HHSAA tennis: HPA’s Minakata falls in state tennis final

Hawaii Prep freshman Ryo Minakata came the closest among the BIIF tennis contingent but couldn’t upset the order of high rankings.

He drew the No. 3 seed and lost to top seed and Farrington junior Andre Ilagan 6-2, 6-1 for the HHSAA singles championship Saturday on Maui.

If there’s any consolation for Minakata, it’s that in the semifinals on Friday he beat Iolani junior Phuc Huynh, the 2016 state champ who defeated Ilagan that year.

It’s likely that Minakata may have to wait his turn for at least a year because Ilagan, who was ranked No. 1 as a freshman, and Huynh, the No. 2 seed both years, figure to be front-runners as seniors.

In the girls third-place singles match, No. 3 Punahou’s Alyssia Fossorier defeated No. 4 Konawaena junior Tayvia Yamagata 6-4, 6-3.

In the girls third-place doubles match, No. 3 Kealakehe’s Michelle Uyeda/April Wong def. No. 4 Waiakea freshmen Maile Brilhante/Anna Oda 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.

Besides Ilagan, all of the No. 1 seeds won: Punahou’s Katreina Corpuz, girls singles; Iolani’s Jordan Azuma/Joey Hu, boys doubles; and Punahou’s Clarise Huang/Betsy Wo, girls doubles.