POIPU — Families and family ties proved to be keys to at least three of the six divisions at the Koloa Plantation Days Doubles. Sarah Kukino teamed with mother Joy Kukino to take the Women’s A division while sisters Shay
POIPU — Families and family ties proved to be keys to at least three of the six divisions at the Koloa Plantation Days Doubles.
Sarah Kukino teamed with mother Joy Kukino to take the Women’s A division while sisters Shay and Tarryn Orial teamed to take the Women’s B trophy.
Visiting from San Diego, John and JP Sperrazzo topped the Men’s B division.
The tournament opened with 96 players using two venues — the Poipu Kai Tennis Courts and the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa courts — on Saturday.
The field was whittled down to the semifinals and finals Sunday at the Poipu Kai tennis courts.
“We would like to thank everyone for playing, sponsoring and those who came out to support the event,” said Krystyna Noe, the tournament coordinator. “In addition to the two venues, Kalapaki Joe’s provided players lunch, and the Kauai Tennis Association was a tournament sponsor. As always, all the proceeds benefit the Kauai United Way.”
The Kukino team of Sarah, home from Claremont McKenna College, and Joy bested Lani Rae Green, a top tennis player from Waimea, and Tammie Quinlan, 6-2, 6-0 for the Women’s A title.
En route to the finals, the Kukino duo was undefeated, besting Hannah Sirois and Mary DeDeaux, 6-1, 6-0; getting past the duo of Val Rekward and Loutoa Zoller, 6-1, 6-2; and getting past Jennifer Hreljac and Kathryn Bieker, 6-2, 6-2, in the semis.
The Green, Quinlan duo was also undefeated. They got past Hreljac and Bieker, 7-6, 6-2; Michelle Fitzgerald and Ronnie Wilkie, 6-3, 6-1; and Rekward and Zoller, 6-3, 6-1 in the semis.
The Orial sisters, Shay, home from Colorado Mesa, and Tarryn, a student at Kauai High School, were also tops in the Women’s B division after defeating Cathy Sperrazzo and Jaime Schmidt, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5) in a tough finals match.
The road to the finals was tough on both sides of the court. The Orial sisters handily won its opening match, 6-3, 6-2 against Kari Ursitti before running into Lori Hutchinson and Darlene Reed in the semis. The Orial girls getting to the finals in three, 2-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-6).
Cathy Sperrazzo and Schmidt similarly got past its opening match, 7-6, 6-2 over Christine Watanabe and Terry Knight before running into Judy Honda and Alana Fujikawa, a match which advanced Cathy Sperrazzo and Schmidt to the finals after downing Honda and Fujikawa, 6-2, 6-7, 1-0 (10-5).
Tami Quitugua and Joan Crete finished the tournament undefeated, capturing the Women’s C division with a 4-6, 6-1, and 1-0 win over Carolyn Lum and Helen Young.
Donna and Rachel Umetsu, another mother-daughter pair, took the consolation bracket with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Miriam Perlmutter and Roni Marley.
On the men’s courts, the Sperrazzo pair of John and JP captured the Men’s B division with a 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5) win over Kimo Honda, the Waimea High School tennis coach, and Dean Fujikawa.
En route to the finals, the Sperrazzo duo took out Chris Flynn and Matthew Kanna, a former Kauai High School player, in the semis.
Brad Lum Tucker, a former Hawaii High School Athletic Association Hall of Honor awardee for tennis and Kauai High School tennis player and coach, teamed with Efren Ruiz to take the Men’s A division with a 6-2, 7-6 win over Herb Noe and Chris Webster.
“I thought I was only going to play one match,” Noe said after defeating Chaz Okamoto and Dylan Wehrly, 6-3, 6-2, during the semis Sunday. “I played two matches Saturday and I was flat on my back.”
Charles Okamoto, Chaz’s father, said his son hasn’t played doubles for quite a while, since he plays singles for the University of Hawaii tennis team.
Chaz had just returned from a European trip where he participated in tournaments with the Rainbow Warrior Tennis teams.
Lum-Tucker, currently a math professor at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, will be entering into the States Open Tournament, the Kailua Night Doubles, said Krystyna Noe, the tournament coordinator.
Jim Sullivan paired with Bruce Savage to take the Men’s C division with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Seth Macomber and Ronald Hosaka.
Visit www.kctennis2009.webs.com for complete bracket results.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
