Kalaheo Champs Meet Fellow Paddler At The Capitol

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Kalaheo High School’s paddling team with Sen. Fred Hemmings (from left): assistant coach Jordan Wong, Shawn Reed, Travis Wilhoite, Nick Seeger, coach Julian Wicker, Lopaka Oliva-Ancog and Ka’o Malama-Custer. Photo from Hemmings’ office.

Julian Wicker and the members of his Kalaheo paddling crew are finding that the afterglow of a state championship never diminishes.

Just over three months removed from making local history as the first Oahu Interscholastic Association member (or public) school to win a state paddling title, the Mustangs are still the object of well-wishers. Wicker and the Mustangs were recently invited to the state Capitol, where they were entertained by Sen. Fred Hemmings, who presented them with a certificate recognizing their achievements for this past season. As one of Hawaii’s most decorated surfers and paddlers, Hemmings was ideally suited to show them around.

“They enjoyed it a lot - they were a little star-struck at first,” said Wicker,who is just 21 years old.“He’s a really down-to-earth kind of guy and, being that he’s a lot more experienced than them as a paddler, they enjoyed hearing his stories.

“He was a steers-man for years and years, and he won the Molokai to Oahu race in 1975,” he continued. “We sat in his office for probably a half an hour just sharing stories about paddling. He was very excited for us, being that he’s a paddler himself and that he’s from Kailua. I think that’s why he showed an interest in the team. It was good to tour the Capitol.We also got to go into the governor’s office.”

Joining Wicker on his visit to the state Capitol were Shawn Reed, Travis Wilhoite,Nick Seeger,Lopaka Oliva-Ancog, Ka’o Malama-Custer and assistant coach Jordan Wong, who was a steersman on Kamehameha’s 2005 state championship team.The Mustangs’ program has improved steadily since the school added the sport, especially with Wicker in the fold. A 2005 Kalaheo graduate, he coached the Mustangs’junior varsity to back-to-back OIA titles in 2006 and 2007. Last year, in his first year as Kalaheo’s varsity coach, the Mustangs finished second behind Anuenue during a series of one-mile races during the regular season before their riveting run at the state competition at Keehi Lagoon on the last day of February.

Kalaheo covered the half-mile course in three minutes, 32.21 seconds to win the championship race that day.Alika Guillaume,Larry Soto and Tallii Monmaney were also members of the 2008 Kalaheo state championship team, as was assistant coach Kekama Akana.

“It’s still cool to reflect on,” Wicker said of winning a state championship. “Back when we went undefeated (at the JV level) in 2006, we used to talk about how we had two more years (to win a state title), but I didn’t think it would actually happen. Even though we had the same core of kids, and we had an incredible amount of talent, it was a real big surprise. We’re already looking forward to next year.”

Prior to Kalaheo delivering the OIA’s first paddling championship in February, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu had produced the boys’ state champion in all six of the previous events and has won all seven of the sanctioned girls’paddling titles to date.