The HHSAA bowling tournament is right around the corner. After a grueling regular season, Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Brandyn Lee-Lehano and Konawaena’s Mikki Fujimoto will lead a group of 24 other BIIF qualifiers to Kauai on Oct. 29 for the two day event.
Lee-Lehano posted an average score of 186.52 per game during the 2015 regular season, which was best on the Big Island. While he was edged out in the BIIF Tournament by Kealakehe’s Kawika Pierson, Lee-Lehano’s overall performance was good enough to claim the BIIF’s Best Male Bowler of the Year honor.
Pierson, who bowled a total score of 1,177 over six games in the BIIF tournament to beat Lee-Lehano (1,085) to become tournament champion, also qualified for the state tournament. He bowled an average of 162.3 for the season, but saved his best games for last, going over 200 several times in the tourney, when it mattered most.
Joining Pierson and Lee-Lehano at state this year with be the top five bowlers on the Konawaena team. The Wildcats won the BIIF team title for the third consecutive year, allowing their top-five an automatic bid. Representing Konawaena at the state tournament are Tresen Arakaki (185.57 average), Torin Savella (180.36), Chad Galiza (162), Conner Harrington (150) and Jayse Takimoto (116.24).
Also heading to states on the boys side are Kalai Pomroy (Kamehameha, 163.14), Erik Arnold (Keaau, 162.47), Cristopher Konauni (Kamehameha, 161.5), Alton Penrose Jr. (Kamehameha, 157.7), Jamal Buyuan, Ka’u, 135.19) and Titan Ault (Ka’u, 134.25). Trey Tabil (Kealakehe, 130.13) will be an alternate for the team.
On the girls side, the 2015 season was dominated by Fujimoto. She bowled an average of 143.16, outpacing the next bowler by a little over seven pins per game. She won the BIIF tournament with a combined six game score of 827, and was named BIIF’s female bowler of the year.
Kealakehe took the team title while being led by Rose Stephenson, who finished second behind Fujimoto in overall average (136.08) and in the tournament (803).
Because Kealakehe won the team title, their top five bowlers will advance to state. Joining Stephenson are Kara Nishida (124.27), Allison Ackerman (107.37), Eileen Cayetano (91.33) and Leilani Friers (91.13). Nishida finished fourth in the BIIF tournament with a six game score of 757.
Kamehameha qualified their team for the state tournament the hard way, with five bowlers scoring in the top 13 on the Big Island. Representing the Warriors at the state tourney are Kanani Cook (124.5), Jayla Alonzo-Estrada (116), Ashley Midel (115.2), Kaleo Nicolas (99.79) and Kaila Ambrosio (95.73).
Other BIIF players heading to the tourney are Skyler Crivello (Hilo, 129.55) and Kiara Thompson (Konawaena, 116.47). Janai Antuque-Freitas, from Kamehameha, will be an alternate after scoring an average of 94.35.
