Pearl City girls seek historic fourth championship in row

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

When McKinley was going for its fourth consecutive state girls bowling title in 1985, Pearl City snapped the streak.

The Pearl City High girls bowling team is on a roll going into tomorrow's state championships in Hilo. The Chargers, from left, are Carah Nakayama, Noemi Solano, Shari Iha, Jodi-Ann Gum, Tiana Bolosan, Jennifer Iha and Jennifer Karratti. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Now, the school that has played spoiler finds its girls seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive state title in the Billy Tees 30th State Bowling Championships tomorrow and Friday at Hilo Lanes on the Big Island.

The Chargers, who won their third consecutive O'ahu Interscholastic Association title a few weeks ago, never imagined they would be contending this season.

"This was supposed to be a rebuilding year," coach Larry Rodrigues said.

Actually, it wasn't so much that the Chargers were on the slide. Up-and-coming Kapolei returned all of its bowlers from a team that placed third in the state tournament last year. The Hurricanes even won the Western Division with a 19-2 record, a match ahead of Pearl City's 18-3, but the Chargers struck back at the OIA championship.

"We came into the year as underdogs," senior Jodi-Ann Gum said. "Nobody was expecting us to win. But we just kept quiet and helped each other out."

Gum, whose sister Cori-Ann also bowled for Pearl City, knows something about the school's streak. She is the only member of the seven-bowler team who has been on each state championship squad. She placed 10th in the state as a freshman and fifth as a sophomore. Last year, Gum was second to Kapolei's Samantha Masuda, who is back to defend her title.

Gum, who won the OIA individual championship as a sophomore and junior, carried the best average during the OIA season at 194. Bowling since she was 6, Gum has honed her skills by competing throughout the year with the Leeward Junior Bowlers Club. Teammates Jennifer Iha, Shari Iha, Carah Nakayama and Noemi Solano also belong to that club.

"It conditions us to stay in the groove," Gum said.

Pearl City is among the 10 schools qualified for the girls team championship. The Chargers' probable starting lineup includes Gum, junior Jennifer Iha (a third-year letter winner), sophomore Solano (a second-year letter winner), first-year senior Jennifer Karratti and freshman Shari Iha. Nakayama, a junior, and sophomore Tiana Bolosan are the substitutes.

Jennifer Iha, who averaged 165 during the OIA season, placed 11th in last year's state meet.

Gum said this year's team is like the previous title teams.

"Everybody still works together like every other year," she said. "We blend well."

NOTES: Returning girls medalists are: Kapolei's Samantha Masuda, Cherish Saunders and Shaina Carnate; Pearl City's Jodi-Ann Gum and Jennifer Iha; Hawai'i Baptist's Mika Shimabukuro; Lutheran's Niccole Akau; Castle's Tara Nishida; and Kaua'i's Mei Ling Keopuhiwa. Other girls to watch are Leilehua's Christie Johnson, Waipahu's Shehan Sagucio and Farrington's Siolotuma Ti'iti'i.

Returning boys medalists are: Moanalua's Daniel Toyooka-Kim and Cy Hidane; Kapolei's Kanani Villa; 'Aiea's Toby Sambueno; and Kamehameha's Jacob Wong. Other boys to watch are Roosevelt's Jarret Mizo, Mililani's Darren Hidani, Radford's Kyle Jones and HBA's Eric Tsukamoto, whose 193 season average was some 10 pins higher than the next competitor, according to state bowling coordinator Jared Kaufmann.

The top 15 girls and top 15 boys get medals.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.