HONOLULU — Kaua‘i High School bowler Kaikoa Carvalho-Ki‘ilau came through when he needed to during the 48th Billy Tee’s Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Bowling State Tournament that wrapped up on Friday at the Leeward Bowl on O‘ahu.
Carvalho-Ki‘ilau, rolling a near-perfect game during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation, was trailing teammate Kyllie Sasaki following the first two sets. He rebounded on the final day to roll a 204 to end up in 14th place with a 1,538 pinfall, just a pin shy of 13th place finisher Shane De-Rego of Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama.
Sasaki, rolling a 248 on his first outing, finished the final with a 173 to finish in 15th place with a 1,532 pinfall.
Those leaders helped the Kaua‘i High School boys team to finish in sixth place with a 6,786 pinfall in the tournament that was captured by the Castle High School boys, who compiled an 8,005 pinfall. The top boys finisher belonged to Kalin Ogata of Castle, who finished with a two-day 1,821 pinfall.
Waimea High School individualists Richard Palacio, and Jericho Gudoy, finished 55th and 72nd, respectively.
For the girls, Kapa‘a High School Coach Kevin Gusman worried about his girls’ sixth-place finish during the 2021 state tournament that was also held at the Leeward Bowl. His worries during the KIF bowling season paid off because the Warriors’ ladies improved to fifth place this year.
The Lady Warriors, all veterans of last year’s tournament, finished with a 6,111 pinfall.
Kapolei High School won with a two-day 7,457 pinfall.
Jayna Yockman of Kapolei was the top girls individualist with a 1,684 pinfall over three sets.
The KIF’s leading individualist honors belonged to Erich Borbos of Waimea High School, who finished 14th overall following two days of rolling with a 1,373 pinfall, just a pin shy of Maliau‘ilani Hiapo of Sacred Hearts in 13th overall with a 1,374 pinfall.
The top bowler for the Kapa‘a girls belonged to Skye Tadani, who finished 22nd overall with a 1309 pinfall after rolling her best game, 173, on Friday. Jennifer Hayakawa, a strong leader for the Warriors, finished in 32nd overall with a 1252 pinfall.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
