Eight athletes from Moanalua High School’s Air Rifle team traveled to Utah to participate in the Western Regional Three-Position Air Rifle Championships. This event brought together the best of the best athletes from schools around the nation.

The championships lasted two days, and ended with senior Rylee Galino placing seventh in the western region and 15th nationally.

“I thought Rylee came through, as she has always been one of our greatest shooters in our program history,” Air Rifle Head Coach Bruce Yonesaki said, “She has grown through each of her experiences and it culminated in her performance at the Western Regional Championships.”

Rylee scored 544 on day one of competition, and 540 on day two. A 600 is a perfect score. Both of those scores combined got her in the top of the regional and national levels. Galino had to shoot at an electronic target 30 meters away in each of three positions: standing, kneeling, and prone (lying down).

“I would say [the] competition was very nerve racking,” Galino said. “Since it was my second time competing in this comp[etition], I knew what I had to do and what I needed to face.” 

Galino said she was not sure at what level of precision the other girls were at, but she knew it was going to be harder than her regular season competitons because she was now facing “the best of the best.” She earned this opportunity by scoring high enough through a separate qualifier. 

Galino figured it out in time because “she not only performed well but was an excellent ambassador of our program in the presence of other great shooters at the event,” Yonesaki said.

Improvement is something that makes each athlete stronger. 

“I think I improved from the beginning of the season and now [because of] my coach [Bruce] and of course my team. Without them I don’t think I would be who I am now. I faced many struggles and they were there to help me. They were encouraging, especially [our] coach [Bruce].” Rylee Galino said.

 “It’s the rounded development not only in shooting, but as an all around person, which I’m extremely proud of and we will miss Rylee as she moves onto college next year,” Yonesaki said.

The other shooters who participated in the tournament were Bronson Tafolo-Lin, Ryan Cochling, Hoyt Fujihara, Ian Sloman, Meigan Mitsuyoshi, and Kirra Iwai.