PO‘IPU — Waimea High School’s boys tennis team won its first three matches of the day yesterday to win the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championship over Kapa‘a High School, 3-2. Both schools were tied at 7-1 going into the match. The
PO‘IPU — Waimea High School’s boys tennis team won its first three matches of the day yesterday to win the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championship over Kapa‘a High School, 3-2.
Both schools were tied at 7-1 going into the match. The title went down to individual matches. Whichever had the most wins, won the title. Waimea came out 30-10. Kapa‘a went 28-12.
Luckily for Waimea, yesterday, they won early on.
“Thank God,” said Waimea Coach Paulette Lum. “I didn’t’ want it to come down to the last match. It’s so nerve racking.”
Waimea’s No. 1 Singles player Harold Shimono, Jr. was one of the first to win.
“My game was good. We had some really good rallies going,” he said.
Shimono faced Kapa‘a’s No. 1 Singles player Daniel Rodrick.
“He was hitting them hard,” Shimono said. “I had to kind of change it up a bit on him, slow it down, try to have more control.”
Shimono beat Rodrick in two games, 6-1, 6-2.
For Waimea’s other wins, Darrell Nonaka beat Adam Kerlin, 6-1, 6-2 and the doubles team of Ruben Nonaka and Kekoa Masuda defeated Travis Wakayama and Angel Hernandez 6-0, 6-4.
Kapa‘a’s two wins came from its first and third doubles teams.
Kila Youn and Mattew Hanley who defeated Jordan Sato and Michael Haack 7-5, 6-4. Dustin Valdez and Jacques Amo won over Geoffrey Tran and Craig Ponting 7-5, 6-2.
Kapa‘a’s girls team won over Waimea 4-1.
Kapa‘a’s Lyndsey Tom defeated Tiffany Lum 6-0, 6-1. Stephanie Kawamura moved up to the No. 2 Singles spot to beat Jade Cano 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Kapa‘a first double team of Kelli Okamoto and Erin O’Shaughnessy beat LeeAnn Sagucio and May Badua 6-3, 6-1.
Then Kapa‘a’s third doubles team of Naomi Taylor and Angela Mones won over Keri Souza and Nicole Caballero in three games, 6-3, 4-6 and 6-1.
Waimea’s girls’ only win of the day came from Beverly Grande and Leslie Gudoy who beat Alex Gausepohl and Ella Arume in three games, 4-6, 6-2 and 6-3.
But despite Waimea’s boys winning the championship and Kapa‘a’s girls winning the title last week, neither team has automatic state qualifiers.
Players going to states will be determined later this week during the qualifying tournament at the Kiahuna Courts.
• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
