KAILUA-KONA — Kealakehe decided to mix it up in the first round of the BIIF team playoffs against Makua Lani, and the adjustments paid off.
Using a shuffled lineup, the Waveriders defeated Makua Lani 4-0 on Wednesday to advance to the semifinals of the BIIF team championships on Saturday.
“We mixed it up a bit and it worked out well for us,” Kealakehe head coach Jerome Kanuha said. “We really are happy to make it to Saturday. That was our goal — to get there and play against the best teams on the island.”
The Waveriders combined top singles player Michelle Uyeda with Hope Kudo to make up the No. 1 doubles team, downing the Lion’s duo of Amanda Jensen and Lenae Nygaard 6-1, 6-0.
Kealakehe split up its normal No. 1 doubles team of Fiona Miranda and Teagan Travalino to fill the singles slots. In the No. 1 singles game, Miranda defeated Makua Lani’s Brianne Lauro 6-2, 6-3. Travalino won against the Lion’s No. 2 singles player Sophia Whalen 6-0, 6-4.
In the No. 2 doubles match, Kealakehe teammates Emily Kim and Hopoe Martins pulled out a win against Makua Lani’s Katie McCormick and Rhadasha Mack 7-6 (2), 6-3.
The No. 3 doubles match between Allison Ackerman and Hayley Barte (Kealakehe) and Amelia Grey/Elisabeth St. Clair (Makua Lani) was rained out and will not be replayed.
Kanuha said while his team lacks depth with just eight players, there is no question about their heart.
“I think they all stepped up to the plate,” Kanuha said. “We have what we have. We don’t have superstars but we have a group that wants to go out and give it all they got every time.”
The other girls playoff matchup scheduled for Wednesday between Kohala and Waiakea was also a causality of a rain out, so the Waveriders will wait to see if they face top-seeded Konawaena or No. 2 seed Hawaii Prep in the semis.
“We are going to have to play some really good players in the next round,” Kanuha said, citing the depth and talent of both the Wildcats and Ka Makani. “It may take a miracle to beat them, but we will see what happens.”