PO‘IPU — Composure was the word of the day, yesterday, for the Kapa‘a High School girls tennis team. If they could pull off the win for the day, they would claim the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championship because, so far, they
PO‘IPU — Composure was the word of the day, yesterday, for the Kapa‘a High School girls tennis team.
If they could pull off the win for the day, they would claim the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championship because, so far, they were undefeated.
Kapa‘a’s No. 1 Singles player Lyndsey Tom felt the pressure, hitting three service errors early in the first set.
“In the beginning, I was really nervous. I was pushing (the balls) in,” Tom said.
But she eventually gained her composure and went on to beat Kaua‘i’s No. 1 Singles player, Dasha Lagmay, 6-0, 6-0.
Tom’s match was the first to complete on the day. The Warriors needed two more wins to take the match.
“We had some really close matches,” said Kapa‘a coach Jon Tom. “We squeaked through. We clinched the KIF title. All we needed was to win this one.”
Kapa‘a won, 3-2.
Kapa‘a’s No. 2 Singles player Crystine Ito won her match against Cassady Sirios in three games, 3-6, 6-1 and 6-4.
In girls doubles play, Kaua‘i’s duo of Lizzy Schiller and Megan Vento defeated Kelli Okamoto and Stephanie Kawamoto, 6-3, 6-2. The team of Katie Anderson and Jessica Castillo won over Mailika Napoleon and Cherine Ito in three, 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-4.
In the third doubles match, Lauren Esaki and Tori Yatogo beat 6-2 and 6-3.
The Kapa‘a boys team also won against Kaua‘i, 3-2. But they haven’t clinched the title yet. They must win against Waimea High School next week.
Yesterday, Kapa‘a’s Daniel Rodrick, who moved from playing doubles to playing the team’s top singles player, defeated Sterling Innouye, 6-4, 6-4. Second singles player Kila Youn won over Ryan Bieker in three games, 6-7 (3), 6-3 and 6-4.
All three doubles matches went to three games. In the first doubles, Kaua‘i’s Reyn Balocan and Alan Castillo won over Adam Kerlin and Matthew Hanley, 3-6, 6-0 and 6-0.
Kaua‘i’s second doubles team of Tim Rokohl and Chris Flynn beat Steven Pascual and Travis Wakayama, 6-4, 3-6 and 6-2. Kapa‘a’s Dustin Valdez and Ador Lopez won the third doubles match against Manny Cagdan and Pacific Gingras, 6-1, 3-6 and 6-3.
Kapa‘a plays Waimea this Saturday at the Kiahuna Courts at noon.
