Cabello, Soldwisch emerge from crowded field to claim MIL titles
KAANAPALI — A crowded leaderboard made for an exciting end to the Maui Interscholastic League individual golf championships Saturday at the Kaanapali Kai Course.
At the end of the 72-hole tournament, it was Anson Cabello of Kamehameha Schools Maui and
Ariya Soldwisch of
Baldwin who emerged from the pack to claim their first league crowns.
Cabello, who entered the final round a shot behind leader Tyler Loree of Seabury Hall, came from behind to win the boys title by one shot. Third-round co-leader Soldwisch vaulted to a six-stroke victory after posting the best round of the day among the girls (77).
Under overcast skies that brought scattered showers and pockets of sunshine, Cabello shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 286. Loree, who had led after each of the first three rounds, finished runner-up with a total of 287 after his 68.
“It was definitely a hardfought battle — Tyler was giving me a really good run for my money. He had me on my toes through 18,” Cabello said after receiving his gold medal. “Overall I feel relieved and I just feel good about it.”
Dillon Jonke of MIL team champion Maui Prep shot 76 and finished at 296 for third place. Jonke had started the day tied with Cabello in second.
“I imagined that it would be a close match. I knew Tyler would shoot low today and I figured he would shoot under par,” Cabello said. “I just went out there to do my best and I figured the winning score would be one or two strokes.”
Soldwisch was crowned the MIL girls champion with a four-round total of 316. She beat out fellow Bears Anessa Riglos (83 Saturday, 322 total) and Payten Shimizu (79, 323) for the crown.
Soldwisch slowly moved up the leaderboard throughout the two-week tournament and finally caught up to Riglos, who led after the first and second rounds, during Friday’s third round at the Wailea Blue Course.
“It feels pretty good,” Soldwisch said of the victory. “The first two rounds, I wasn’t really playing my best and after yesterday, I feel like I got back into my zone again.”
Some holes at the Kaanapali Kai course “are tricky,” she said, but she is grateful to get practice on it now in preparation for next month’s David S. Ishii Foundation/HHSAA girls state championship.
“It’s always good to practice here, especially before states, you get a better advantage than the other islands,” Soldwisch said. “We’re lucky to get to play here.” While she was hoping to finish with a lower score, Riglos took the final round as a learning experience as she and the MIL team champion Bears head into states.
“I could have done better; had a few bad holes, didn’t start off great. I’m happy I ended a bit better, but if I didn’t have as many mistakes, maybe it could have turned out a different way,” she said. “Just learning from this and taking it in, making sure I fix all my mistakes and making sure I come back stronger for states.”
While the girls state tournament will be held on the same course on May 5-7, the boys will compete at the neighboring Kaanapali Royal on May 9-10.
“I feel pretty comfortable at the Royal,” Cabello said. “I’m going to be practicing extra hard just because that’s the tournament, to me, that really matters, so yeah, I’m really excited for that.”