LIHUE — With just one more outing scheduled for Thursday, the Kauai High boys bowling team mixed excitement into the pot by winning the fifth week of Kauai Interscholastic Federation bowling.
On the girls’ lanes, Waimea’s girls already clinched the KIF title during the fourth week, but keep working toward a perfect season, taking the fifth week and anticipating the final matches Thursday.
The scenarios on the boys’ lanes are many.
“For Week 6 coming up, Thursday, IF Kapaa or Waimea boys — both tied at two wins apiece — win outright, they would be the KIF champions,” said Todd Ozaki, the Waimea bowling coach. “IF Kapaa and Waimea boys tie, they bowl a one-game sudden death roll-off following the regulation matches. IF Kauai boys win, there will be a three-way sudden death roll-off following the regulation matches.”
Ozaki continued.
“IF Kauai boys tie with Kapaa, the Kapaa boys will be champions,” he said. “IF Kauai boys tie with Waimea, the Menehune boys will be champions.”
Kauai High School athletic director Keli‘i Morgado agrees with Ozaki’s observations.
“You know, our boys won during weeks 2 and 4,” Ozaki said. “I’m just saying…maybe we have a thing for even numbers (LOL!). No matter what happensm, Thursday, every team, both girls and boys, can proudly hold their heads up. It has been an extremely competitive season and sportsmanship across the board has been displayed at a high level. All season, so many games and matches have been decided by less than 10 pins. That’s crazy if you really put things in perspective.”
Earlier in the Week 5 matches, the Kauai boys, led by Kaikoa Carvalho’s 193 high game, took the night by coming back in the third match and win with a 2,534 pinfall — just six pins! — ahead of Kapaa boys who finished with a 2,528 pinfall led by the high game rolled by Callum Meredith at 226.
Waimea boys finished third with a 2,327 pinfall led by the high game rolled by Deiton Otoman at 224, and the Kauai Christian Academy finished with just four bowlers with Nick Beydler having a 128 high game.
“Kauai coaches Bernard Almarza, Kyrin Sasaki and the Red Raider boys hung onto their KIF hopes with the nail-biting win,” Ozaki said. “Kapaa coach Joe Young and the Warrior boys took Games 1 (914 pinfall) and 2 (817), and held a 54-pin advantage on Kauai High School. We (the Menehune) were too far behind at that point.”
The Red Raiders came back to take Game 3 behind the high game rolled by Gian Panoy at 191 with Kyllie Sasaki helping the cause on a 181 game for an 857 pinfall to Kapaa’s 797 that was set behind Kalani Young’s high 176, Zylan Pa-Conant’s 172, and Jotis Russell Christian rolling a 170.
“Six pins!” Ozaki said. “We (the Menehune) also edged Kapaa in Game 3, 818-797 with Otoman rolling a 224. That helped Kauai’s win, and also helps us going into the final week. IF we had not beaten Kapaa in that third game, Kauai and Kapaa would have tied in points. Instead, the standings are now 2 (Kapaa)-2 (Waimea)-1 (Kauai).
On the Boys’ Individual Standings (best nine games), Kaikoa Carvalho of Kauai is in the lead with a 219 average followed by Pa-Conant (Kap) at 211. Otoman (Wai) is in third at 206 followed by Meredith (Kap) at 197, and Kalani Young (Kap) rounding out the top five at 187.
The action on the girls’ lanes saw Waimea taking all three games — 679, 729, and 714 — behind the high game rolled by Naomi Toki at 208 toward the team’s 2,122 pinfall.
Kauai High School got a high game 180 from Sommer Luis to finish second with 2,075, and Kapaa ended with 1,972 behind the high game rolled by Dana Murata at 204.
“I’m just working to keep my lead in the Individual Average Standings to qualify for the state tournament,” Murata said. “We are out for the team, but I want to qualify for states. I’m trying to help Jennifer Hayakawa, currently No. 54 in the Individual Average Standings, to qualify, too.”
Kauai Christian Academy girls also broke their 550-pin mark to roll a total series 1,803 led by Jana Sheatz nailing a 156.
“This is the highest we’ve done in the season,” said KCA athletic director and coach Chris Cullen. “Jana had 156 in Games 1 (591), and 3 (605), and rolled a 140 in Game 2 where we ended at 607. We’re still growing.”
Ozaki said although Waimea girls secured the KIF title during last week’s outing, a six-week sweep is something Coach Keiko Sagawa-Pananganan is striving for.
“One pin!” Ozaki said. “Games 1 (679-678 Kauai) and 3 (714-713 Kauai) were decided by one pin. It’s exciting just thinking about it. Some of these athletes bowl all year long, some only during the KIF season. But all of them have worked hard from the summer. It’s such a great learning experience for these soon-to-be adults.”
On the Girls Individual Average standings (best nine games), Murata holds the lead at 189 followed by Luis (Kau) at 175. Toki (Wai) is in third at 1667 followed by Kauai’s Taylor Kusaka, rolling a high 162 in the Game 1 where the Raiders dropped to Waimea by a single pin, holding a 159 average. Hayakawa rounds out the top five at 155.
The KIF Week No. 6 bowling starts with the first roll at 5:30 p.m., Thursday at the Kauai Bowl where the Billy Tees and Hawaii High School Athletic Association will host the 2019 bowling championships, Nov. 7 and 8.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
