Field Trip To Stan Sheriff Center Inspired Team To States

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Kailua High School girls basketball
coach Ramona Takahashi. Photo
by Nathalie Walker,
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When Kailua High’s girls basketball coach Ramona Takahashi took her team to the boys state tournament last February, she had more than just a night out in mind.

“We thought it would be nice for them to get a feel for it,” Takahashi said. “Our goal all year has been to play in the Stan Sheriff. We took them down court-side and into the locker room area so they could see (the arena). They were pretty hyped about it. I told them we could come back if we made the state tournament. We wanted to be there not as a spectator but as a participant.”

The Surfriders fulfilled that dream last Friday when they met Seabury Hall at Stan Sheriff Center for the consolation title of the Hawaiian Airlines Division II State Tournament. Kailua had sandwiched wins over Lanai (45-33) and Hawaii Prep (37-28) around their quarterfinal loss to ILH champion Sacred Hearts (52-37) to reach the consolation final. The Surfriders’ post-season run bodes especially well for future hopes in that only two seniors completed their eligibility Friday. Kailua, which finished its season at 13-6 overall, dressed 15 players for each of their four state tournament games.

“It’s been a great experience for this team,” Takahashi said.“We’ve gone through our ups and downs this year, but we stayed with it mentally. It’s been a team effort. We’ve been able to call on different people - key role players. We have the potential to be a really good team in the future.”

Returning next year are the team’s top three scorers - junior Kristen Corrales and sophomores Zsalei Kamaka and Ashley Jacobs. The trio should rank among the top players in the OIA White Conference.

“They complement each other well, and that’s what makes them a good unit. They’re hard to defend.”

As with all schools, some Surfriders will face a difficult decision in the fall with the girls basketball season moving from spring to winter. This means the season will conflict with girls soccer, forcing players to choose between the two. Takahashi expects Corrales, Kamaka and Jacobs to concentrate on basketball.

“Those three are guaranteed to play basketball.”

Takahashi attributed her team’s resolve as key to their success. Twice their season was on the brink of extinction. On May 11 they had to beat Waialua in the third-place game of the OIA DII tourney to secure the league’s last state berth. Kailua also had to win its consolation-round opener against Hawaii Prep last Thursday at McKinley to earn a spot in the consolation final. The girls responded with two of their top efforts of the season.

“They’ve played well with their backs to the wall,” said Takahashi, who was named the OIA DII Coach of the Year in 2005 after leading Kailua to a 10-6 record. “Against Waialua, we played our best game (in a 45-36 win), and although we were out of the championship bracket (at states), the kids really pulled together (against Hawaii Prep) so we could play at the Stan Sheriff Center, which was a team goal.

“They persevered through some tough times, but the common goal was always the same. They were able to re-focus on our goals (as needed). We do a lot of team activities to keep them motivated. Recently, we did a fire-walk at the school to overcome our fears. They were always open to anything we threw at them.”