PO‘IPU — Kaua‘i High School junior Kirra Carvalho outlasted Waimea’s Kamalani Goo, but Team A edged past Team B, 6-5 Saturday during the first of the Kaua‘i Youth Tennis Tournament Series at the Po‘ipu Kai Tennis Courts.
Playing before an audience that was severely limited due to prevailing COVID-19 rules and regulations, Carvalho battled Waimea High School Junior Goo into the second round of the tournament featuring students and coaches from Island School, Kaua‘i High School, Waimea High School, and the Kaua‘i Christian Academy in Kilauea.
Carvalho’s 7-6, 1-6, 12-10 three-set marathon came up short for Team B who ended with a 5-6 shortfall against Team A whose efforts were demonstrated with a pair of three-set matches, including Kaua‘i High School’s Cameron Teves getting past Island School’s Andrew Scalfani, 1-6, 6-2, and 10-2.
Team A’s second tie-breaking match saw Kaua‘i High School’s Judah Sapp getting past Island School’s Reed Brown, the only left-handed player in the field, 4-6, 7-6, 10-3.
Other Team A victories included Island School’s Michael Fitzgerald defeating Island School’s Lucas Westen-Webb, 6-4, 6-0, and Island School’s Bonnie Lee controlling Kaua‘i High School’s Jeanine Longboy, 6-2, 6-0.
Kaua‘i High School’s Christian Teves defeated Waimea High School’s Vito Altomare, 6-3, 6-3, and Kaua‘i Christian Academy’s Ryder Kenton was solid against Island School’s Ramana Wills, 6-0, 6-0.
“It is so wonderful to see the student athletes out playing competitively and having fun,” said Shannon Burkman, a Kaua‘i High School coach. “There are some very close matches and very high levels of play. We’re especially excited that our seniors get a chance to play as they’ve lost so much this year due to the pandemic.”
Play continued among the players in the Kaua‘i Youth Tennis with Island School’s Mark Fitzgerald shutting down Noel Chris Constantino, 6-0, 6-0 to lead the string of Team B victories.
Kaua‘i High School senior Katherine O’Neill prevailed over alumnus Hoku Iseri, 7-5, 6-4, and Kaua‘i High School students Maddison Hubbard teamed with Savannah Hubbard to control the Island School pair of Katie Brown and Brooklyn Mackey, 6-1, 6-2 in one of two doubles matches in the tournament.
Kaua‘i High School students Matthew Rivera paired with Tanner Hubbard to get past the duo of Kaua‘i High School’s Dillon Fulks and Island School’s Ryan So, 6-2, 6-4.
“We are grateful for The Kaua‘i Tennis Association for subsidizing the court fees at Po‘ipu Kai,” Burkman said. “Coach Aaron Tada for providing the match tennis balls and awards, and for all the high school coaches and volunteers who encouraged players and monitored the matches.”
There are two more tournaments scheduled on May 1, and on May 15. Play format will continue in the Mixed Team and include more Doubles, and Mixed Doubles lines.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
