By Misha Lawrence
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After winning the Oahu Interscholastic Association team championships in April, the MHS boys and girls varsity tennis team took on the Hawaii High School Athletic Association state championships from May 7 to 9. The girls and boys took third place overall after competing against Punahou, Iolani, Hawaii Prep Academy, Mid-Pacific Institute and their fellow teammates from MHS.
“I was just glad that we had the opportunity to play on Saturday, as not many people are fortunate enough to make it to the last day of the tournament. I was very happy that I ended the season on a high note, by finishing third individually, and as a team for both boys and girls,” said Sophomore Jace Akagi-Okuma.
Unfortunately, MHS lost against Punahou and Iolani; however, the team members put in their all to represent their school during the semi-finals. “The match didn’t go the way that we wanted it to, but we played our hardest and never gave up so that (was) all we could have asked for,” said Junior Alysse Nakasato. “It’s been a goal of ours since last year to make it to the semi-finals so this (time) we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to make it to the semis so even though we did lose, I’m still very happy for everything that we were able to accomplish this season.”
The members of the team were grateful for every opportunity given to them along with the endless support they received throughout the season. “I was happy with the overall turnout of the match because we never gave up and we fought hard to the last point. I thank God for giving us this opportunity to compete in the state tournament and make it to where we did,” said Sophomore Haley Fujimori.
There were many things that the team had to remember while competing to keep their heads in the game. “For the match, if it’s a big match then a lot of people, they get nervous, but you just gotta relax. Just trust in your game and know all the practice will pay off,” said Akagi-Okuma. Nakasato added, “Over the course of our matches we tended to struggle with starting off our matches quickly so we just really had to focus and make sure to relax and not play tentative and fight to get one more ball in than the opponents.”
With the school year coming to an end, it’s technically just the beginning for tennis. “Tennis is a year-round sport, so there will be numerous opportunities for me to improve my game, other than practicing and training in preparation for next season,” said Akagi-Okuma.
Although the competitive season is now over, the MHS tennis team continues to push forward and continue to represent both JV and varsity teams.