Buffanblu take early golf lead

With three golfers in the top nine, led by co-leader Alex Ching's 1-under 71, Punahou took a 15-stroke lead yesterday going into today's final round of the David S. Ishii/HHSAA state boys golf tournament on Kauai.

Softball Kapaa 8, Molokai 5 Kori Kimura hit a home run in the fifth inning as the Warriors beat the Farmers in a state tournament play-in game yesterday at Radford. Brittany Rawlins went 2-for-3 for Molokai in the loss. Kapaa will face Nanakuli in the states today at Central Oahu Regional Park.

Ching, a senior, grabbed a share of the lead with two sophomores -- Kamehameha's Alika Bell and Justin Keiley of Baldwin -- on the par-72 Wailua Municipal Golf Course.

Helping the Buffanblu to the huge lead were sophomore Bradley Shigesawa's 73, good for a share of fifth with Kauai sophomore Levi Miyashiro, and a 74 by senior John David Nako. Nako was tied for seventh with Mililani senior Jared Sawada and Kamehameha senior TJ Kua, last year's state runner-up.

Defending state team champion Iolani was in second at 309. Kamehameha and Waiakea were tied for third at 311 followed by Baldwin and Kauai in a fifth-place tie at 312.