Both Pearl City Bowling Teams Seek 2013 State Crowns

For both the boys and girls bowling teams, Pearl City High’s 2013 seasons began the moment the 2012 campaign ended. Indeed, with both teams winning OIA and state championships last November, all discussion since was about settling for nothing less than repeat performances.

This Thursday and Friday at Hickam Bowling Center, both teams will try to seal that deal once again at the state bowling championships. The boys are looking to become the first team in the history of the tournament to win four in a row. The girls, coached by Millie Gomes, are seeking a third straight state crown.

“Experience-wise, our kids already have been there, and that helps,” said head coach Jimmy Hayashi. “It’s more a mental thing now, and we only want positive thoughts in their heads. All the talk has been positive. We work on our weaknesses, but we don’t talk about them. We want them to have confidence in themselves to get the job done.”

Hayashi expects the stiffest competition to come from Hawaii Baptist Academy, which recently finished first in the ILH. “HBA has a decent team, and we’re bowling at Hickam, which is their place,” he said. “We’re going over to their house.”

By Thursday, Hayashi expects the Chargers to have gotten in five practices at Hickam since winning their OIA title Oct. 17.

“The more games we practice there (at Hickam), the better,” Hayashi said, “so we they can figure out the alley. We don’t know what oil pattern we’ll see. The one the ILH has been playing on is the one we’ve been practicing on. We should be prepared by then.”

Pearl City placed six bowlers – Nicholas Azumi (first; 1,214 -202.33), Ken Hayase-Fong (second; 1,185 – 199.17), Keenan Kihara (fourth; 1,147 – 191.17), Kristopher Yadao (fifth; 1,135 -189.17), Bradley Nakamura (11th; 1,104 -184.00) and Ryan Kajihiro (13th; 1,083 – 180.50) – in the top 15 at the OIA Finals Oct. 17. All six will bowl in the state finals. Teammate Skyler Wakumoto also qualified.

Like the boys, the Lady Chargers also won the OIA recently, marking their third in a row.

Pearl City’s final pin tally was 4,979 to defeat second-place Mililani (4,741) Oct. 17. The Lady Chargers placed four bowlers in the OIA’s top 15, including Chelsi Morishige (third; 1,072 -178.67), Kristin Frost (fifth; 1,037 – 172.83), Ashlyn Castro (sixth; 1,035 – 172.50) and Kylie Malilay-Madrona (13th; 966 – 161). Sasha Nomura-Calistro also has been a key contributor this season.