[ HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS ]
Lahainaluna crews qualified for the finals in all three events at the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Paddling Championships with their performances in yesterday's preliminary rounds at Keehi Lagoon. Lahainaluna sends 3 crews
to state paddling finalsStar-Bulletin staff
The Lunas will be represented in today's girls, boys and mixed (three boys and three girls) title races at the inaugural state high school championships. Lahainaluna is the only school with teams in each of the finals.
The regatta begins with opening ceremonies at 8 a.m. The girls race starts at 8:30 and will be followed by the boys and mixed finals.
Each division started with 24 crews before being whittled to eight finalists yesterday.
The Lahainaluna crews were among seven from the Maui Interscholastic League to qualify for the finals. All of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's entrants in the boys and girls events also survived. The ILH did not enter crews in the mixed event.
Lahainaluna's boys crew, the MIL champion, won its semifinal heat with a time of 3 minutes, 51.34 seconds. Punahou won the second semifinal, finishing the half-mile course at 3:50.56.
Joining the Lunas and Buffanblu in the finals are Mid-Pacific, Kapaa, Kamehameha, McKinley, Kauai and Iolani.
King Kekaulike (4:28.96) and Kamehameha (4:20.18) won their heats in the girls semifinals. Also qualifying for final eight were Iolani, Castle, Punahou, Mid-Pacific, Kealakehe and Lahainaluna.
King Kekaulike (4:05.81) and Kauai (4:08.72) won their races in the mixed semifinals. Lahainaluna, Castle, Nanakuli, Molokai, McKinley and Seabury Hall also advanced.
Seabury Hall's mixed crew survived the day's tightest qualifying battle. The Spartans edged Anuenue by 1.33 seconds to finish fourth in its semifinal race.
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