Posted on: Wednesday, May 4, 2005
Pagatpatan keeps Waipahu tradition rolling
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
Junior Christie Pagatpatan continued Waipahu's winning tradition in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association tennis championships yesterday at Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Pagatpatan beat Pearl City senior Audra Takara, 6-2, 6-3. She became the Marauders' fourth consecutive OIA girls singles champion, following three-time winner Chloe Bihag, who now plays for the University of Hawai'i.
"I'm pretty shocked that I took OIAs this year," said Pagatpatan, who finished second to Bihag last season. "Since Chloe graduated, I had a better chance of making it. I'm very happy."
In girls doubles, sisters Julienne and Joelle Yamamoto won the title for Moanalua, beating Megan Yoshimoto and Erica Kunihisa of Mililani, 6-4, 6-1.
In the boys singles final, Waialua junior Charles Monsell defeated Pearl City senior Travis Damaso, 6-0, 6-1.
And in boys doubles, senior twins Andrew and Ryan Murakami of Leilehua won their second consecutive OIA title by defeating Stephan Ogasawara and Jason Lum of Kailua, 6-0, 6-3.
"We wanted to win it, but we want to take states more," Ryan Murakami said.
The Murakamis have advanced to the OIA finals three consecutive years.
"We just wanted to play the way we did the whole season; we wanted to keep it consistent," said Andrew, who will be playing college tennis at the University of Redlands in California.
Pagatpatan ran her singles record to 14-0 this season, including 3-0 against Takara.
"I played more consistent and I just moved her around," Pagatpatan said.
"Everything was working for her," said Takara, who will join the Chaminade women's tennis team next season. "I was just missing a lot."
Monsell won his first OIA title.
"It's a great feeling," said Monsell, who improved to 13-2 this season. "It was a tough match. (Damaso) was a good opponent. There were a lot of long rallies and he's really tough to hit against."
Damaso said Monsell kept him off-balance with a strong serve.
"His serves and his forehand were really setting up his points," said Damaso, who will attend the University of Pacific to study electrical engineering.
The Yamamoto sisters cruised behind Joelle's power game, and Julienne's skill at the net.
"Joelle hits the ball hard and I come to the net and I finish it off," said Julienne, a senior, who will walk on to the UC Berkeley tennis team.
"I'm very proud," said Joelle, a freshman. "This is the only opportunity we're going to get to play together, so I'm happy I got to play with her."
In the third-place matches, Waialua's Tiffany DeVincent defeated Pearl City's Tezra Damaso, 6-3, 6-4, in girls singles; Leilehua's Cassie Yoneshige and Frelen Gacillos defeated Pearl City's Jessica Lum and Candace Chen, 6-1, 6-3, in girls doubles, and 'Aiea's Kevin Tachino defeated Mililani's Blaine Murobayashi, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, in boys singles.
The third-place boys doubles match between two Roosevelt teams, Ian Nishimura and Brad Yuen, and Kevin Okazaki and Jordan Lau, was a default by agreement of the two teams.
This year's OIA tennis championships required two days to complete because rain suspended competition on Monday.
Singles players and doubles teams that reached the quarterfinals of the OIA tournament advanced to the state tennis championships, which will be played next Wednesday through Saturday at Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.
