Pueo paddlers include (from left): kneeling — Vittoria Barone, Thuy Ngo, Jordan Houghlum and Sydney Snyder; middle row — Kassidy Howeth, Lillian Bourland, Jolene Munch and Aiesha Pradhan; back row — Coaches Kirk Snyder and Genevieve Ruvald, Logan Twigg, Jake Houghlum, Griffin Sagar and Coach Paul Sakas.

NAPILI – The Maui Preparatory Academy educational experience continues to be enhanced with the steady improvement of its athletic programs into the 2018 school year. According to Athletic Director and Administrator Keenan Reader, both the Pueo swimming and canoe paddling teams had quality performances in the winter sports season.

The swim team in particular had a breakthrough year, as Maui Prep scored the most points in school history at the ’18 Maui Interscholastic League championships at the Kihei Aquatic Center last month.

The Pueo scored 52 points to finish second behind powerhouse Baldwin and were led by senior team captains Danielle Bergson and Kysha Altura.

Along with Paloma Banto, Rebecca Geng and Bergson, Altura led the charge as the Pueo 200 freestyle relay team won the gold medal. Altura also won the 100 and 200 free events.

Joining them in the Maui Prep lineup were Noelle Sheveland, Irie Gonah and Olivia Bozich.

The Pueo swim team came in second place at the 2018 Maui Interscholastic League Championships last month.

The boys team was led by freshman sensation Slater Fleck, who captured gold in the 200 and 500 freestyle races. He was joined by classmates Jerone Saman and Jonah Kirkham on the Pueo team that was guided by coaches Michael “Tex” Ritter, Jena Gode and Scott Fleck.

“This is a great group that worked together positively through the season to become a force to be reckoned with in the MIL. We are proud of every swimmer, the coaching staff and the support from the parents and the school. We look forward to a successful future in Maui Prep swimming,” said head coach Ritter.

On the beach with the Pueo canoe paddling team, coached by Paul Sakas, Genevieve Ruvald, Kirk Snyder, and Jon Lee, established the foundation for a bright future in the cultural sport of the Islands.

Led by the coed crew and the junior varsity girls, the Maui Prep paddlers learned the important life lessons of commitment, teamwork and Hawaiian culture with their participation. They expressed their gratitude to Kahana Canoe Club for their support of the program.

Senior team captains Vittoria Barone (a four-year paddler) and Griffin Sagar led the way along with classmates Jake Houghlum and Thuy Ngo; juniors Ni Iketut Ellen Damayanti, Mathieu Pageau, Logan Twigg and Hinano Yamada; sophomore Kassidy Howeth; and first-year paddlers Lillian Bourland, Jordan Houghlum, Devin Leon, Jolene Munch, Ashley Nielson, Aiesha Pradhan, Taira Seto and Sydney Snyder.

Athletic Director Reader added that Maui Prep is planning on building an athletic facility that will enable the independent school to grow its winter athletic programs to include basketball.

“We’re now in the early design and conceptual phase for a facility that will accommodate our aspirations for basketball and volleyball (at Maui Prep). We hope to complete the effort by early summer of 2019,” he said.