WAIMEA — “It’s history in the making,” said Bruce Herbig, one of two assistant basketball coaches for the Waimea High School Menehunes as the locker room doors opened and a squad of boys garbed in navy blue trotted onto the
WAIMEA — “It’s history in the making,” said Bruce Herbig, one of two
assistant basketball coaches for the Waimea High School Menehunes as the locker
room doors opened and a squad of boys garbed in navy blue trotted onto the
basketball court at the invitational tournament.
St. Francis Kaua`i had
come to play ball for the first time ever.
The team, garbed in navy blue
with the school’s name emblazoned on the front, had earlier drawn curious looks
from basketball spectators because, unlike many travelling teams, came fully
dressed for action.
Cheerleaders clad in matching navy blue tops
complimented by a crisp white skirt trimmed with a blue-and-white Hawaiian
print nervously surrounded the players and their coach.
As the team made
its way to the locker room under the scrutiny of spectators, the cheerleaders
and school supporters filled a section of the gym at the mid-court stripe. The
first game of the the night — Kapa’a vs. Kamehameha — was underway.
Sheena Yadao, Dina Akutagawa, Naomi Nordmeier, Lauren Newbold, Katie
Gilreath, Sade Villatora, Mary Akutagawa, Jacki DeFabian, Ashley Barretto and
Heather Aiu made up the squad of pepsters.
Susan Akutagawa is listed on
the school’s roster as the director of the athletic booster club. Martin
Bremus is the school’s principal.
Girls topped in navy blue were identified
as the varsity squad while younger members were garbed in a brighter shade of
blue indicating their junior varsity status.
Basketball coach Gabriel
Alisna’s pride in fielding a team was indicated by the broad smile he wore as
the team strode across the gym.
“They practice at the Isenberg (Field)
courts because they have no gym,” volunteered one of the cheerleaders. “And,
sometimes they don’t practice because it rains.” Practices have been taking
place immediately after school lets out.
The St. Francis players — Daniel
Cummings (4), Bryson Daligdig (3), David Davis (5), Halann Higa (23), Daniel Pa
(21), Francis Pascual (10), Chad Raco (2), Dustin Suguitan (11), Brian Trinidad
(20), Philip Waldemar (13), and Bryson Yadao (12) — fidgeted nervously in the
bleachers outside the locker room as they watched the ongoing action in
anticipation of taking the court for the first time.
Ellen Lapiejko is
the team’s assistant coach.
When they got onto the court for the game
against host Waimea, the gym exploded in cheers as Higa made history by sinking
one of two free throws for the first points entered into the scorebooks for St.
Francis Kaua`i.
Peter Rayno, one of the KIF referees that was scrutinizing
the action from the bleachers helped the St. Francis team managers who were
tracking the game on the scoresheets. “First point, Higa!” an excited Rayno
repeated.
“First field goal, Raco!” continued Rayno after a lay-up by the
St. Francis student.
It didn’t matter that the Waimea Menehunes were in the
lead and eventually won the game. The audience continued to erupt in a show of
sportsmanship for the fledgling St. Francis team.
“They’re going to have 10
points (by the half),” an excited Rayno added.
More applause came when
Yadao was credited with a three-pointer for St. Francis.
“First
three-pointer, Yadao!” Rayno said. “This is history!”
St. Francis Kaua`i
had come to play!
