State bowling gets rolling today
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
'Aiea Whiz Kids is a junior bowling program.
Today • When: Boys at 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Girls at 11:15 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. • Where: Leeward Bowl. • Admission charge: None
Tomorrow • When: Boys at 8 a.m. Girls at 11:15 a.m. • Where: Leeward Bowl. • Admission charge: None
It also describes 'Aiea High's boys bowling team, which is shooting for its fourth consecutive Sam Choy's State Bowling championship. The tournament runs 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. tomorrow at Leeward Bowl.
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Sam Choy's State Bowling championship
Of 'Aiea's five starters, three are underclassmen. One of the seniors is a first-year team member, said 'Aiea coach Jason Theodorson, a whiz kid coach at 22 and not too far removed from tournament history. As a sophomore, Theodorson was the 1994 individual state champion.
"I'm young, so I think they can relate to me," said Theodorson, who is assisted by 2001 graduate Ivan Miyasato, last year's state individual runner-up.
Senior Jason Kotani (202 regular season average) is the only member of the previous three state championship teams, but classmate Blaine Morton Jr. (185) just joined the team this season.
Sophomore Toby Sambueno (202), junior Grayson Kealalio (196) and freshman Darin Villegas (189) are the other starters.
Na Alii finished second in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association West, starting off its season by losing to eventual division champion Pearl City.
"We played Pearl City and we got smashed," recalled Theodorson. "But by the end of the season, we ended up with the highest team average."
He said the team average was about 950, some 15 to 20 pins better than the next team.
Pearl City, Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Punahou, Hawai'i Baptist, Maui and Waiakea are expected to be in the running for the team championship.
As for the individual title, Konawaena's Everett Tom returns after setting tournament records with a high game of 290 and high series (9 games) of 2,086 last year.
OIA champion Pearl City will try to defend its girls team title. Leading the Chargers are OIA individual champion Jodi-Ann Gum, a sophomore who led the West with a 193 average. Besides Gum, four bowlers from last year's title team return: seniors Sky Hieda (190), Tara-Lyn Miyamoto (172) and Cori Shinkawa (168), and junior Mandi Ishihara (180).
Kalani, ILH champion HBA, Maryknoll and Waiakea will vie for the team crown.
Individuals to watch include Nanakuli's Desiree Mariani, last year's runner-up; McKinley's Paget Kahapea and Maui's Terryn Howard.
