LIHUE — “I don’t want to finish last,” said Dean Foster, a freshman from St. Francis on Wednesday while waiting on the doors to open at Kauai Bowl in the Rice Shopping Center. Foster and fellow teammate Jordyn Lono, a
LIHUE — “I don’t want to finish last,” said Dean Foster, a freshman from St. Francis on Wednesday while waiting on the doors to open at Kauai Bowl in the Rice Shopping Center.
Foster and fellow teammate Jordyn Lono, a junior at St. Francis, are among the field of 100 boys and 100 girls who are participating in the Billy Tees Hawaii High School 2017 state championships at Kauai Bowl today and Friday.
“I never bowled before,” Foster said. “I finished with a 158 average, and I’m excited about qualifying for the state tournament. I don’t know what to expect, but I just don’t want to finish last.”
Kevin Gusman, a Kauai native, coaches St. Francis.
“Dean and Jordyn Lono both qualified for the state tournament,” Gusman said. “They never bowled before, but made the cut. Jordyn was No. 32 in the final match where No. 30 was the cut. She pushed herself to No. 28 in the last three games to qualify.”
Lono said she only joined the bowling team of six because her friends were bowling.
“I wasn’t very good at the beginning,” Lono said. “During the last three games, all I had to do was make my marks and pick up the spares. I had to finish all three games at 150 or better.”
Gusman said during last year’s tournament, the Maryknoll girls took the championship on a 6988 pinfall, breaking a five-year streak by the Pearl City Chargers.
“States was at Leeward Bowl,” Gusman said. “During the season, our girls beat Maryknoll, so it’s going to be interesting. The Pearl City boys repeated as champions for the past seven years, starting in 2010.”
Pearl City coach Tony Madrona was among the group waiting on doors to open for the practice round.
“I remember you from the last time,” Madrona said. “That was in 2015 when both the boys and girls finished champions. We graduated a few since then, and now, the kids just have to find the heart that we see in them. They can’t get distracted — just bowl, one ball at a time.”
Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama’s coach Mike Yamamoto is another Kauai native who was waiting for Kauai Bowl to open.
“My grandfather owned Yamamoto Store in Koloa,” Mike said. “I used to coach with Kevin Gusman at St. Francis, and was coaching with him when my daughter Kami finished fourth in the state. Kevin started the bowling program at St. Francis seven years ago. He’s still there, and now, I’m at Kamehameha Schools.”
Opening ceremonies are scheduled for early Thursday followed by the girls bowling and the boys bowling up until 9 p.m. at Kauai Bowl. Action continues Friday with the awards ceremony scheduled for Friday afternoon.
KIF champions Kauai High School boys and Waimea High girls teams will represent Kauai as well as individuals from Kauai, Kapaa and Waimea high school.
