Na Alii Heading To Hawaii State Bowling Championships
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usAs his team prepares for the Billy Tees 2006 Hawaii State Bowling Championships this week on Kauai, the so-called “sense of urgency” that is the common mind-set when it comes to other sports during the post-season is nowhere to be found within the Aiea girls bowling team.
“We try to keep them relaxed so they can have fun,” Aiea coach Isaac Avilla explained. “We’ll go up on Wednesday, and then we’ll practice and test the lanes that night. I think going out of town is a good thing. They’re excited to travel and show their talent.”
To that end, Na Ali’i have already more than displayed their skills on the Island, having recently captured their third consecutive Oahu Interscholastic Association title. Aiea also won the 2004 state title under Avilla, a former football standout at McKinley, who was then in his first year at the helm for Na Ali’i.
With a steady stream of talent passing through the Aiea campus year after year, cohesiveness and fine-tuning are usually Avilla’s main priorities.
“Bowling is a lifelong sport, so these kids come from bowling families. They’ve been training from the time they were in junior bowling, so they already have the skills and knowledge of the game (by the time they get to the varsity level). We teach how to attitude (more) and how to be a team.”
Aiea will take five bowlers - Lianne Deeter, Ashley Primacio, Adrienne Pang, Holly Somera and Darcie Oyama - to the state tournament this week, along with alternate Shelsey Lonso.
Deeter and Somera finished second and third individually (behind Jordeen Koizumi; 1,272) in the OIA Finals, tallying totals of 1,171 and 1,135, respectively. Both should challenge individually for state titles this weekend as well, although the focus for Na Ali’i remains on team success, according to Avilla.
“If they bowl to their potential, they’ll help themselves (for individual accomplishments) as well as the team,” said Avilla, whose players took third in the state last year.”(As a group) they work really well together. They take each game as if it’s their last game, so they’re very determined. They have a good attitude, and they try to pick each other up.”
Including its regular season, Aiea will take a 25-1 record into the state tournament, with a loss to traditional power and neighborhood rival Pearl City as the only blemish on an otherwise perfect record. Avilla sees ‘Iolani of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu and Moanalua out of its own OIA format as the stiffest competition they will face this week. The tournament will take place at the Lihue Bowling Center.
“Our game plan for states is to bowl over 900 or reach 1,000 in the first match on Thursday,” said Avilla. “All of our practices right now are in trying to make sure we get the early lead there. We need to bowl well the first three games because it is about pin-fall at states.
“These girls have a positive attitude, and they listen well,” he added. “They know what it takes to win as a team.”
Aiea’s girls team will play two matches on Thursday and one on Friday.
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