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Tiger Sharks boys, Spartans girls win

By Dakota Grossman 5 min read

WAILEA -- While most of the Valley Isle was being pelted by rain Saturday, the Wailea Tennis Club remained dry for the Maui Interscholastic League opening-day tennis matches between Seabury Hall and Kihei Charter.

And much like last season, the Spartans girls and the Tiger Sharks boys finished on top, each with close 3-2 victories.

Both teams are the defending league champions.

Kihei Charter and Seabury Hall are scheduled to play both their second of two regular-season matches on Friday, and won't meet again unless it is in the MIL team championship finals.

"It's definitely not something we would prefer as coaches but, you know, I look at the silver lining," Tiger Sharks coach Ian Cohen said. "It might make the second half of the season a tad easier because Seabury is one of our biggest rivals, so not playing them the second half ... we could peak at the right time, and hopefully we can go on a roll after spring break -- everybody staying healthy, no one's injured, having good practices.

"We're just taking it one day at a time, not get too far ahead of ourselves. Just focusing on the opponent and not taking anyone lightly. Everyone is just working hard and everyone is humble."

On the other hand, Seabury Hall coach Jan Waechli said that playing Kihei Charter again at 3:30 p.m. on Friday at the Kula Community Center won't really affect their season strategy or play.

The Kihei Charter boys competed, and will continue to compete, with only five players again this year, which forces them to automatically forfeit the second doubles match.

But two-time MIL singles champion Hobbes Wilstead, last season's state runner-up, started the sunny day with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over the Spartans' Miles Stone.

And Manoli Placourakis followed with another win in No. 2 singles for the Tiger Sharks in his first high school tennis match experience.

"It's very cool, a lot different than I'm used to -- I'm used to playing by myself," said Placourakis, a freshman. "Now I can actually play with more kids that are at my level, and we can have good practices and stuff like that. Overall, it's been really fun."

Placourakis said that there "honestly was no pressure" on the singles players knowing that they had to default the final doubles match.

"We still have to be careful," he said. "We can't underestimate teams, but normally it's not really a worry at all."

The Seabury Hall girls were led by No. 1 singles player Nikki Fernando, who defeated Veronica Mandella 6-0, 6-1 in a No. 1 singles match. The Spartans also claimed the No. 2 and No. 3 singles matches.

"It feels great having everyone come in since everyone was in other sports, so it's just nice having a whole team back -- yeah I'm excited," Fernando said. "For me, of course, I want to work on my own game, but I want to work on encouraging my teammates to play their best and most importantly have fun because I think last year I lost some of that aspect of having fun. I just want to revive that."

The crowd stayed around to watch the final event of the night, a No. 2 doubles match that went three sets between Kihei Charter's Lyah Puga-Lebert and Grace James, and Seabury Hall's Elena Hickey and Linda Schmitt.

The Tiger Sharks won the match 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

Waechli said that the girls team is looking "strong as usual," but there are a few players still missing, which makes competition a little tough.

Waechli has high hopes for Fernando, adding that she has a chance to win the state singles championship this year.

Last year's state girls singles champion, Kihei Charter's Jessalyn Lopez, did not play in the opener. Lopez beat Fernando in the quarterfinals of the state tournament last year.

"Definitely winning here (at the MIL Championship) is the first step, we don't know if Jessalyn (Lopez) is going to play, too," Waechli said. "And then to Oahu, last year she was really close to it, so we'll see."

Kihei Charter coach Cohen said that Lopez, who is also a three-time MIL singles champion, may not compete her senior season due to a wrist injury.

"With our girls team, it's kind of like a new team because this year we have seven new players from the team last year and two returning players, so it's kind of a blend of former players and new players," Cohen said. "With Hana (Yoshikawa) transferring from Maui High, that was a big addition for the top of our lineup and she's kind of taken Jessalyn's No. 1 singles spot and Veronica (Mandella), who was (also) on our 2018 Maui High team."

SEABURY HALL GIRLS 3, KIHEI CHARTER 2

No.1 singles--Nikki Fernando, Seabury Hall, def. Veronica Mandella 6-0, 6-1; No. 2 singles--Alexa deCrinis, Seabury Hall, def. Daisy Queirolo 6-1, 6-2. No. 3 singles--Marrisa Tasaki, Seabury Hall, def. Carine Bleasdell 6-3, 6-1; No. 1 doubles--Hana Yoshikawa and Kiyo Christopher, Kihei Charter, def. Michelle Tasaki and Erin Tasaki 6-0, 6-0. No. 2 doubles--Lyah Puga-Lebert and Grace James, Kihei Charter, def. Elena Hickey and Linda Schmitt 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

KIHEI CHARTER BOYS 3, SEABURY HALL 2

No. 1 singles--Hobbes Wilstead, Kihei Charter, def. Miles Stone 6-1, 6-4; No. 2 singles--Manoli Placourakis, Kihei Charter, def. Evan Lipitz 6-0, 6-3; No. 3 singles--Jacob Keyser, Seabury Hall, def. Trevor Coronesi 6-2, 6-3; No. 1 doubles--Quinn Shapiro and Zack Fernando, Kihei Charter, def. Kazu Linuma and Caden Granum 6-0, 6-0; No. 2 doubles--Max Stone and Bear Bernard, Seabury Hall, win by default.

Friday's Results

Boys

Baldwin 4, King Kekaulike 1 (full scores not reported)

Girls

King Kekaulike 4, Baldwin 1 (full scores not reported)

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