LIHU‘E — Kapa‘a High School’s Chas Okamoto and Kaua‘i High School’s Sarah Kukino are each into the quarterfinals of the Carlsmith Ball/HHSAA State Tennis Championships in their respective singles brackets. Each player won their two Thursday matches in straight sets
LIHU‘E — Kapa‘a High School’s Chas Okamoto and Kaua‘i High School’s Sarah Kukino are each into the quarterfinals of the Carlsmith Ball/HHSAA State Tennis Championships in their respective singles brackets. Each player won their two Thursday matches in straight sets to move into the final eight, today.
Kukino, seeded No. 2 in the girls singles bracket, knocked off Kalaheo High School’s Aleina Tanabe, 6-0, 6-1 in the first round. She then punched her ticket to the quarters with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Kalani High School’s Rachel Sugiyama. She is scheduled to face Mid-Pacific’s Gabrielle Gorence at 9:30 a.m. this morning.
Okamoto, who claimed the No. 5 seed in the boys bracket, first got by Kahuku’s Joshua Christensen, 6-1, 6-1. He then advanced with a 7-5, 6-2 win over ‘Iolani’s Logan Chun. That will set up a quarterfinal matchup with Pearl City’s Jordan Lum, who upset the No. 3 seed from ‘Iolani, Marco Kobayashi. They are also scheduled to play at 9:30 a.m.
The Kaua‘i boys doubles team of Ryan Bieker and BJ Kai, seeded eighth, won their first-round match over Kamehameha Schools Maui’s Devonte Llanes and Milton Kim, 7-5, 6-2. They were unable to move on past the Round of 16, falling to Kaiser’s Eric Wolfe and Kaito Inakoshi, 7-6 (2), 6-3.
Island School’s Madison Duarte and Megan Perius shared the same fate. The No. 8 seed in the girls doubles bracket knocked off Malia Ford and Alecia Ballesteros, of St. Anthony, 6-4, 6-3 in the first round. They then fell to Maui’s Steffi Molina and Briana Feliciano, 6-1, 6-2.
Island School’s Jeremy Randolf-Flagg drew a tough opening-round match and was beaten by No. 4 seed Robin Kiyabu, of Punahou, 6-0, 6-0.
Kaua‘i’s Shay Orial was topped by Lahainaluna’s Kaila Nip in the first round, 6-2, 6-2.
The Red Raiders boys duo of Otis Llewellyn and Jerik Centeno fell in the first round to Pearl City’s Kevin Maruyama and Jordan Darley by a 7-5, 6-2 score.
Kapa‘a High School’s girls team of Alexsis Valdez and Makena McCluskey lost in the first round to Baldwin’s Kelly Hamamura and Michele Saiki, the No. 7 seed, 6-3, 6-3.
All tournaments will play down to the two finalists today and championship matches will take place Saturday morning.
