LIHU‘E — Island School boys and girls, and Kaua‘i High School boys and girls tennis, marked victories in their respective matches on Saturday when the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation opened its 2024 tennis season.
Island School swept the girls series over Waimea High School, 5-0, despite the strong vocal support from Menehune fans.
The Voyager boys, who were led by the Fitzgerald twins, Mark and Michael, edged past the Menehune, 3-2, on the courts littered by African Tulip tree leaves blowing in from the windy conditions.
Over at Warriorland, the Kaua‘i High School teams were victorious on both boys and girls court 4-1 on each court in matches that were delayed due to SAT testing.
Voyager Katie Brown worked against Waimea’s Emma Guiro for the 6-2, 6-3 win on the girls first singles court. Island School’s Madi Welsh beat Charmain Joyce Acoba 6-2, 6-3 on the girls second singles floor.
On the first doubles field, Voyagers Lillah Hamid and Maya Ventura defeated the Waimea duo of Kaye Alvares and Camryn Gonzales 6-4, 6-0. Island School’s Nelly Kern and Nola Brown combined to beat Waimea’s Andrelyn Adobe and Tatiayanna Taguas-Savage 6-4, 6-1.
On the third doubles floor, Voyagers Lyuisa Junqueria and Maylen Ventura controlled Waimea’s Vivien Colcol and Mariana Lee, 6-2, 6-1.
Island School’s Fitzgerald boys controlled the singles field. And the first doubles team of Jacob Brossamer and Palle Navedo-Espejo gave the Voyagers its point difference on the boys courts.
In first singles play, Michael Fitzgerald took out Waimea’s Edward Pinkston 6-1, 6-1 while Mark Fitzgerald took the second singles matche 6-0, 6-0 against Waimea’s Teo Vukic amid strong Menehune support for Vukic.
Brossamer and Navedo-Espejo carved the winning edge by taking the first doubles match against Waimea’s Swede Sandblom and Edison Medina.
Waimea picked up the second and third boys doubles when Menehune Kalen Shimatsu paired with Anthony Udarbe to down Voyagers Ramana Wills and Ian Bollman 6-2, 6-4 and Waimea’s Aiden Kakuda and Emerson Ochua took their match over Island School’s Gabe Kelly and Jeremy Harris by default.
On the Kapa‘a tennis courts, the Warriors sole win against the Red Raiders came in boys third doubles when Luka Laskey-Martin teamed with Ke‘ola Maroney to beat Kaua‘i’s Robert Bishop and Kekai Calderon 6-1, 6-2.
Red Raider Dillon Fulks opened on a winning note in first singles with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Kapa‘a’s Jayson Muramaru. Red Raider Ryan So kept the win streak going with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Kapa‘a’s Ryan Murata in second singles.
Kaua‘i’s Isaac Mirey paired with Rasil Manandhar in boys first doubles to beat Kapa‘a’s Brody Kapali and Louie Reale 6-4, 6-2. In boys second doubles, Kaua‘i’s Aaron Hinazumi and Cody Torres edged out Kapa‘a’s Curran Pope and Grant Matsuda 2-6, 6-3 and 10-8.
Kapa‘a’s Kailee-Ann Baltazar needed three sets for the team’s only win against Kaua‘i’s Maddisson Hubbard on the second singles floor 6-4, 4-6, 10-3.
Another three-setter, this time between Kaua‘i’s Savannah Hubbard and Kapa‘a’s Ocean Amador in first singles play saw Hubbard pick up the win 3-6, 6-1, 10-5.
The Red Raiders eked out tough matches in girls doubles with Mia Marty and Taylee Yoshimoto beating out the Kapa‘a’s Chloe and Rain Hannsz 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in girls first doubles.
On the second doubles court, Kaua‘i’s Smantha Tominaga and Jeanine Longboy edged out Kapa‘a’s Sierra Summer and Wainohia Kitamura 7-5, 6-3.
On the third doubles floor, Kaua‘i’s Laney Carvalho and Sharba Holi downed Kapa‘a’s Aedyn Umalla and Jennifer Guerin 6-2, 6-2.
The next KIF tennis matches take place on Saturday when Kapa‘a travels to meet Waimea at the Waimea High School tennis courts starting at 9 a.m. Kaua‘i is scheduled to meet Island School at the Voyagers home court, also at 9 a.m. There was no starting time confirmed for the Kaua‘i and Island School matches.
