Wins for Girls Basketball

Photo by Misty Parker.

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

The Molokai High Girls Basketball team got their season off to a strong start with two wins in Hana last weekend. Friday’s score was 47-14, and Saturday’s was 42-16, with high scorers including Lia-Chey Meyer, Leila Hooper-Phifer, Sally Andallo-Merkel, Kailana McGuire-Guerrero, Kaia Yamashita and Kaualea Helm. 

“Overall a great weekend of competition against Hana,” said first year Head Coach Kaimana Kahale. “Girls finally had an opportunity to play amidst this tough and challenging season so that was the biggest positive. Coaching wise we can establish a good foundation and had a chance to see what else we need to improve on. We were able to get all the girls to play so that was a plus.”

He said the team is mixed in terms of experience with a few seniors and mostly younger players, but Kahale pointed out that the last time the seniors competed on the court was when they were freshmen or sophomores, due to COVID, and it was “impressive” to see them play again. 

“Even the young ones got some great looks and got a feel for high school basketball,” he added. 

Reflecting on his own experience as a former MHS athlete transitioned to coach, he called the travel to Hana “quite an experience.”

“I have only been to Hana as an athlete so to do it as a coach was a bit different. Everyone did great,” said Kahale. 

Senior guard Meyer was happy to be back on the court. 

“Our trip to Hana was full of excitement being this was our first game in almost three weeks of getting our games postponed back-to-back!” she said. “Having a new coach is nothing different for us, he knows what he is doing and what needs to be done. My outlook for this season is not to win every game all the time but try our best and help the younger ones gain knowledge of this game.”

Molokai will host Seabury’s girls basketball team this weekend at The Barn, with limited spectators allowed, per current MIL rules. Friday’s game will start at 7 p.m. and they will play again Saturday at 11 a.m.