PO’IPU — Every top seed survived at the KIF state qualifying tournament at the breezy Kiahuna Courts, yesterday. Kapa’a’s Lyndsey Tom eased past teammate Crystine Ito, 6-0, 6-2 for the KIF title in girls singles. Ito, a junior, was the
PO’IPU — Every top seed survived at the KIF state qualifying tournament at the breezy Kiahuna Courts, yesterday.
Kapa’a’s Lyndsey Tom eased past teammate Crystine Ito, 6-0, 6-2 for the KIF title in girls singles.
Ito, a junior, was the only unseeded player to make it into the finals. She defeated third seeded Ariel Carlson of Kula, 7-5, 1-6, 6-0 to get into the championship match. Tom toppled Waimea’s Sonya Tacub in the other semifinal.
Kula senior Kyle Barrett withstood a tough challenge from Island’s Justin Vea, 6-1, 6-3, to win the KIF boys singles championship.
Barrett ousted Waimea’s Jake Anderson, 6-1, 6-3, to reach the final and Vea defeated Kapa’a’s Taylor Alfiler, 6-0, 6-0.
Top seeded Lezlie Tao/Megan Vento of Kaua’i ran past Kapa’a’s Kelli Okamoto/Mailika Napoleon, 6-1, 6-3 to capture the KIF girls doubles title.
Tao/Vento aced teammates Jacey Ageno/Katie Anderson in the semifinals, while Okamoto/Napoleon upset No. 2 seeded Tiffany Lum/Jenny Rumbaoa of Waimea, 6-2, 6-4.
The Kula brother duo of Alex Latif/Dylan Latif outlasted Kaua’i’s Reyn Balocan/Sterling Inouye, 6-4, 6-4 for the KIF title in boys doubles. Latif/Latif easily defeated Waimea’s Darrel Nonaka/Froilan Tyler, 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals and Balocan/Inouye ousted Kapa’a’s Matt Hanley/Kila Youn, 7-6 (3), 6-3.
Up next is the HHSAA State Tennis Championships on May 10-13 at both the Kiahuna and Po’ipu Kai Tennis Courts.
KIF state qualifiers include Tom, Ito, Tacub, and Carlson in girls singles, Barrett, Anderson, Alfiler, and Vea in boys singles, Tao/Vento, Ageno/Anderson, Okamoto/Napoleon, and Lum/Rumbaoa in girls doubles, and Latif/Latif, Nonaka/Tyler, Balocan/Inouye, and Hanley/Youn in boys doubles.
