NAWILIWILI — The Menehune duo of Tiffany Lum and Jade Cano remain the only undefeated doubles team heading into the qualifiers for the state tournament starting Thursday. Lum and Cano defeated the Island School team of Jessica Duarte and Isabel
NAWILIWILI — The Menehune duo of Tiffany Lum and Jade Cano remain the only undefeated doubles team heading into the qualifiers for the state tournament starting Thursday.
Lum and Cano defeated the Island School team of Jessica Duarte and Isabel Worley 6-0, 6-1 in the final Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation tennis matches, Saturday at the Waimea High School courts.
In that series, the Menehune wahine prevailed over Island School 4-1. At the Kaua‘i Lagoons courts, the Kapa‘a wahine swept Kaua‘i 5-0 while the Kapa‘a boys edged past Kaua‘i 3-2 when Nis Nissen edged out Peter Nyguyen 7-6 (1), 6-4 on the Boys No. 2 Singles court. No results from the Waimea boys matches were available at press time.
The Kapa‘a team of Anthony Lopez and Tyler Cram came from a slow start to overtake the duo of Michael Fujikawa and Micah Yee 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 on the Boys No. 2 Doubles court to help the Kapa‘a boys’ edge.
Earlier in the day, Chas Okamoto kept his season record unblemished by controlling Lanning Henriques in the No. 1 Boys Singles match played on the stadium court. That win rounded out the Kapa‘a boys’ showing.
“Chas was so stoked after coming back from a tournament, he wanted to go out and practice right off the plane Friday,” his dad Charles said.
Matthew Kanna and Chris Flynn teamed to defeat Jacque Amo and Dustin Valdez 6-0, 6-3 on the No. 1 Boys Doubles court and the team of Dylan Myerson and Lance Matsumoto got past the Kapa‘a Boys No. 3 Doubles team of Thomas Sanseponc and Nick Awong 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
The lineup on the Kaua‘i/Kapa‘a girls matches were shaken up as Sarah Kukino and Shea Orial, normally the No. 1 and No. 2 singles players, teamed to be able to play the Kapa‘a combination of Lindsey Tom and Christine Ito in the Girls No. 1 Doubles arena.
Kapa‘a went on to take that match in three sets 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
The shakeup put Jenifer Grady in the No. 1 Singles court against Makena McCluskey where McCluskey prevailed 7-6(4), 5-7, 7-5.
Waters Riley, getting some fan support after arriving here from Maui at the start of the school year and upgraded from her normal No. 3 Doubles play, was matched against Kapa‘a senior Kirsten McCracken who also edged past Riley 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in the No. 2 Girls Singles court.
Alexis Valdez and Kerian Yatogo took the No. 2 Girls Doubles over Christine Castillo and Katie, 6-0 before the match was retired. Angela Mones and Naomi Taylor went the long route to take the team of Raisa Carlos and Jaimee Gali, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-1 on the Lagoons’ stadium court that was peppered with spectators in the stadium seating area.
Rachel Wright joined the Lum/Cano pair in the winners circle by getting past Island School’s Meghan Perius 6-4, 7-5 in the Girls No. 2 Singles matchup.
The combination of Elizabeth Lagundino and Leeshell Mangayayam defeated Haley Uliana and Stephanie Steuri 6-1, 6-3 on the Girls No. 2 Doubles court and Rachel Umetsu teamed with Anna Hartsell for a 6-1, 6-0 win over the Island School pair of Lauren Spears and Dani Enright on the Girls No. 3 Doubles court.
Qualifying for the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association state tournament begins Thursday morning from 8 a.m. at both the Po‘ipu Kai and the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa courts.
The opening rounds will be played Thursday with the finals taking place Friday.
The HHSAA Carlsmith Ball Boys and Girls Tennis Championships will be played May 6-9 at the Patsy T. Mink Central O‘ahu Regional Park Tennis Complex.
