All-out victory for the Riders in HHSAA golf tournament at state-level competition
Kealakehe Boys Golf Teeters on the Brink of Greatness
Slaying the HHSAA Boys Golf State Tournament's runner-up title was no easy feat for Kealakehe's Waveriders.Last year's underdogs smashed obstacles left and right, eventually climbing to the second-highest position amongst Hawaii's best, just three shots shy of victory.The West-side mavericks banked their most prosperous season in history, raking in accolades after accolade.
The final round of the 2025 David Ishii/HHSAA Boys Golf State Tournament wrapped up Friday evening, with the Waveriders being bestowed the second-place trophy after posting a collective +43 (619) across the 36-hole competition on Mauna Lani North Course.Kealakehe proved themselves, beating out the competition, to become the first west-side school to secure the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) championship title just weeks earlier.
"I think the boys really came together as a team this season," claimed head coach Justin Lee during the awards ceremony. "They pushed one another to be better each day. The camaraderie and grit they displayed weekly laid the groundwork for a BIIF and state championship contender."
The team bounced back from a dismal 2024 season where they failed to place as a unit at states and had no individual golfers rank in the top 30. Yet, in 2025, Kealakehe flipped the script, boasting three golfers ranking in the top 20: junior Noah Okazaki in 10th (151), junior Malakai Akeo in 12th (152), and junior Ulukoa Kailiwai in 15th (153). Teammates Xander Broderson (163) and Tristan LaFlamme (179) added to the squad's performance, placing comfortably within the top 80.
Kealakehe sat in fourth place after Thursday's Round 1, but shot up the leaderboard Friday as Okazaki trimmed three strokes, and Kailiwai slashed nine strokes from his first-day score. In the final round, Kailiwai achieved the best score of the day - par - which he attributed to an impressive short-game.
"First day was rough, but I was able to come back on the second day," Kailiwai said. "Short game has been saving me, while long game continues to be a struggle."
Okazaki, the team's consistent standout, asserted a sharp mental outlook was the key to his second-round improvement. "The only way to regain momentum when underperforming is to remain laser-focused and persevere," he said.
Despite making a substantial progression in the season, Kealakehe believes there is still room for improvement. With the team's top three golfers just juniors, the squad intends to use the runner-up finish as fuel to torch through 2026 and set their sights on the gold.
"This achievement definitely ignited a fire within the team," Lee said. "Losing by such a narrow margin and knowing we could have played better drives them to chase their goals."
Before becoming a household name, Lee acknowledged factors that propelled the team towards the top, particularly Malakai Akeo's monumental individual development. Though he first picked up the game only three years ago, Akeo has steadily improved, fine-tuning his skills by hitting the links before and after school. Despite not qualifying for the 2024 state tournament, Lee consulted with Akeo after his sophomore season to construct a plan for improvement during his upperclassman years.
"I met with (Akeo) at the end of last season and discussed how he needed to practice differently," Lee explained. "I threw various drills his way, which he effortlessly mastered. He fully comprehended the worth of the drills, diligently executing them every day, thus contributing to his outstanding progression."
"It boiled down to remaining disciplined in practice, and I just kept practicing and practicing," Akeo added.
Akeo maintained pace with individual champion Tyler Loree of Seabury Hall during the opening round, but stumbled towards the end of the back nine. Lee believes that the tournament served as an insightful first-time learning experience for Akeo, who will return with fierce determination in his senior year.
"He felt the pressure, but I think it proved to be a valuable lesson learned for him," Lee said. "From now on, he'll no longer succumb to anxiety during challenging situations."
Lee also credited past mentorship for the overall upturn within the team. Throughout the reopening of Hualalai Golf Hale post-pandemic, Lee, who was just beginning his coaching tenure at Kealakehe, absorbed bits and pieces from esteemed coach Brady Higgs, recognized as a top-100 coach. Higgs conducted a seminar featuring diverse guest speakers, including current and former pro instructors Rick Sessinghaus, Parker McLachlin, Preston Comb, Terry Rowles, Mike Adams, Julie Brooks, John Leary, and Brandel Chamblee. The seminar included a junior clinic day, during which Lee's students participated. Lee additionally works with elementary school golfers who also attended the seminar activities. He maintains that these events drastically changed the direction of not only Kealakehe's program but the entire youth golf community on the Kona side.
"My students absorbed knowledge from every talk-story seminar and clinic," he said. "Also, I took the best advice from all these expert coaches, which I deemed crucial for the program.
"Through all these expert instructors, it broadened my understanding of golf and the need for competitive golf to be coached appropriately. I firmly believe the Kona golf community has generated the most progressive junior program in the last four years."
Lee believes the 2025 season will set the template for West-side youth golf, inspiring the younger generation to continue honing their skills as they approach high school. "You just have to keep your mind in the right place, and you can excel in this sport rapidly," he said. "It's all about knowing how to practice smartly and efficiently. Our program aims in that direction."
Stay tuned for Kealakehe and the West-side golf scene, as they're here to stay.
Fellow BIIF boys finishers:
Waiakea, who previously clinched the past two state championships, placed third overall after the final round. The Warriors ended with a collective +44, just one stroke behind Kealakehe.
Jake Otani paced Waiakea as the island's top youth golfer, earning third place overall after clocking 146 across the two days. Otani carded a 71 in Round 1 and 75 in Round 2. He finished one shot behind second-place finisher Lucas Summerhays of Island School and seven strokes behind Loree, who clinched the individual title for the second consecutive year.
Otani's Warrior teammate, Noah Miyazono, ranked 13th overall after logging 152 over the two days. Waiakea's Kysen Taniguchi placed 30th after shooting 160 (+16). Waiakea's Skyler Miyashiro placed 47th as he carded 163 (+19).
Hawaii Prep's Matty Inaba placed 13th overall after registering 153, while Kamehameha-Hawaii's Kaha'i Helm shot 154, placing 17th. Tyler Maag of Hilo added a 29th-place finish after scoring 159, while teammate Aidan Puleo shot +18 (162) to secure a 37th-place finish.
Access the full list of results on the HHSAA website.
Waiakea Dominates Girls Tournament:
Waiakea secured eighth overall in the girls state tourney, held Tuesday and Wednesday at Mauna Lani. The Lady Warriors compiled 82-over par as a team.
Madelyn Awaya spearheaded Waiakea by placing 17th overall with a score of 79 in both rounds, totaling 14-over par. Teammate Jordyn Kawachi ranked 37th with a +26 (170).
Khloe Nakagawa of HPA was the highest-finishing Big Island competitor, ranking 15th overall by shooting 157 across the two rounds. Kealakehe's Kaylee Palakiko finished 26th after carding 162 (+18).
Hilo's Lauren Kozohara (+27) and Nalei Ramos (+34) placed 39th and 50th, respectively. KSH's Addison Arbles shot 179 (+35), placing 52nd.
Similarly, Punahou girls also took first overall in the team competition with a score of +14 (446). The Buffanblu's top finisher was Alexa Takai, who carded 144 (E).
Kahuku's Ava Cepeda claimed the individual competition title by posting -3 through both rounds (141), including a phenomenal 69 during the final 18.
Access the full list of results on the HHSAA website.
During the 2025 HHSAA Boys Golf State Tournament, Kealakehe's Waveriders not only held their ground against fierce competitors but also demonstrated significant growth as a team, eventually securing the runner-up title. With three golfers ranking in the top 20, the community cheered for Kealakehe, hoping they would use this achievement as fuel to strive for the gold in the upcoming years. Meanwhile, fellow Big Island school, Waiakea, showcased impressive performances, with Jake Otani finishing as the island's top golfer in third place overall.
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