LIHUE — The Waimea High bowling teams swept both ends of the Kauai Interscholastic Federation bowling matches Thursday to claim second-week tournament honors at Kauai Bowl.
Rolling behind the high game posted by Menehune Crystal Kamakea with 180, the Menehune wahine improved to 2-0 on the season with a total 2,102 pinfall, fueled by wins in the second and third games where the wahine posted scores of 706 and 726, respectively.
The Waimea boys redeemed their loss to Kapaa High last week by surging to a total 2,624 pinfall to claim last week’s win when all three teams posted pinfalls soaring beyond the 2,000 mark. Led by Menehune Deiton Otoman posting a high-game 257, the Waimea boys claimed the top spot after taking the second and third games on pinfalls of 854 and 912, respectively.
“This is going to be an exciting season,” said Keli‘i Morgado, Kauai High athletic director, who is coordinating the KIF sport. “The bowlers are doing state-level rolls, and it’s going to come down to who wants it more.”
Kauai High boys settled in the second spot after taking the first game on an 866 pinfall toward its 2,479, three-game total. Kaikoa Carvalho topped the Red Raider boys’ effort with a high-game 233.
Zylan Pa-Conant posted high-game honors with a 213 for the Kapaa boys, who tumbled from its win last week to third place on a 2,421 pinfall — 58 pins behind the Raider boys.
Kauai Christian Academy fielded four bowlers last week, led by Timmy Diehl posting a 118 high game.
Following the second week of rolling, both Waimea and Kapaa boys share the top league standings with a win apiece, while the Kauai and KCA boys are still eyeing the top-spot honor.
“This confirms last week’s comment that this is going to be a very competitive season,” said Waimea coach Todd Ozaki. “Every team — both girls and boys — is showing their ability to step up when needed. It is very exciting in there. Both Coach Keiki and I are so proud of these Waimea teams,” Ozaki said.
”Our focus this year has been ‘One Family, One Team. Bowl Blue!’ and our athletes have really embraced this, putting their school, their community and their teammates beyond themselves.
“This is easy to see, or should I say, it’s easy to hear? The team spirit is loud and proud, and it’s not just our bowlers. Parents, friends and supporters are there, and they are making their presence known. It’s hard not to smile when I think about them during the day.”
The competition raged for second and third places among the girls, as Kauai High finished second with a 1,966 pinfall, led by Tavia Rapozo’s 189 high game, for the team total just six pins ahead of Kapaa.
Dana Murata had high-game honors for the girls, rolling a 194 to lead the Warrior wahine kegglers, who ended with a 1,960 pinfall after taking the first game on a 698 pinfall.
Jana Sheatz rolled a high-game 124 to lead the KCA girls, who finished fourth overall on a 1,122 pinfall.
Kapaa’s Murata leads the girls’ individual averages, 175, some 20 pins better than Sommer Luis of Kauai High, who ended with a 155 average.
Rapozo, rolling the Raider girls’ high-pin mark last week, was third with a 147 average.
Waimea’s Chloe Kamakea ended in fourth place with a 141 average, followed by Crystal Kamakea at 139.
Waimea’s Naoki Toki tied with Crystal Kamakea at 139, followed by Alysha Palacio at 135, tied with Kauai’s Taylor Kusaka.
Jennifer Hayakawa of Kapaa ended with a 128 average, along with Kauai High’s Darian Martin to round out the top 10 wahine bowlers.
Carvalho held the top spot on the leaderboard with a 209 average for the boys, followed by Kapaa’s Pa-Conant (198) and Waimea’s Otoman (189).
Other boys individual leaders in the top 10 included Kalani Young (Kap-183), Shayden Peralta (Kau-180), Jozaiah Sarmiento (Kau-176), Draxton “Malu” Campos Banasihan (171), Kyllie Sasaki (Kau-170), Callum Meredith (Kap-169) and Kobe Aguilar (Wai-165).
“As fun as it was to see both the Waimea girls and boys take the win Thursday night, it is bittersweet in a way,” Ozaki said. “I have the privilege of working with many bowlers from the other high schools on Sunday during our youth league, the Kauai Junior Blazing Bowlers. But on Thursday nights I find myself rooting for all the KJBB members, hoping they do their best.”
The KIF third week of bowling takes place Thursday when the first matches roll starting at 5:30 p.m. at Kauai Bowl.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
