Kalaheo, Kahuku girls gain OIA basketball final
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Less than a year after its greatest player graduated, the Kalaheo High School girls basketball team is back in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association championship game.
The visiting Mustangs (10-2) rolled past OIA Western Division co-champion Pearl City, 43-20, last night and will play Eastern Division rival Kahuku (10-2) for the title at 7 p.m. Friday at Stan Sheriff Center.
Kahuku advanced with a home victory over Moanalua, 45-36, in last night's other semifinal.
The championship game will be Kahuku's first since 1994, while Kalaheo will be playing in its sixth straight title game. The Mustangs were led the previous four years by three-time State Player of the Year Brandy Richardson, who is coming off her freshman season at UC Santa Barbara.
Sophomore guard Bre Carson and senior forward Brina Fritzsche are the only returning starters for Kalaheo.
"I'm very proud of this team," Mustangs coach Chico Furtado said. "We not only lost Brandy, but we lost Heather (Gonzalves) and Nicki (Furtado), too. That's a lot of senior leadership. Now we've got eight sophomores and freshmen, and eight kids who are brand new to our varsity program."
Pearl City (10-2) also is a young team, with only two seniors. The Chargers' experience got even thinner last night when junior point guard Christie Ayers left the game early in the first period after aggravating a sprained right ankle and never returned. Ayers had sprained the ankle at the beginning of Monday's practice.
"We missed her toughness on defense, and we definitely missed her running our offense," Pearl City coach Mike Morton said. "Kalaheo plays really tough defense, and without Christie, we had a hard time getting the ball to the wings."
With Ayers on the bench, the Mustangs jumped to an 11-2 lead late in the first quarter.
The Chargers' offensive woes continued in the second period, during which their only points came on a short banker by Tina Questel with three minutes remaining. By halftime, Kalaheo's lead was 20-6.
Pearl City closed to 28-18 at the end of the third quarter, but Kalaheo scored the first 13 points of the fourth quarter.
Kalaheo (10-2) 11 9 8 15—43
Pearl City (10-2) 4 2 12 2—20
Kalaheo—Bre Carson 3, Shaina Siliga 2, Kalena Hatori 4, Shantel Marumoto 2, Brandi Benson 6, Natasha Lagapa 0, Dawnelle Nahina 1, Brina Fritzsche 7, Kaiena Huihui 2, Hauoli Kahlbaum 2, Latoya Wily 14. Totals 16 10-21 43.
Pearl City—Darcie Hamamoto 0, Jillan Soria 3, Amy Fujihara 0, Joni Yoon 0, Christie Ayers 0, Chalice Kaapuni 2, Kelli Yuen 5, Jamie Iwata 0, Kristin Lai 1, Tatum Higdon 1, Frances Mabalay 0, Tina Questel 2, Marci Lobendahn 6, Lusia Kleinschmidt 0. Totals 7 5-13 20.
3-point goals—Kalaheo 1 (Carson). Pearl City 1 (Yuen).
• KAHUKU 45, MOANALUA 36: Michelle Peters scored 14 points to lead the Red Raiders to the OIA title game.
Moanalua (9-4) 6 7 10 13—36
Kahuku (10-3) 9 8 11 17—45
Moanalua—Christina Sierra 5, Sasha Silva 0, Patti Hardimon 14, Marleen Leautu 1, Brittany Briem 0, Kepua Lee 14, Ronnie Keliihoomalu 2. Totals 11 12-19 36.
Kahuku—Mereani Lewenilovo 11, Lesina Funaki 2, Krisha Kai 1, Karla Tailele 9, Charlotte Leitupo 7, Michelle Peters 14, Tanya Alo 0, Nicole Pouha 0, Melissa Aumua 0, Kelci Naihe 0, Alberta Fotu 1. Totals 16 13-21 45.
3-point goals—Moanalua 2 (Lee 2).
Reported by Jeri Tugman
• SACRED HEARTS 51, HAWAI'I BAPTIST 31: Brittney Aiwohi scored 27 points as the Lancers advanced to the semifinals of the ILH Tournament for the league's third state tournament berth.
Hawai'i Baptist 6 5 5 15—31
Sacred Hearts 7 9 12 23—51
Hawai'i Baptist—Kara Onosaki 2, Wednianne Chu 0, Liza Onuma 3, Kara Morita 14, Patrice Kodama 6, Jessica Ho 0, Chelsea Yasuda 5, Kelli Furutomo 0, Jennifer Matsui 0, Raena Kaneshiro 0, Diana Au 1. Totals 9 12-20 31.
Sacred Hearts—Katie Rutlin 2, Cherie Kinoshita 4, Tamieka Trujillo 0, Brittney Aiwohi 27, Nicole Lehner 2, Shalei Soueira 3, Colbey Aiwohi 2, Nikki Agor 0, Lani Faumuina 2, Nicole Raiola 9. Totals 16 15-23 51.
3-point goals—Hawai'i Baptist 1 (Kodama). Sacred Hearts 4 (B. Aiwohi 3, Raiola 1).
• UNIVERSITY HIGH 39, MID-PACIFIC 33: Leahi Frias scored 12 as the Junior Rainbows reached the semifinals of the ILH Tournament for the league's third state tournament berth.
Mid-Pacific 9 5 9 10—33
University High 13 9 10 7—39
Mid-Pacific—Kelli Kajiwara 0, Leihoku Pederson 0, Kristy Minamishin 7, Jasmine Vierra 14, Stephanie Toshi 3, Talia Onosai 5, Mariko Strickland 4. Totals 12 9-17 33.
University High—Iwa Yamaguchi 0, Diane Okubo 5, Brittany Anderson 4, Kamaile Durett 7, Leahi Frias 12, Kylie Lum 5, Karlee Kailehu 2, Cara Pang 4. Totals 16 5-16 39.
3-point goals—University High 2 (Okubo, Lum).
