HHSAA AIR RIFLERY: Punahou, Sacred Hearts tops in state air riflery

The Punahou boys air riflery team, under head coach Karen Finley, captured their third-straight air riflery crown, while the Sacred Hearts girls team secured their second-straight state title at the Civilian Marksmanship Program/HHSAA Air Riflery State Championships, Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall.
 
This is the second girls’ championship for Sacred Hearts head coach Alan Tokumura, although the Lancers have won six of the nine state championships beginning in 1999.  The Lancers tallied a team total 2,080 points, which ranks as the fifth highest point total in the short history of the tournament.  More amazingly, the top four shooters from Sacred Hearts placed in the top six, while the two other Lancers finished 15th and 16th.
 
Punahou’s Meilin Jia-Richards shot a 538 to take the gold medal and assist her team to a second place finish with 2,069 points.
 
Saint Louis’ Christopher Lam shot 522 to claim the individual state title.  Runner-up Davin Lee of Punahou was just two points shy of first place, despite having the top of his target dislodged and hanging at a 45-degree angle during the kneeling position of the competition.  In spite of the adversity of shooting at a bending target, Lee managed to score a 183, his best score of the three positions.  However, it wasn’t enough to best the ILH state champion Lam.
 
Mid-Pacific senior and 2006 individual defending state champion Jordan Muratsuchi had a shot at making state tournament history by being the first repeat state champion, but fell short by a mere 11 points to finish tied for 10th place.  The top 15 finishers in both boys and girls competition earn medals.
 
Rounding out the top five in the boys’ competition include Kauai’s Jason Cabot, Konawaena’s Davis Nakashima and Punahou’s Nigel Kojimoto.