After eight months in the United States, Fernando Aguirregomezcorta has mastered English and Hawai'i tennis with equal aplomb. Aguirregomezcorta, an exchange student from Spain, prevented a Punahou title sweep yesterday at the Carlsmith Ball/HHSAA State Tennis Championships at Holua Tennis Center in Kailua Kona.

Aguirregomezcorta, 15, was born in Madrid and has been at St. Joseph in Hilo since the fall. He chose to join the exchange program so he could learn English. He chose Hawai'i "because I could play tennis all year."

The sophomore's graceful game overcame Punahou sophomore Doug Ho in the boys singles final. Ho, who upset top-seeded Matt Westmoreland in quarterfinals, won the first set. But Aguirregomezcorta broke Ho's serve at 2-all in the second set and twice early in the third to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

"I started slicing my backhand and he didn't like it," Aguirregomezcorta said.

No one else found a way to slow the Buffanblu's state tennis steamroller yesterday. Punahou won its 18th consecutive boys title and sixth straight girls title. Rusty Komori coached the boys for the last 15 titles, putting him one up on former Saint Louis football coach Cal Lee, whose teams won 14 straight unofficial state football titles.

No coach has had a hotter streak, nor shown such domination. Ho, who came so close to a championship, is a perfect example of the quality and quantity Punahou's program creates. He played third singles this season, and didn't even make the team last year.

"The goal is to always try and win the team," Komori said. "One of our usual goals is striving for excellence. The third goal is to work harder and smarter than everyone else."

Both Punahou teams clinched before the final day, the boys amassing 23 points to runner-up Pearl City's 11 and the girls gathering 28 points to Mililani's nine.

Bernard Gusman, Punahou's director of tennis, has coached the girls for three of those titles. His team's sweep yesterday fulfilled a season-long goal.

"One of our team goals was to win the triple crown — singles, doubles and team — and today that goal was realized," said Gusman.

Punahou junior Kristin Lim successfully defended her singles championship with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Lahainaluna's Jackie Owens in a battle of top seeds. Lim, who "works harder than any girl I've coached," according to Gusman, reeled off the last 11 games.

Her brothers Robbie and Mikey also won two state singles titles. "It's an honor to be part of a family like that," Kristin said, "but I'm not in competition with them."

Lim also won a state doubles championship with Ohira as a freshman. Yesterday Ohira captured her third straight doubles title by teaming with freshman Ashley Nakaoka for a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Sacred Hearts' Kelsey Daguio and Kelly Domingo. Ohira won with Ashley's sister, Nicole, last year.

Punahou's Katayama and Shaun Chow won boys doubles, 6-4, 7-5, over Pearl City's Jordan Lum and Taylor Pacarro.

BOYS SINGLES

Third Place—(4) Larson Oliva (PC) def. (11) Joshua Wong (Hilo) 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5).

BOYS DOUBLES

Third place—(1) Alex Ching/Erik Shoji (Pun) def. (2) Devin Anderson/Marco Kobayashi (Iol) 6-2, 6-3.

GIRLS SINGLES

Third place—(6) Sayo Tsukamoto (Kea) def. (11) Allison Chen (Pun) 6-2, 6-1.

GIRLS DOUBLES

Third place—(3) Adrienne Hamada/Alyssa Shimizu (Mil) def. (4) Sherise Lum/Kimberly Wo (Pun) 6-2, 6-1.

TEAM SCORING

BOYS

Punahou 23, Pearl City 11, 'Iolani 8, St. Joseph 8, Hilo 5, St. Louis 3, Island Pacific Academy 2, Kalani 2, Kamehameha 2, Leilehua 2, Maui 2, McKinley 2, 'Aiea 1, Kaimuki 1, Kaiser 1, Kapa'a 1, Kealakehe 1, Mililani 1, Moanalua 1, Waiakea 1.

GIRLS

Punahou 28, Mililani 9, Kealakehe 6, Lahainaluna 6, Sacred Hearts 6, 'Iolani 4, Hilo 2, Kamehameha 2, Kaua'i 2, Mid Pacific 2, Waiakea 2, Hawai'i Baptist 1, Hawaii Prep 1, Kalani 1, Kohala

1, Maryknoll 1, Maui 1, Mauka Lani Christian 1, Moanalua 1, Pearl City 1.