Eager Trojans Still ‘Team To Beat’ At OIA Championships
By Jack Danilewicz
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Although the Mililani girls tennis team was in position to earn the top-seed for this week’s OIA “Team” Championships, the Trojans have prepared themselves with the urgency of a team merely trying to make the post-season.
“They’re always eager to come to practice,” longtime coach May Ann Beamer said.“Even if it’s raining, they’re still calling me up on the phone and making sure that we’re still having practice.”
As in past years, they enter this week’s league championships as the team to beat, having entered the final weekend of the regular season last Friday undefeated in all West matches. Under Beamer, Mililani has won 12 OIA titles in her 18 seasons in addition to state championships in 1997 and 1999.
Even with both the OIA finals and the State Tennis Tournament approaching in coming weeks, Beamer’s current team’s accomplishments are considerable already with a number of underclassmen having had banner seasons to balance out the heavy losses to graduation from last year’s OIA championship team.
Among Beamer’s priorities now is injecting a take-no-prisoners mind-set that allows players to close out matches quickly.
“They’re such nice girls off of the court. I told them that when on the court I need them to be like barracudas. That’s what we’re trying to instill - some of my crankiness,” she added with a laugh.
Senior Adrienne Hamada leads the way. She earned First Team All-Conference honors last spring as a junior when she was primarily a doubles player along with Alyssa Shimizu. The pair collaborated to win the OIA. This year, Hamada settled into the No. 1 singles slot and remained undefeated heading into last weekend.
“Her net game is really outstanding,” Beamer said of Hamada, who was given the nickname of the “vacuum cleaner” by an Aiea fan last season. “She plays with her head - she’s mentally tough. She can remember the patterns my son (and private coach Alika Beamer) works with her on. The best thing about her is that she can change her game.”
Beamer also credited the play of freshman Kimberly Takara at No. 2 singles as a big boost to Mililani’s chances. She was the Trojans’ No. 1 singles player during the JV season in the fall and has made a smooth transition to varsity competition.
“Her ground strokes are her strength,” Beamer said. “She’s easy to teach. She’s very good with criticism and in working out glitches in her game.”
Freshman Kelsie Kennell and sophomore Taylor Oyama, who compete at fourth and fifth singles, respectively, also are having big seasons and should anchor next year’s team along with Takara.
“Kelsie comes with a heavy tennis background,” said Beamer, who is assisted by Jonathan Perron and Myles Mizuno. “What is outstanding about her is her two-handed backhand. Taylor’s strength is an inside/outside forehand. When she’s on, she’s on.”
In doubles, the team also figures to be strong this week. Senior Melissa Ching will team up with senior Rachel Mizuno, while junior Melissa Monette will be paired with junior Kaylee Yamamoto. Mizuno is back at 100 percent following an injury, while Beamer calls Ching “our most improved player.”
Pairings for this week’s OIA team finals, which will take place Friday and Saturday at a site to be determined later, were to be announced on Monday, although Mililani was anticipating either Kalani or Moanalua to be its opponent.
“This is a close team,” she added. “They all get along with each other. The older members - juniors and seniors - have taken to the freshmen as if they were little sisters, and the freshman are good in their own right.”
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