WAIMEA — For three graduating seniors, Wednesday was the final night the girls spent on the floor with their Lady Menehune teammates at the Clem Gomes Gym.
Despite the celebratory nature of the gym, Waimea came up short, 57-37 against the Kaua‘i High School Red Raiders during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls basketball Senior Night.
Both teams overcame a slew of turnovers to mark the scoreboards during the first half where Kaua‘i took a 28-13 lead at the break. Utilizing the 10-minute break to settle nerves, the Red Raider ladies charged back to take a 30-point margin at the final buzzer.
Hazel Serapio, one of the three celebrated Lady Menehune seniors, lead the scoring effort for Waimea with 10 points, as well as provided experienced movement on the court that yielded Menehune turnovers from Kaua‘i.
Macie Ramos, the second of three Menehune seniors, followed with a four-point contribution, being joined by fellow Lady Menehune Hailey Mata who made her contributions before fouling out in the final minute of play, and Kiaura Rita-Ortiz who came off the bench to make her mark on both sides of the ball.
Layla Tapucol, joining the other two seniors on the Starting Five, had no marks in the scorebooks to demonstrate her defensive effectiveness as the low inside post in front of an audience that included members of the KIF Championship Cheer team who showed up in uniform for support.
Kaua‘i’s Hema Naka‘ahiki-Young, whose first-half production was restricted by the tenacious Menehune defense, and turnovers, took advantage of the haltime break to settle. She came out of the locker room to finish the contest with a game-high 16 points, including 10 marks in the second half.
Jaley Medeiros and Kate-Lynn Colipano each finished with nine points, Medeiros launching a trey in the second quarter, and Angeline Nizo, key to the Kaua‘i lead in the first quarter with seven of her eight game-total points, marked a three-ball in the first frame.
Kaua‘i High School, with its victory at the Clem Gomes Gym, returns home to the Kaua‘i High School gym, Friday when the Red Raiders celebrate its Senior Night by hosting Kapa‘a Night School. The Junior Varsity contest is scheduled to tip off starting at 5:30 p.m. followed by the varsity contest starting 20 minutes following the end of the JV game.
Waimea will travel to the Bernice Hundley Gym, Monday to face Kapa‘a High School in the Lady Warriors Senior Night in a single contest starting at 6:30 p.m.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
