By BILL O’REAR
By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
A spike in bowling interest at Ka’u High School has veteran coach Hiilani Lapera smiling from ear to ear.
“It’s the biggest turnout for the girls team that I’ve had since I started coaching in 2006,” Lapera said on Wednesday afternoon while watching both the Trojan girls and boys squads compete against Pahoa at Hilo Lanes.
“We have 13 girls and five boys participating this year. It’s been wonderful and everyone is exciting to bowl.”
Lapera said eight of the 13 girls have been regulars at practice and in the games. But like in most small schools, some of the bowlers also participate in other sports and have to adjust their schedules to help whatever team needs them the most on that particular day.
“With the eight girls, we jan ken po to get everyone to bowl. The girls are having fun bowling, socializing, supporting one another, and representing Ka’u High School. It’s like our school theme this year — ‘Rising as One.’”
Lapera, also an assistant athletic director at the school under AD Kalei Namohala, pointed to a new influx of underclassmen for the surge in interest in bowling.
“This is a young group with mostly freshman and sophomores. We have only three juniors and no seniors. For the freshmen, some have never been out of Pahala and they want to experience new things. They’ve heard from the older girls that bowling is fun and they’ve come out to try it. They’re anxious to bowl and they want to know everything.”
The Trojans practice once a week at Kilauea Military Camp’s six-lane alley.
“We practice on Thursday and have had a good turnout,” Lapera said. “We’ve also practiced on the lawn near the band room on campus. Coach Keldon Nakashima has helped us on our bowling technique. He’s shown us a video and we’ve practiced on the lawn using a softball and football to help our hand-eye coordination. We’ve set up old bowling pins on the lawn and it’s helped us.”
The move from the grassy lawn to Hilo Lanes is a tall order, but it’s not the biggest challenge for the enthusiastic Ka’u bowlers.
“The biggest challenge is for the girls to build up their confidence and bowl before other people. And so far they’ve done really well. We can’t match up with the Hilo teams, but we’ve been competitive with the smaller schools. And from a social standpoint, it’s brought the girls closer together and encouraged team sportsmanship and working together while representing the school in a positive way.”
Lapera praised Namohala for strong support of the entire Ka’u High athletic program.
“Kalei has been very supportive and listens to all views,” Lapera said. “She’s done a really good job at Ka’u working with the students, coaches and community.”
Lapera started out as a team mom when her daughters — Kealaanuhea and Kapuahiilani — bowled for the Trojans. In 2003 when Kealaanuhea was a senior, she qualified for the state tournament. Kapuahiilani followed with a productive bowling career and graduated in 2007, but their mom stayed on as the school’s bowling coach.
Kealaanuhea is the last Trojan to qualify for the state tournament and her mother hopes another student-athlete will get the same chance in the not-too-distance future.
“I’m enjoying every minute of coaching and being with the kids,” a proud Lapera said. “I’ll be here as long as the kids keep coming out.”
Longtime Waiakea girls coach Calvin Nakashima commended Lapera for her efforts.
“She has a real nice turnout this year and the kids are doing well,” said Nakashima, in his 24th year as the Warriors head coach. “They’re having a lot of fun and have been competitive against the smaller schools. The nice turnout is good to see and it helps the sport of bowling, bringing more kids in. Hiilani has a lot of enthusiasm and it shows with her bowlers.”
This season, Lapera is assisted by Shanice Oleyte, a former Trojan bowler who participated under Lapera while a student-athlete at Ka’u.
“I guess she just couldn’t get enough of it and came back to help,” the Ka’u head coach said.
Lapera has three returning juniors — Siena Okimoto and sisters Wei Hui and Jing Yang — who the coach will count on for leadership this year.
“They’re very enthusiastic and do a great job for us,” Lapera said. “But no matter what happens in the matches, we still want to have fun and enjoy what bowling is all about — the competition, the fellowship, the friendships and representing your school.”
Other members of the Trojans girls team include Lanni Ah Yee, Kamrie Koi, Cheynne Pacheco-Kamalii, Romina Sebran, Marileah Lalin, Gyllien Tamura, Shelyn Silva, Deniha Navarro, Kainani Kainoa Aukai and Sky Kanakaole-Esperon.
Members of the boys squad include Judah Aldrorasi, Greg Javar, Franklin Orcino, Randall Watson and Shayden Augustine.
Results from Wednesday’s afternoon matches:
At Hilo Lanes
Girls: Hilo 3, Laupahoehoe 0; Pahoa 2, Ka’u 1; Waiakea 3, Kamehameha 0; Keaau 3, St. Joseph 0.
High scorers
• Hilo: Riley Cabarloc, 162; Kylie Fujiyoshi, 164, 150.
• Brooke Caseria, 144.
• Kamehameha: Jordan Chung, 157, 134.
• St. Joseph: Chantelle Adviento, 158, 132.
Boys: Waiakea 2, Kamehameha 1; Ka’u 2, Pahoa 1; Hilo 3, Laupahoehoe 0; Keaau 3, St. Joseph 0.
High scorers
• Waiakea: Tevin Nakashima, 173, 155.
• Kamehameha: Jaycob Barros, 143, 166; Ryder Matsuyama, 145, 173; Cody Pereira, 158, 142.
• Hilo: Cullen Kurohara, 153, 155.
• Keaau: Erik Arnold, 141, 143.
• St. Joseph: Alan Higaki, 164, 132.
At Kona Bowl
Boys: Konawaena 3, Kealakehe 0.
High scorers
• Konawaena: Kyler Kunitomo, 224; Quentin Ikeno, 204; Stefan Kimura, 203; Rodney Torres, 203.
• Kealakehe: Bronston Apolo, 201, 177; Harley Jarvis, 191; James Fisher, 171.
Girls: Konawaena 3, Kealakehe 0.
High scorers
• Konawaena: Sarah Albrecht, 198; Melissa Simon, 185; Madison Staup, 182; Caroline Afaga, 169.
• Kealakehe: Pauline Gampon, 188; Tiffany Kurozawa, 179, 172; Desiree Ichishita, 171.