Whether it be the individual or team title, it is proving difficult to repeat at the Civilian Marksmanship air riflery state championships.

Punahou School swept the girls and boys team titles yesterday at the Blaisdell Center exhibition hall. Each beat out last year's champions, Sacred Hearts' girls and Waiakea's boys.

Meanwhile, Punahou senior Simone Riford denied classmate Heather Horn from being the first two-time individual girls' champion. Riford's 548 (out of a possible 600) is the second-highest individual score in tournament history (Vicci Yau of Punahou scored 557 in 2002).

"If it had to be someone else, I'm glad it was her," said Horn, who fired a 542, which was seven points better than her championship score of a year ago.

Waiakea senior Regan Ancheta won the boys title with a 540.

"It's kind of good," said Ancheta, who took up the sport four years ago at the encouragement of his father. "But we lost (the team championship), so it's kind of bittersweet."

Punahou's boys, who scored 2,041, are the third different team champion in as many years. Saint Louis won the first five tournaments before Waiakea won last year. This is the Buffanblu's first boys crown. Senior Robert Siko, who finished second with a 531, said depth was the key to winning.

"We have a lot of good teammates," Siko said. "This team is really close and we all support each other."

Scott Hong (515) took fourth and Jonathan Onaga (503) placed 14th. The top 15 won medals. Punahou's fourth shooter was Nathaniel Char (492).

Ironically, Waiakea had four shooters among the top 15 with Ancheta, Scott Nozaki (7th, 511), Anthony Sylvester (8th, 510) and Reyn Takahashi (13th, 504). But Takahashi's score did not count toward team points as only four designated shooters count in the scoring and Waiakea had eight individual qualifiers, the most for the boys tournament.

Meanwhile, Punahou's girls won their first title since 2002 and third overall with a score of 2,100. Also medaling for Punahou was Rachel Tochiki, who placed fourth with a 530. Cheryl Mukai (480) was the fourth Buffanblu shooter.

"We've been working for this and I'm glad that we got it," Horn said.

While Riford was pleased with winning the individual title, the team crown was more satisfying.

"That's the best part," she said. "Last year, we took second and this year, we're No. 1. We worked hard."

Sacred Hearts, which had won four titles, including the past two, scored 2,064. Three of its four shooters took home medals. Carolyn Horiye was third with 532, Samantha Niver was sixth at 526 and Mai Oseto was 14th with 505. MariAnela Dearmore was 17th at 501, missing a medal by two points.

NOTES

There are 60 entrants in each of the boys and girls tournaments. Scoring is from three positions: prone, kneeling and standing. Shooters have 20 shots per position, each worth a maximum of 10 points (for a bull's-eye with points declining for each circle away from the middle). Targets are 33 feet away.

Shooters are allowed 30 minutes in each of the prone and kneeling positions and 40 minutes for standing. There are five-minute breaks between positions.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.