Punahou on course to sweep team titles at state tennis championships

The Interscholastic League of Honolulu is the last league standing at the HMSA/HHSAA State Tennis Championships at Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch.

Punahou took six of the eight finals spots on Friday, the other two going to Kylie Canubida of Mid-Pacific in girls singles and ‘Iolani’s top team in girls doubles.

Punahou will win the boys singles title for the first time since Hall of Honor inductee Kawika Lam graduated in 2015. Punahou teammates Payton Jim On and Brandon Ramos will vie for the title after sweeps in the semifinals. Jim On, the top seed, has dropped only two games in the tournament after semifinal opponent Gervase Ngo of Iolani retired in the second set. Ramos was pushed to beat Iori Furuhata of Waiakea 6-1, 6-4.

The Buffanblu will have to work to get the girls singles title, with top-seeded Elise Wong of Punahou opposing the No. 2 seed Canubida. Wong swept her way through the tournament to get to the final, but Canubida needed to clutch up to beat No. 4 Larissa Teramura of Kalaheo 2-6, 6-3 (7) in the semifinals.

The doubles draws saw some minor upsets.

No. 3 Alex Kinoshita and Aidan Baracao of Punahou beat teammates and second seed Cole Kurata and Connor Kurata 6-3, 6-7 (5), (8) in the semis and will meet another pair of teammates in the final in top-seeded Tsubasa Okada and Tanner Ige. The top seeds have swept their way through the tournament so far.

The other surprise came in a Punahou intrasquad matchup in girls doubles, where No. 3 Jariahyn Rhoades and Sophia Woofter topped No. 2 Harley Wolters and Leyanne Hirota 5-7, 6-3, (10) in the semifinals. They will meet top-seeded Julia Visaya and Karli Vo of ‘Iolani.

Punahou has an overwhelming lead in the team races, with the boys leading Waiakea by six points and the girls ahead of Mid-Pacific by eight. Punahou has won the girls title 17 years in a row.

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HHSAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Friday

At Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch and

Kapalua Tennis Garden

Boys quarterfinal singles

Payton Jim On (Punahou) def. Justin Powell (Baldwin HS) 6-0, 6-1

Gervase Ngo (‘Iolani) def. Paul Brilhante (Waiakea) 4-6, 6-4, (5)

Iori Furuhata (Waiakea) def. Joshua Dela-Cruz (Moanalua) 6-4, 6-7 (1), (4)

Brandon Ramos (Punahou) def. Reyn Terao (Mililani) 6-3, 6-0

Boys quarterfinal doubles

Tsubasa Okada/Tanner Ige (Punahou) def. Brandon Law/Kelsen Martinez (Moanalua) 6-0, 6-0

Maika Nucci/Bruin Yomono (Waiakea) def. Ryley Chang/Bryson Shibuya (Mililani) 7-5, 6-2

Alex Kinoshita/Aidan Baracao (Punahou) def. Spencer Yamamoto/Glen Ngo (‘Iolani) 2-6, 6-4, (8)

Cole Kurata/Conner Kurata (Punahou) def. Haven Hepton/Braden Oshiro (Mid Pacific) 5-7, 6-2, (8)

Girls quarterfinal singles

Elise Wong (Punahou) def. Denby Nagata (Kamehameha-Hawaii) 6-2, 6-0

Nikki Fernando (Seabury Hall) def. Margaret Hoe (Mid Pacific) 6-4, 7-6 (3)

Larissa Teramura (Kalaheo) def. Asiya Sharipova (‘Iolani) 6-3, 6-3

Kylie Canubida (Mid Pacific) def. Arissa Dang (Mililani) 6-4, 6-1

Girls quarterfinal doubles

Julia Visaya/Karli Vo (‘Iolani) def. Kiora Kunimoto/Chloe Takahashi (Waiakea) 6-3, 6-4

Rozelyn Dizon/Kira Tobita (Mililani) def. Reina Visaya/Aureana Wong (Kaiser) 6-4, 3-6, (6)

Jariahlyn Rhoades/Sophia Woofter (Punahou) def. Hie Luna-Beamer/Jordyn Luna (Maui) 6-0, 6-0

Harley Wolters/Leyanne Hirota (Punahou) def. Cassidy Kawashima/Kacy Kaneshige (Punahou) 4-6, 6-3, (9)

Boy semifinal singles

Payton Jim On (Punahou) def. Gervase Ngo (‘Iolani) 6-0, 2-0 (ret)

Brandon Ramos (Punahou) def. Iori Furuhata (Waiakea) 6-1, 6-4

Boys semifinal singles

Tsubasa Okada/Tanner Ige (Punahou) def. Maika Nucci/Bruin Yomono (Waiakea) 6-1, 6-3

Alex Kinoshita/Aidan Baracao (Punahou) def. Cole Kurata/Conner Kurata (Punahou) 6-3, 6-7 (5), (8)

Girls semfinal singles

Elise Wong (Punahou) def. Nikki Fernando (Seabury Hall) 6-2, 6-3

Kylie Canubida (Mid Pacific) def. Larissa Teramura (Kalaheo) 2-6, 6-3, (7)

Girls semifinal doubles

Julia Visaya/Karli Vo (‘Iolani) def. Rozelyn Dizon/Kira Tobita (Mililani HS) 6-1, 6-0

Jariahlyn Rhoades/Sophia Woofter (Punahou) def. Harley Wolters/Leyanne Hirota (Punahou) 5-7, 6-3, (10)