 200 M Freestyle Relay.
As the Molokai Swim Team gears up for the 1996-97 Short Course Season, Coaches David Kalani and Lloyd Yonemura would like to thank their families, the swimmers and their parents and families, the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation (especially Zach Helm, Leslie Kanoa, Kalani Johnston, Lani Caparida), the Friendly Isle United Fund (Molokai Community Service Council), and HSC Coaching Staff for all of the support, dedication, loyalty, and guidance. Please check out the accompanying article for information on an upcoming fun meet here on Molokai!