LIHUE — The Kauai High girls tennis team had reason to celebrate Saturday at the Hokuala tennis courts. The Red Raider wahine, playing early in anticipation of their prom night, closed their Kauai Interscholastic Federation tennis season with an undefeated
LIHUE — The Kauai High girls tennis team had reason to celebrate Saturday at the Hokuala tennis courts.
The Red Raider wahine, playing early in anticipation of their prom night, closed their Kauai Interscholastic Federation tennis season with an undefeated record following a 5-0 win over Waimea High at the Hokuala resort courts.
The Kauai High boys, being gentlemen by allowing the girls to play first in the rain-delayed event, suffered a 3-2 loss for the second straight week against Waimea.
“Although the Kauai High School girls are undefeated KIF champions this year, our boys are now tied with Waimea, and perhaps, Island School,” said Charles Fulks, the Kauai tennis coach. (Results of the Kapaa-Island matches were not available at press time.) “Kapaa Athletic Director Greg Gonsalves will be sifting through the season results, tabulating match wins and announcing the winner.”
The Kauai girls started out by taking the first singles match by default, and in second singles Tia Fulks was a 6-0, 6-1 winner over Waimea’s Micah Guillermo in the rapidly rising morning heat that sent spectators seeking refuge under the shade of the trees separating the tennis courts from the Hokuala Ocean Course.
Senior Kaylin Kukino closed her high school career with an undefeated record after teaming with Hoku Iseri in first doubles, downing the Menehune duo of Ashley Pascual and Khryshia Pascual, 6-3, 6-3.
In girls second doubles, Red Raiders Mana Graziano and Miya Reese were 6-3, 6-2 winners over Waimea’s pair of Kristine Ruiz and Leslie Uri.
Kauai girls closed its winning ways in girls third doubles when Helena Huffman and Rina Takabayashi defeated the Waimea pair of D’Annalyn Helgen and Julienne Gawaran, 6-3, 6-3.
Red Raider Trevor Carbonel was chatting with Waimea coaches and parents about growth in the popularity of tennis while the Waimea boys also allowed the girls to play first.
Carbonel teamed with Chris Constantino in boys first doubles to get past the Menehune pair of Josh Subiate and Mark Damo, 6-4, 6-2, for one of Kauai’s boys wins.
Kauai’s Cayson Lalin teamed with Nick Badua to take the Menehune duo of Bricen Medina and Wendell Batangan, 6-2, 6-3, in boys second doubles. Waimea’s Limar Medina came back from an earlier loss to Akira Takabayashi to take the boys first singles with a 6-3, 7(5)-6 edge over Takabayashi.
On the boys second singles, Waimea’s Edmelle Medina was a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Koa Cierras, and the Menehune wrapped up its victory on the boys third doubles court when the Waimea duo of Bryan Ingeneiero and Fred Adella were 6-1, 6-4 winners over Red Raiders Sage Cierras and Cameron Navor.
Kauai posted a 2-1 edge over Waimea in the exhibition courts when Waimea’s Keatin Mariano Hardy paired with Kai Parangao to get past Kauai’s Thaine Ochocco and Keith Macadangdang, 8-3.
The Red Raiders controlled the remaining matches, Tom Vetter and Mike Dressler defeating Waimea’s Christian Pablo and Vincent Altomare, 8-5, and Selma Tausend pairing with Emily Melchor to defeat Waimea’s D’Annalyn Helgen and Julienne Gawaran, 8-4.
With the KIF season concluded, the athletes next take the court starting Thursday for state qualifying matches. The boys are scheduled to play at Hokuala tennis courts starting at 8 a.m. The girls will play at the Kauai Community College tennis courts starting at 8 a.m., with the finals taking place Friday at the KCC courts.
