Prep Beat

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Thursday, March 27, 1997

Benford's 18 points leads Rams

Defending Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division girls' basketball champion Radford won its season opener at Leilehua last night, defeating the Mules, 53-44.

It was one of five OIA West openers.

Candace Benford scored 18 points and Taryn Geolina added 14 to pace the Rams.

Geolina scored 11 points in the first quarter as the Rams took a 17-6 lead.

After the Mules rallied in the second quarter to narrow the deficit to 27-22, Benford went on a scoring splurge with 12 points in the third quarter to help Radford go ahead, 43-29.

Jamie Harlor, who led the Mules' rally in the second quarter with eight points, finished with 18. Leilehua's Lauren Favre had 10.

Radford		17	10	16	10--53
Leilehua	6	16	7	15--44

Radford: Benford 18, Geolina 14, Kapesi 8, Galon 5, Kauo 4, Walker 4, Torarek 0, Valdez 0, Rivera 0, Massey 0, Morris 0, Terell 0, Van Herpen 0.

Leilehua: Harlor 18, Favre 10, Dani Brown 10, Aspera 4, Agduyeng 2, Delto 0, Munetake 0, Sowell 0, Ickes 0.

Waianae 50, Aiea 48: At Waianae, Shauntay Fletcher, a 5-foot-8 transfer student from Moanalua, scored 13 of her game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Seariders.

"We went to man (defense) in the fourth quarter, got some turnovers and they fouled us," said head coach Gerald Kahue.

The Seariders converted 12 of 24 free throws in the final quarter.

Fletcher, the daughter of Nathan Fletcher, the all-state defensive football player of the year in 1978, made two free throws with 1:30 remaining for the margin of victory.

Samantha Lorenzo scored 12 points for Waianae and Shelly Acosta added 10.

Jan Yukumoto led Na Alii with 12 points.

Aiea held leads of two points after one quarter, seven at halftime and six entering the fourth quarter.

Aiea		12	12	10	14--48
Waianae		10	7	11	22--50

Aiea: Yukumoto 12, Miguel 7, Yee 6, White 4, Machado 4, A. Acosta 4, Ho 4, Miyashiro 2, Mananngan 2, Rivers 2, Fukumoto 1, Glotcol 0, Warlick 0, Eckhoff 0.

Waianae: Fletcher 21, Lorenzo 12, Acosta 10, Mendez 3, Amina 2, Lave 2, Aldeguer 0.

Campbell 51, Waialua 20: At Campbell, the Sabres, perennial Western Division contenders, overwhelmed the Bulldogs, building a 28-13 first-half lead en route to a 31-point victory.

Sao Sanoi led the Sabers with 12 points -- eight in the second half.

Leslie Matas scored eight points to lead Waialua.

Waialua		4	9	5	2--20
Campbell	12	16	13	10--51

Waialua: Matas 8, DelaPena 4, Kahuli 4, Ladao 2, Manguino 2, McIntosh 0.

Campbell: Sanoi 12, Halmos 8, Domingo 8, Curran 6, Lactaoen 4, Fisher 4, J. Halmos 3, McChesney 2, Pico 2, Baldwin 2, Burkett 0.

Moanalua 42, Nanakuli 32: At Nanakuli, Danelle Beck scored 12 points to lead the Menehunes, who rallied from a 4-1 first-quarter deficit.

Kelly Lumho tallied 13 points to lead the Golden Hawks.

Moanalua	1	9	14	18--42
Nanakuli	4	5	9	14--32

Moanalua: Tehani Kubau 0, Cindy Morikawa 6, Danelle Beck 12, Abby Pasadao 3, Sarah Mausolf 9, Aluvale Togiai 9, Keisha Ferris 1, Tiffany 2.

Nanakuli: Nakasone 2, Kelly Lumho 13, Beck 1, Iliwaalani 2, Hani 8, Ako 2, Montez 4.

Pearl City vs. Mililani: This game was not reported by the home team, Mililani.