Paddlers Ready for Redemption

MHS Sports will be busy this weekend.

A week after being disqualified in the waters of Kahului Harbor, the Molokai High paddlers are returning for redemption. The girls’, boys’ and mixed teams will all be back in Kahului this weekend for their third Maui Interscholastic League race of the season.

The boys’ team was disqualified in their first heat last weekend when the nose of their canoe crossed the starting line a little too early. Molokai coach Jonathon Smith said the team probably would have finished in third place.

“We all kind of believed there were some officiating calls that were errors, but we weren’t there to make the call,” Smith said. “We were feeling a little pushed against with calls on both the boys’ and girls’ sides.”

The girls’ team also failed to place in their first heat and the Molokai mixed team came in fifth overall. Smith said that the crews are using last weekend’s disappointment as motivation this time around. Practices have been upbeat and he expects the Farmers’ boat will be flying on Saturday.

“The finally have the hunger for it,” Smith said. “We’re looking good and we’ve found some other things we can improve on this week.”

Smith said he expects the team to finish under the four-minute mark for their remaining races.

Sports Galore
The Farmers’ basketball teams, wrestlers and swimmers will also be going into battle this weekend.

The swim team is headed to Kihei for its second meet of the year and the wrestling team will be opening their season on Maui this weekend as well. The boys’ basketball team will travel to take on St. Anthony as they also kick-off their 2010 season.

The girls’ basketball team will be the only team in action on Molokai this weekend. The Farmers welcome St. Anthony for a two game series at The Barn. Friday night’s game, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will also include a special ceremony to recognize former HHSAA Executive Director Keith Amemiya. Amemiya and his family donated $10,000 to Molokai’s athletic programs earlier this year.