Girls Basketball Ends Season in Third

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

The Molokai High Girls Basketball season closed their season two weeks ago after taking third at the Maui Interscholastic League tournament. Molokai lost to Seabury Hall 47-15 in the semifinals on Thursday, Feb. 10, and Seabury went on to beat Lanai for the championship and the only MIL Division II team to represent this year at states.

Molokai got the win over Hana 36-25 on Friday to claim the third place title. Leila Hooper-Phifer led the Lady Farmers with 13 points and Lia-Chae Meyer had 11.

“It’s always tough not to come out of the MIL tournament with a win in the first round,” said first year Head Coach Kaimana Kahale. “Seabury is a tough opponent, and that core group of girls have great chemistry with one another. However, we were able to play Hana yesterday and finished out the season strong. So proud of what these young ladies have accomplished this season and the way they conducted themselves despite all the adversity faced.”

Kahale called the team’s three seniors — Meyer, Kaualea Helm and Sally Andallo Merkel – “such strong leaders both on and off the court this season.”

“We know that they got great things ahead of them, whether that be post-secondary schooling or going into the workforce,” continued Kahale. “We’re also looking ahead towards next season already. Many of our key players are still underclassmen and were even involved in the starting rotation as freshmen. Leila Hooper-Phifer, Kaia Yamashita, Natalia Pastrana and the rest of our returnees have a bright future ahead of them. Big mahalo to our ‘ohana, community and MHS for the support all season!”