PUHI — Louisa Tanigawa, Waimea High’s girls first singles player in 2019, juggled her schedule Saturday, opting to watch the boys first singles match instead of the girls first singles match during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation tennis matches at the Kaua‘i Community College courts Saturday afternoon.
“I had to go watch my cousin, Kylan Takakusagi, tee off for Waimea at the KIF golf match,” Tanigawa said. “On top of that, I wanted to see Fred Adella, the boys first singles play. He was determined to win after last week. Now, I gotta go back to the golf course to go see my cousin.”
The Menehune finished the day splitting with Island School, the Waimea boys taking their series 5-0 while the girls dropped to the Voyagers, 3-2.
Adella led the Menehune boys’ string of victories by shutting down Island School’s Andrew Sclafani, 6-0, 6-0, before a strong stand of supporters in boys first singles.
Wendell Batangan battled Voyager Reed Brown to a 6-3, 6-1 win in boys second singles.
Menehune Vittorio Altomare teamed with Alvin Rafael to get past the Voyager duo of Foster McLychock and Cono Hill, 6-2, 6-3, in boys first doubles.
Jhames Ragus paired with Adriane Serapio to take the boys second doubles match, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, over Island School’s Cannan Washburn and Braydon King.
Waimea’s Alan Corpuz and Carlton Hung took the third doubles match by default.
Island School girls soccer coach Beau Acoba was among the throng of spectators watching the Voyager and Menehune women battle on their respective courts. His focus was on Island School’s girls first singles player Haven Sadler, who was a strong player for the Voyager girls soccer team.
Sadler, who shut down her opponent during last week’s match in Kapa‘a, worked for three grueling sets to get past Waimea’s Kamalani Goo, 5-7, 6-1 and 7-5.
Waimea answered that loss in girls second singles when Leslie Uri downed Island School’s Ava Anderton, 6-3, 6-1.
Island School answered the stalemate by taking two of the three girls doubles matches, including the first girls doubles, when Voyagers Bonnie Lee and Samantha Brown worked three sets to get past the Menehune duo of Rohna Lei Batacan and Julienne Gawaran, 6-1, 4-6 and 6-4.
The Voyagers picked up its series winner by going three sets in girls second doubles, when Island School paired Lilly Reynolds with Kalia Hamid to edge out Waimea’s pair of Kieran Canavan and Marcie Ramos, 6-2, 3-6 and 6-2.
Waimea girls picked up the girls third doubles match when Erich Borbos paired with Victoria Mendoza to defeat the Voyager duo of Paulina Do and Alexa Lauryn, 6-2, 6-4.
Scores from the Kaua‘i High and Kapa‘a High contests at the Po‘ipu Kai tennis courts were not available at press time. These matches were the final matches contested before the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association suspension of sporting events takes effect today.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
