Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Thursday, May 18, 2000

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
The Owls' Erika Sayson tries to drives around
Nanakuli's Haunani Momoa last night.

Mid-Pacific
fends off
Nanakuli

The win sends the Owls
into today's quarterfinal
matchup against Waiakea

By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

The Mid-Pacific Institute Owls turned their first Hawaii High School Athletic Association Girls' State basketball appearance in seven years into a survival test.

The Owls (13-8) raced to an early 11-1 lead, led 17-9 after the first quarter, then successfully fended off several challenges by Nanakuli for a 46-41 victory in a first round game at the Stan Sheriff Center last night.

In today's quarterfinals of the 24th annual tournament, No. 4 seed Waiakea (12-2) of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation plays MPI at 3:30 p.m.; Maui Interscholastic League champion and No. 3 seed Seabury Hall plays Punahou at 5 p.m.; No. 2 Kalaheo of the Oahu Interscholastic Association takes on Honokaa at 6:30 p.m., and top-seeded Kamehameha (12-0) of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu plays Maui at 8 p.m.

The Owls saw an eight-point first quarter lead dwindle to five (23-18) at intermission.

Haunani Momoa, who led the Golden Hawks (11-4) with 11 points, scored with 4:38 gone in the third quarter to cut MPI's lead to 27-25. Twice Nanakuli closed to within four points.

"We couldn't get over the hump. Tonight wasn't our night," said Nanakuli head coach Darin Pilialoha.

Freshman guard Shannon Nishi calmly ran the spread offense and Jade Savusa (19 points) converted enough free throws at the end to keep MPI ahead.

"Shannon was exceptional, very composed and Caroline knows her role," said MPI head coach Darin Lee. "Somehow, we always seem to make it close like this."

Mid-Pacific	17 6 12 11-46
Nanakuli	9 9 9 14-41

MID-PACIFIC: Erika Sayson 4, Shannon Nishi 4, Ashley Watamura 8, Stephanie Toshi 4, Jade Savusa 19, Chris Hee 3, Caroline Beddow 4.

NANAKULI: Rosemarie Kelly 9, Maricris Sierra 8, Ipo Keopuhiwa 10, Mary Davis 3, Haunani Momoa 11, Summer Victor , Emily Park 0.

3-point goals-Nanakuli 1 (Keopuhiwa). Rebounds-Mid-Pacific 37 (Beddow 11, Savusa 10); Nanakuli 20 (Momoa 7). Assists-Mid-Pacific 12 (Nishi 6); Nanakuli 4 (Keopuhiwa 2). Turnovers-Mid-Pacific 22; Nanakuli 13. Fouled out-Kelly.

Honokaa 60, Leilehua 35: The BIIF runner-up Dragons (11-3) hounded the Mules (14-8) for three quarters limiting the OIA's fourth-place team to 17 points.

Sophomore Erika Tadio scored eight of her game-high 16 points in the second quarter as Honokaa built a 28-13 halftime lead.

Myrna Ordonez scored 15 points and Malia Ah Loy had 10 for Honokaa. Sequoya Stokes led the Mules with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Leilehua	9 4 4 18-35
Honokaa	10 18 23 9-60

LEILEHUA: Nachelle Scott 2, Melody Hanson 0, Sequoya Stokes 11, Heather Living-Macdonald 5, Malia Chun-Llanos 0, Charlotte Garcia 8, Heidi Garcia 2, Freida Tauvela 0, Leslie Bantolina 0, Kehau Molina-Gamponia 3, Connie Matthews 0, Carly Peterson 0, Jo-Beth Calbick 4.

HONOKAA: Myrna Ordonez 15, Malia Ah Loy 10, Erika Tadio 16, Hawea Ah Loy 9, Maile Mangauil0, Shauntae Wusstig 2, Kami Shigemura 2, Bianca Alpiche 0, Kellie Iramina 0, Courtney Cooper 0, Genesis Loftus 0, Mishau Reed 0, Brandi Guzman 6, Erma Valenzuela 0.

3-point goals-Leilehua 1 (Molina-Gamponia); Honokaa 5 (Ordonez 2, Tadio 2, H. Ah Loy). Rebounds-Leilehua 37 (Stokes 12); Honokaa 42 (Tadio 10). Assists-Leilehua 9 (Scott 3); Honokaa 11 (H. Ah Loy 4). Turnovers-Leilehua 38; Honokaa 34. Fouled out-Hanson.

Punahou 58, Kapaa 36: The ILH runner-up Buffanblu (10-4) scored the last 10 points of the first quarter and the first five of the second quarter to take control.

Junior guard Malia Macfarlane scored 21 points for Punahou.

Jordyn Danner scored 15 points for the KIF champion Warriors.

Punahou	18 17 15 8-58
Kapaa	10 8 7 11-36

PUNAHOU: Elyse Umeda 6, Rebecca Lee 1, Milia Macfarlane 21, Caroline Ane 6, Becky Hogue 6, Megan Abbott 7, Nicole Jones 4, Nicola Hedge 2, Dana Arakawa 0, Anuhea Macfarlane 1, Misha Lam 0, Kira Kashiwa 4.

KAPAA: Waiala Quisano 2, Trichael Pangan 6, Jordyn Danner 15, Kainani Torio 0, Mytra DiLeonardo 3, Erin Hanada 0, Ashley Farias 4, Ihilani Yama 4, Stephanie Cuyo 2, Shayna Carvalho 0, Kanoe Arinaga 0, Ingrid Nakamura 0.

3-point goals-Punahou 2 (M. Macfarlane 2); Kapaa 1 (Danner). Rebounds-Punahou 35 (Hogue 5); Kapaa 27 (Farias 5). Assists-Punahou 11 (Umeda 4); Kapaa 8 (Torio 3). Turnovers-Punahou 24; Kapaa 23.

Maui 67, Kahuku 49: Senior forward Rosalinda Masler was 10-for-17 from the field for 25 points to spark the Sabers (17-3).

She also had 15 rebounds, two assists, three blocked shots and three steals.

Teisa Fotu led Kahuku (14-9) with 16 points. April Atuaia added 13.

Kahuku	8 15 11 15-49
Maui	19 21 13 14-67

KAHUKU: Aukai Pearl 0, Lindsey Williams 5, April Atuaia 13, Siki Suguturaga 6, Teisa Fotu 16, Faava Laban 0, Amanda Camit 2, Jaclyn Peters 5, Meriani Lewenilovo 0, Alesi Tevaga 2.

MAUI: Rheena Acidera 13, Malia Ho 11, Rosalinda Masler 25, Kanani Ventura 6, Flo Bellany 4, Kapua Cabreros 0, Janna Young Sik 0, Kristen Naylor 0, Misty Ohashi 4, Poliala Mahoney 2, Miranda Padua 0, Maren Kanekoa 0.

3-point goals-Kahuku 2 (Atuaia, Peters). Rebounds-Kahuku 32 (Atuaia 7); Maui 39 (Masler 15). Assists-Kahuku 9 (Williams, Atuaia, Suguturaga 2); Maui 11 (Ho, Mahoney 3). Turnovers-Kahuku 17; Maui 19. Fouled out-Tevaga.