LIHU‘E — One pin separated second and third place, Saturday. That humbling experience went to the Kaua‘i High School boys team who dropped its opening game to Waimea High School by one pin: 752-751. “They couldn’t mark until the last
LIHU‘E — One pin separated second and third place, Saturday.
That humbling experience went to the Kaua‘i High School boys team who dropped its opening game to Waimea High School by one pin: 752-751.
“They couldn’t mark until the last three frames,” said Ross Shimabukuro, the Kaua‘i athletic director.
But that touch of reality opened the Red Raider men’s eyes and they rebounded with two first finishes in the remaining two games to finish with a 2,381 pinfall and 10 points.
The Kapa‘a men finished the day with a first finish in Game 1 before setting for second place in Games 2 and 3 for a 2240 pinfall and nine points on the day.
Waimea rounded out the boys’ finishes with five points, ending with a 1,886 pinfall over three games, its best showing in Game 1 when Waimea slipped past Kaua‘i for second place.
With its first finish, Kaua‘i High School is three points in the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation league standings after collecting a point in each of the past three weeks.
The Kaua‘i High School girls, rebounding from its second place finish last week, roared to sweep the games, Thursday, ending the day with a 2,107 pinfall and first finishes in all three games and total pinfall for a dozen points, overall.
Kapa‘a High School, led by current standings leader Joanna Chang at an average 156.556 over nine games, ended the day with two second places and a third, but settled for third place with an 1,823 pinfall for six points, tying Waimea at day’s end.
Bronte Acosta, currently third in KIF league averages at 142.111 over nine games, helped lead Waimea who finished with two third places and a second place, but edged past Kapa‘a with an 1,836 pinfall for its team’s six points.
That tight competition showed its head in the third game when Chang rolled a 140, second best of that game to Kaua‘i’s Kelsey Cadiente (143), to lead the Lady Warriors to a five-pin edge over Waimea, 594-589, the Menehune getting its best roll from Acosta who posted a 135 in the game.
Following the wobbly first game, Kaua‘i settled down with Tevin Nakashima rebounding from a Game 1-133 to roll a 197 to lead the Kaua‘i boys to an 18-pin edge over Kapa‘a’s 750. Nakashima continued his growth, finishing the day with a 221 in Game 3’s first finish.
Kyle Balisacan, rolling a 190 in Kaua‘i’s third-place Game 1, helped the win with a 175 in Game 2 and finished with a 170 in Game 3.
Randy Iloreta Jr., currently leading the KIF standings with a 168.556 average over nine games, led Kapa‘a with his best game, a 200 coming in Game 2.
He was followed by a strong No. 2 showing from Justin Uegawa, currently No. 2 in the KIF league standings with a 155.333 average over nine games, who rolled his best game in the opener with a 161.
“Justin said he should’ve gotten into bowling a lot earlier because then, he would be a lot better,” said Eugene Uegawa, tending one of the shuttle carts at the Junior Tour Series All Age Championship golf tournament, Sunday at the Puakea Golf Course.
Chase Ueno posted a 247 in Waimea’s third place Game 2. Earlier, Ueno posted a 178 in Game 1 before finishing at 101 in Game 3 to lead the Menehune boys.
Mark Angelo Abalos posted a 160 in Game 1 and Kaleopunaheleimaikalani Hauata finished Game 1 with a 150 to help the Menehune.
Bowling continues Thursday starting at 5 p.m. at the Lihu‘e Bowling Center.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
