Kahuku overwhelms Farrington
The Lady Raiders defeat
the Governors 63-26 in both
teams' OIA regular-season opener
If success is measured by how well a team responds to adversity, the Kahuku Lady Raiders are relatively wealthy.
Despite the loss of two players to injury, Kahuku overwhelmed Farrington 63-26 last night at Thomas G.S. Walker Gymnasium.
Guards Monarisa Ale and Karla Tailele sparked a tenacious defense, and Aisha Ale provided an offensive spark as the Lady Raiders opened regular-season play with a win. Tailele finished with 19 points, seven steals and five rebounds, while Aisha Ale tallied 10 points and seven caroms and Monarisa Ale scored 10 points.
Kahuku's smothering pressure defense forced Farrington, which was paced by Sunshine Misa-Uli's six points and six rebounds, into 30 turnovers. Kristen Va'a also scored six points.
The Lady Raiders played without guards Camilla AhHoy and Artevia Wily. AhHoy has a groin injury, and Wily suffered a knee injury last week at the Lady Cardinal Classic. Both sophomores are out indefinitely.
Reserve guard Tina Soliai played with a minor injury.
The Lady Raiders, unbeaten in preseason until a loss to Konawaena on Saturday, were back on track against Farrington -- the team that knocked Kahuku out of the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoff semifinals last year.
"We don't have to play them again, so that's something I don't have to worry about," longtime Farrington coach Jenic Tumaneng said.
Opening the regular season with a resounding win was what the doctor ordered.
"Everybody was really hungry, mad about losing that game. But you gotta shake it off because it's only preseason," Tailele said.
Despite the lopsided result, Kahuku coach Wendy Anae wasn't quite satisfied.
"I'm not happy with the way we started out," she said.
The Lady Raider offense chugged along in the opening minutes against Farrington's 2-3 zone.
AhHoy fed Monarisa Ale for a fast-break layup to give Kahuku an 8-6 lead, and the Lady Raiders never gave it back.
"A lot of teams now are playing zone against us. We just need to keep working on it, be patient and execute," Tailele said.
Kahuku didn't unveil its full-court press until midway through the opening quarter. Still, Farrington struggled against the Lady Raiders' half-court man-to-man.
"We kind of wanted to surprise them, I guess," Tailele said. "That's where we get most of our points from."
At one point in the first stanza, Farrington committed four turnovers in a row.
"The first time we played them, we weren't ready for their press," Tumaneng said, referring to a preseason loss to Kahuku. "This time, we spent time on our press-breaker, but our half court didn't execute."
Still, after Shirlyn Tambu swished a 3-pointer with two seconds left in the first quarter, the Lady Govs trailed by just one point, 10-9. Kahuku was hospitable, missing all four of its foul shots.
Kahuku's full-court press paid dividends in the second quarter. Four turnovers by Farrington led to all of Kahuku's points in a 10-0 run. Aisha Ale was relentless under the glass on both ends, while Monarisa Ale and Tailele were pesky on the passing lanes, helping Kahuku take a 20-9 lead with 4:19 remaining in the half.
Kristen Va'a's free throw finally ended Kahuku's blitz, but Tailele drilled a trey from the top of the key. Kahuku closed the half with a 7-2 run and led at intermission 27-12.
Farrington committed 17 first-half turnovers.
Kahuku switched its half-court defense to a 1-3-1 zone, but it was the full-court press that wreaked havoc. Farrington committed five turnovers to start the third quarter, and Kahuku responded with a 9-0 run. Anny Soliai's short bank shot gave the Lady Raiders a commanding 36-12 lead with 2:16 left in the third.
After a rebounding deadlock in the first half -- each team had 12 boards -- Kahuku dominated the paint after intermission. The Lady Raiders finished with a 37-24 edge on the glass.
At Kahuku H.S. gym
Farrington (0-1) 9 3 6 8 -- 26 Kahuku (1-0) 10 17 15 21 -- 63
Farrington-- Joanna Montero 5, Rachel Ancheta 2, Audrina Esera 1, Tanya Sale 0, Shirlyn Tambua 3, Sandi Tauta 2, Marissa Keohohou 2, Kirstyn Vaa 6, Sunshine Misa-Uli 6.
KAHUKU--Karla Tailele 19, Monarisa Ale 10, Tina Soliai 10, Anny Soliai 2, Latoya Wily 7, Aisha Ale 10, Nancy Vave 5, Ane Vea 0.
3-point goals -- Farrington 1 (Tambua), Kahuku 1 (Tailele).
Junior varsity --Kahuku , Farrington
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Batoon leads Falcons
to opening winBatoon leads Kalani to a 61-50
OIA victory over Kaimuki
Richland Batoon knew something felt right, and her senses didn't mislead her.
The Kalani point guard scored 19 points as the host Falcons ran past Oahu Interscholastic Association East rival Kaimuki 61-50 in the league opener last night.
"When I was warming up, I felt it, so in the game I just let the shots go," Batoon said.
She finished with three 3-pointers, including two in the second quarter when the Falcons took control with an 18-6 run that allowed them to take a 31-21 halftime lead.
Another Kalani guard, Tamari Miyashiro, scored seven of her 11 points in a 13-all first quarter to set the table for that second-quarter domination.
"Tamari (a Star-Bulletin All-State first-team volleyball selection) is our bread and butter and Richland is like a side dish," Falcons coach Daniel Kahalioumi said. "She gets to and throws in whatever Tamari doesn't."
