The Moanalua High bowling teams continue to sit high atop the Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) Eastern Division rankings with the girls at the No. 1 position and the boys at No.2 behind Castle High School.
With two matches left, girls team coach Eric Bentkowski is positive about the team’s prospects.
“It’s going great so far,” Bentkowski said of the season. “We are optimistic we can do well in the OIA in order to make it to States.”
Bentkowski said that while Moanalua can advance to the state tournament based on an individual bowler’s performance, he feels both groups are strong enough to qualify as a team.
Boys’ coach Geri Mehrtens explained that the East and West divisions each determine their top two teams that compete for the OIA crown, but the OIA can only send three of the teams can qualify for the state tournament.
Bentkowski is undaunted, he said, buoyed by sophomore Caytlen Onishi-Gascon, who is first in the East with an average of 158, and senior Brenna Domion, who is third with 142, the girls team looks solid, he said.
Mehrtens said the boys’ team is “young, but capable, and will be a force” in the near and distant future. Senior Coy Sasano has the team’s highest average at 163, which is good for sixth in the OIA East. Sophomores Oziah Mendiola and Kai Murata are averaging 156 and 153, respectively, for the boys’ team. That puts them at 9th and 10th.
The team practices at the alley at Fort Shafter but plays matches at Kaneohe Bay naval base where, Mehrtens said, the lane conditions are very challenging and very different from their practice lanes. Learning how to change to meet the varied conditions of the lanes is an area the teams are working to address.
Bentkowski said to prepare for the rest of the season, the teams will continue with drills and intra-squad challenges such as playing against the coach or pitting the boys against girls.
