LIHU‘E — St. Francis High School Junior Varsity coach Michael Yamamoto has ties to Kaua‘i, said coach Kevin Gusman Wednesday during the practice round at the Lihu‘e Bowling Center. Kami Yamamoto, Michael’s daughter, is one of two girls from the
LIHU‘E — St. Francis High School Junior Varsity coach Michael Yamamoto has ties to Kaua‘i, said coach Kevin Gusman Wednesday during the practice round at the Lihu‘e Bowling Center.
Kami Yamamoto, Michael’s daughter, is one of two girls from the St. Francis team who qualified for the Billy Tees Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association state bowling championships, which will launch Thursday and Friday in Lihu‘e.
Gusman, who also has strong ties to Kaua‘i as an official for the Kaua‘i Soccer Association as well as being a former soccer coach, said St. Francis finished sixth in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu standings and second in Division II play, dropping to Hawai‘i Baptist.
The two qualifying individualists, Kami and Rasela Vili, come to the island sporting averages of 158 and 152, respectively.
“Michael was born on the Mainland, but has family in Koloa,” Gusman said. “Kami, a sophomore, is a returning state bowler after earning a spot in last year’s state tournament on the Big Island.”
Kami said she’s been to Kaua‘i at least six times and even got to bowl at the Lihu‘e Bowling Center on one of those trips.
Vili is making her first appearance at the state tournament.
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• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