The Bulldogs, who coughed up the ball on numerous occasions in the second quarter, played passionately in the third quarter and made a ballgame of it.
Chelsea Gornichea and Paige Moi scored two inside baskets each during a 12-2 run that allowed Kaimuki to tie it at 33.
"We caught up, but then we just lost it again," Bulldogs coach Mona Fa'asoa said. "Turnovers killed us. At halftime, I told the girls that we were beating ourselves and that they (the Falcons) weren't the ones beating us. They were getting some easy baskets and we couldn't stop them on the transition game. We were running back on defense, but we didn't turn our heads to the ball.
"We made a good run, but gave it right back."
Batoon hit a fast-break bucket and a long-range 3-pointer as Kalani answered by rolling for 11 straight points and headed to the final eight minutes with a 44-35 lead.
Megan Kaneshiro put the game virtually out of reach by nailing two treys to start the fourth quarter for a 50-35 bulge.
"Megan is only a freshman, but she has a nice shooting touch," Kahalioumi said.
Falcons post Keri Hee turned in a solid defensive performance and grabbed a handful of key rebounds.
Moi, Gornichea, Flora Mesa and Keri Nakahashi led Kaimuki's balanced-scoring offense. Mesa led the way with 12 points and Gornichea added 10, while Nakahashi finished with three 3-pointers.
Mesa put a lot of the blame on her own shoulders.
"We threw the ball away too much -- mostly me," she said. "We weren't working our plays and were just panicking. Kalani is a good shooting team. We still have a good chance to be a good team this season. We should have won this game, that's what I think."
At Kalani H.S. gym
Kaimuki (0-1) 13 8 14 15 -- 50 Kalani (1-0) 13 18 13 17 -- 61
KAIMUKI--Flora Mesa 12, Kara Hayashida 6, Sashi Capps-Doll 0, Keri Nakahashi 9, Nicole Sasaki 0, Rachelle Butler 0, Chelsea Gornichea 10, Noelani Duffey 4, Paige Moi 9, Dena Nakahashi 0.
KALANI--Tamari Miyashiro 11, Alisa Lum 6, Kim Cabudaya 4, Megan Kaneshiro 9, Karlie Saiki 0, Nicole Isemoto 2, Liandra Bonifacio 2, Krista Young 0, Keri Hee 8, Richland Batoon 19, Kristie Saiki 0.
3-point goals: Kaimuki 4 (K. Nakahashi 3, Mesa), Kalani 6 (Batoon 3, Kaneshiro 2, Lum)
Roosevelt 69, Kailua 32: The Roughriders broke open a tight game in the second quarter despite only making a pair of field goals.
Roosevelt hit 15 of 18 free throws in the second quarter and held the Surfriders to a single point on defense. Tati Beasley scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the second half. Kori Maekawa led Kailua with 10 points.
At Roosevelt H.S. gym
Kailua (0-1) 12 1 9 10 -- 32 Roosevelt (1-0) 12 20 11 26 -- 69
KAILUA--Kori Maekawa 10, Kalina Kama 5, Ashley Shigaki 2, Hoku Arias 0, Tanisha Milca 2, Keala Iaea 7, Jayrisa Tuiloma 0, Pomai Fernandez 2, Pohai Hovey 4.
ROOSEVELT--Tati Beasley 19, Chelsie Kadota 12, Dasha Kawakami 6, Larisa Nakasone 6, Capi Uyechi 3, Nicole Yoshimoto 4, Shannon Miyashiro 7, Dara Kiyuna 0, Nicole Okada 10, Pu'uwai Crawford-Kapanui 2.
3-point goals --Roosevelt 3 (Beasley, Nakasone, Uyechi).
Junior varsity --Roosevelt 36, Kailua 18
Kaiser 36, Castle 34: Kaiser's Kilioe Aliifua rebounded a missed free throw and hit a short put-back at the buzzer as the Cougars beat the Knights in a controversial finish.
Castle coach Jeff McKeown argued that the shot came after the buzzer. Sharde Pratt led Kaiser with 14 points.
At Castle H.S. gym
Kaiser (1-0) 4 5 12 15 -- 36 Castle (0-1) 3 8 14 9 -- 34
KAISER--Shera Yamamoto 4, Jaime Nerona 4, Chelsea Kapuniai 0, Sharde Pratt 14, Jolie Yoshino 0, Natasha Aloisio 2, Kelsey Beck 0, Kehau Bangay 8, Kilioe Aliifua 4.
CASTLE--Kalei Akaka 2, Shardae Ingano 6, Kellsie Sasaki 2, Uilani Kekauoha 4, Stacy Tilton 2, Tiare Kahoekapu 5, Puna Waiolama 0, Sarah Kodama 0, Shanyn Fafard-Kaaihue 6, Titi Kawainui 7.
3-point goals -- Castle 5 (Fafard-Kaaihue 2, Ingano 2, Kawainui).
Junior varsity -- Kaiser 34, Castle 18
Waipahu 37, Waialua 36: Eight players scored for the Maurauders, and it was just enough.
Waipahu rallied from nine points down to beat the Bulldogs by a point in the league opener for both teams last night.
Kalaheo def. Thompson: Thompson forfeited its inaugural league game, handing Kalaheo a win because the Sharks could only suit up four players.
Thompson Academy is an internet-based school that began play as a charter school in the winter, going 0-11 in the boys season.