The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation has come down to four matches featuring top seeds in all divisions starting at 8:30 a.m. this morning at the Kiahuna Tennis Club in Po‘ipu. Following a day of qualifying tennis, the top singles players and
The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation has come down to four matches featuring top seeds in all divisions starting at 8:30 a.m. this morning at the Kiahuna Tennis Club in Po‘ipu.
Following a day of qualifying tennis, the top singles players and doubles teams have emerged. Kapa‘a’s Chas Okamoto will face Island School’s Sam Dunham for the Boys Singles title and Kaua‘i’s Sarah Kukino will meet Waimea freshman Lani Rae Green for the Girls Singles title.
On the Doubles arena, Island School’s top-seeded team of Madison Duarte and Megan Perius will meet the second-seeded team of Shay Orial and Jennifer Grady of Kaua‘i High School.
The top-seeded Boys Doubles team of B.J. Kai and Otis Llewellyn from Kaua‘i High School survived a three-set match against No. 3 Jeremy Randolph-Flagg and Logan Domingo of Island School and will face the Kaua‘i team of Matthew Kanna and Jerik Centeno, seeded No. 2 in the tournament.
Kai and Llewellyn opened with a 6-2, 6-0 win over fellow Red Raiders Justin Fujikawa and Matthew Mizukami, who had advanced following a 6-2, 6-1 win over Island School’s Aidan Dungan and Christian Potter earlier in the day, Thursday.
The No. 3 seeded Randolph-Flagg and Domingo pair advanced to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Kapa‘a’s Reggie Agaran and Justin Medina, the Warrior pair advancing following an opening-round win over Island School’s Dylan Morrison and Ben Steuri, 6-1, 6-2.
Kai and Llewellyn gave up the first set, 2-6 to Randolph-Flagg and Domingo in the semifinials before rebounding with 6-3, 6-3 wins to advance to the finals.
The No. 2 seeded team of Kanna and Centeno advanced to the finals with a 6-0, 6-1 win over No. 4 John Villanueva and John Gawaran of Waimea.
Earlier, Kanna and Centeno bested the team of Chris Corpuz and Lance Cacal of Waimea, the Menehune team advancing following its 6-2, 6-3 win over Charles Kong and Jonathan Obiano of Kapa‘a.
The Villanueva/Gawaran pair advanced to face Kanna and Centeno after taking a 6-4, 6-3 win over fellow Menehune Bryle Rivera and Mark Razalan, who had advanced following a 6-2, 6-4 opening round against Kapa‘a’s Shawn Rabaino and Andrew Obiano.
Top-seeded Okamoto advanced to the finals giving up just one game after opening with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Garret Beyer of Island School and advancing 6-1, 6-0 over Chris Ajimura of Waimea.
Ajimura opened with a three-set win over fellow Menehune Andrew Dutton, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4, and advanced to beat another Menehune, Kaleo Hauata, seeded No. 4 in the tournament, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 before meeting Okamoto.
Dunham, seeded No. 2 in Boys Singles, opened with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Kapa‘a’s Ryan Lopez and advanced following a 6-1, 6-0 win over No. 3 seeded Ryan Perez of Island School. Perez advanced following a tie-breaker set over Waimea’s Bradly Cano, 6-2, 7-6(1).
The Kaua‘i team of Raisa Carlos and Jasmine Ikeda, affectionately labelling themselves the “Jasmine Rais,” opened with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Mary Yasay and Shalyn Jim of Waimea before dropping to the No. 1 seeded Duarte/Perius pair, 3-6, 1-6.
Duarte and Perius advanced to the Girls Doubles finals following a 6-1, 6-2 win over No. 3 seeded Sierra Mayer and Alexsis Valdez of Kapa‘a. The Warrior duo had advanced to the semis with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Waimea’s Kiele Young and Indira Safadi, who won their opening round by default over Island School’s Michaela Sullivan and Lauren Spears.
Island School’s Stephanie Steuri and Tessa Mason needed three sets to advance past Waimea’s Shantel Rita and Brittney Palencia, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, but dropped to the No. 4 seeded Kaylie Nakamura and Jazzerrie Taeza, 4-6, 3-6. Nakamura and Taeza advanced to face the No. 2 seeded team of Orial and Grady in the semis.
Orial and Grady advanced to the finals with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Nakamura and Taeza. Earlier in the day, the No. 2 seeded pair advanced following an opening win over Rachel Umetsu and Annalissa Hartsell, 6-3, 6-0. Umetsu and Hartsell had gotten through following a 6-1, 6-0 win over Jaimee Gali and Gilian Gregorio of Kaua‘i.
Top-seeded Girls Singles player Kukino gave up two games in the semifinals to Waimea senior Dessa Rentrop, 6-1, 6-1 en route to the finals.
Rentrop, despite a three-set win over April Oo of Island School, 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-2, worked hard against Kukino before succumbing in the Po‘ipu lunchtime sun.
Kukino opened with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Island School’s Lauren Claypoole to advance to the semifinals.
No. 3 seed Brittney Barreira opened with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Kapa‘a’s Taylor Anama before dropping to No. 2 Green 1-6, 0-6 in the semifinals.
Green advanced following a 6-0, 6-0 win over Island School’s Haley Uliana.
All four finals matches will start at 8:30 a.m. at the Kiahuna Tennis Club.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
