HONOLULU — Kaua‘i High School tennis coach Jennifer Hreljac said the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation was represented at the Island Insurance Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association 2024 Hawai‘i State Championships by nine players from Kaua‘i High School, three from Island School, one from Waimea High School and two players from Kapa‘a High School.
Hreljac reported results of the KIF players as an update to the state tournament that wrapped up on Saturday at Central O‘ahu Regional Park.
“The first day of play, the matches were delayed several times due to rain,” Hreljac said. “Because of the delays, the tournament director changed the first day format to short sets, first to four games by two; No-Ad scoring with a 9-point sudden death tiebreaker if at 4-all. Third set as a 10-point tiebreaker. Friday and Saturday matches returned to regular scoring.”
On the boys courts, Kaua‘i senior Dillon Fulks, the Central Pacific Bank KIF boys singles champion, lost 4-1, 4-2 to the No. 4 seeded Gervase Ngo from ‘Iolani School, and Kaua‘i 10th grader Ryan So fell 4-0, 4-0 to top-seeded Brandon Ramos of Punahou Schools.
“Brandon ended No. 2 in the tournament after losing to Payton Jim On of Punahou in the finals,” Hreljac said. “Waimea High School senior Ed Pinkston lost 4-0, 4-0 to unseeded player Tyler Thomas of Maui High. Kaua‘i High School seniors Isaac Mirey and Rasil Manandahar beat unseeded players Akela Aloy and James Angell of Kamehameha-Maui in three sets, 5-3, 2-4, 10-3,” the Kaua‘i coach said.
“In the second round, Mirey and Manandlhar lost to the No. 1-ranked players Tanner Iget and Alex Doane of Punahou, 4-0, 4-0. Punahou player Doane said he always appreciated playing against Kaua‘i High players because they have a great attitude and appear to have fun regardless of the score.”
Pablo Navedo-Espejo and Nachi Elizaurdia of Island School dropped to unseeded players Justin Shimoko and Aysa Jones of Kailua High 5-4, 4-1.
Brant Matsuda and Brody Kapali of Kapa‘a High lost to unseeded players Mason Udani and Dylan Apo of Kapolei High 4-2, 4-0.
On the girls court, Hreljac said Kaua‘i High freshman Laney Carvalho lost to the tournament’s No. 2 ranked player Ashley Kurzaki of Moanalua High 4-0, 4-0.
“Ashley went on to win the tournament in girls singles,” Hreljac said.
Island School’s Lillah Hamid lost 4-1, 4-0 to unseeded player Liez Pascual of Aiea High.
On the girls doubles court, Kaua‘i High players Mia Marty, a junior, and Taylee Yoshimoto, a sophomore, beat Raika Castillo and Shilo Castillo of Campbell High, 4-2, 5-3.
“In the second round, Marty and Yoshimoto lost to No. 7-ranked Kaiya Ideta and Annika Nishida of Waiakea High 4-0, 4-0,” Hreljac said. “Nishida and Ideta lost to tournament winners Jaraihlyn Rhoades and Logam Tome of Punahou 6-1, 6-0.”
Kaua‘i High School seniors Savannah and Maddison Hubbard lost to the No. 2 seeded players Jada Igawa and Chloe Takahashi from Waiakea High, 4-0, 4-0.
“Kaua‘i High would like to thank all donations, including those from Domino’s, the Kaua‘i Tennis Foundation, and the Muriel Osbourne state travel grant for girls’ tennis,” the Kaua‘i coach said.
