LIHUE — Ian Luis, in the Under 20 age group, Shayden Peralta and Kyllie Sasaki in the Under 12 age group, earned qualifying berths to the Junior Gold Championships bowling tournament which will contest July 15 to 21 in Cleveland,
LIHUE — Ian Luis, in the Under 20 age group, Shayden Peralta and Kyllie Sasaki in the Under 12 age group, earned qualifying berths to the Junior Gold Championships bowling tournament which will contest July 15 to 21 in Cleveland, Ohio.
“We don’t know at this time who will be traveling to Cleveland in July,” said Todd Ozaki, coach of the Kauai Blazing Bowlers, a junior bowling program. “Ian, Shayden and Kyllie have the first right of refusal. This means if they don’t want to, or cannot attend the Ohio meet, the option would then go to the next in line.
Six bowlers in the Under 20 and eight keglers in the Under 12 groups took to the lanes, Sunday for the Junior Golf Championships qualifier at Kauai Bowl.
“Chad Pojas from Oahu’s Hawaii Bowlers Tour has been very instrumental in helping our young program get off the ground. We would not have been able to host this qualifier without his guidance.” Ozaki said.
Following the three-game play, Luis emerged at the top of the U20 group with a 575 pinfall. He was followed by Dana Murata, entering Kapaa High School as a freshman in the fall, with a 446 pinfall, just 15 pins ahead of Kekapuloa Thompson, a current Kauai Interscholastic Federation bowler with the Kapaa Warriors. Thompson logged a 431 pinfall behind a strong second game where he finished at 151.
Peralta topped the U12 group with a 380 pinfall, 18 pins ahead of Sasaki, who finished at 362 pinfall behind a strong 147 second game. Trestyn Reis settled in the third spot with a 357.
The qualifier did not end at that point, as Ozaki said the top three finishers in each age group go on to a Stepladder where the second and third finishers roll against each other, the winner advancing to meet the top finisher.
During the U20 Stepladder, Thompson bettered Murata, 146-105 before falling to Luis, 134-164.
Sasaki got the better of Trestyn Reis, 125-84 in the U12 Stepladder. He also took out No. 1 Peralta by one pin, 122-121 in the final matchup.
“I’m so excited about more Kauai bowlers getting the opportunity to compete in the Junior Gold Championships,” Ozaki said. “We owe thanks and appreciation to so many people like Kauai Blazing Bowlers coaches Marilou Knight, Becky Williams, and Collyne Murata who help the program in so many ways. Parent Alvin Reis shows up every Sunday and organized all of our fundraising this season, and my wife Kasey Ozki who ran the check-in table during the qualifier because other coaches were on vacation.”
Ozaki said he is also grateful for the help from Kauai Bowl owner Adam Apo as well as the bowling center’s managers Dave Freeman and Lambert Apo.
Results for Junior Gold qualifier:
Ian Luis: 185-239-151-575, Dana Murata: 129-149-168-446, Kekapuloa Thompson: 145-151-135-431, Taylen Luis: 149-125-144-418, Alvin Reis: 125-146-141-412, Shayden ‘Bubbah’ Peralta: 111-126-143-380, Kyllie Sasaki: 94, 147-121-362, Trestyn Reis: 120-124-113-357, Brendson Stark: 114-101-134-349, Travis Planas: 110-111-95-316, Jason Muramaru: 71-114-110-295, Shane Shibuya: 83-105-101-289, Kira Weaver: 70-48-66-184.
