Taufau Williams

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Baldwin's Tevarua Eldridge posted back-to-back double-double peformances against Farrington and Punahou in the Punahou Invitational. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Male Athlete of the Week: Tevarua Eldridge, Baldwin basketball
The amount of production that Baldwin’s Tevarua “Teva” Eldridge was able to generate this past weekend was truly remarkable. In back-to-back nights against the top two teams in the state, Eldridge posted two straight double double performances.

“Teva plays hard,” Baldwin coach Wayne Gushiken said on Eldridge. “(He goes for the basket ball the time. He is one of our leaders, one of our four seniors. He’s the most vocal and productive in the game, so they kind of look up to him.” 

Eldridge, a 6-foot-2 senior, is part of a core group of guys who are entering their third year together. They have reached the state tournament twice together, losing to 2012 champions Punahou in the semifinals, and 2013 runner-up Maryknoll in the quarterfinals. Knowing that this is his last chance for a state title, Eldridge relishes the leadership role. 

“(I) just got to come out here and compete, just knowing that my team is going to follow me and how I play,” Eldridge said. “I can never slack off because I’m the leader on the court. I got to push (myself) them so that goes a 110 percent and plays to the best of our abilities.” 

No one can ever question Eldridge’s work ethic after his monster game against Farrington, the No. 2 team in the inaugural ScoringLive/OC16 Boys Basketball Power Rankings. Eldridge was all over the place Friday night, scoring 15 points, grabbing 17 rebounds, and dishing seven assists.

“He’s a versatile player,” Gushiken said on Eldridge. “He can handle the ball, he can go outside and shoot, and he’s a good passer.”

There were many highlights to go around for the senior forward, who came up big when his team needed it the most. With the score being real close to start the fourth quarter, Eldridge began to take over. Eldridge received the entry pass from Jeremiah Badillo and was able to post up on Farrington’s Jacob McEnroe for the high-percentage bucket. McEnroe had Eldridge’s number prior to this sequence, having garnered all of his three blocks on Eldridge. The senior forward later grabbed a defensive rebound and effectively ran a three on one fast break to perfection, dishing it off to Badillo to put the Bears up by six.

Eldridge continued his high level of play against top-ranked Punahou the following day, posting 17 points and ten rebounds. While he may not have dished out as many assists, he made up for it on the defensive end. With his team hampered with foul trouble, Eldridge was still able to pester the opposition, helping to limit Buffanblu forwards Micah Ma’a, Blake Wade, and season leading scorer Daniel Andrews to a combined six points. Andrews was averaging 15.8 points heading into the contest, before getting held to a single free throw made.

Even though the Bears were not able to come away with top honors in the 42nd annual Punahou Boys Basketball Invitational, Eldridge was pleased to know that they could hang with the best of the best.

“We can use this as a confidence builder,” Eldridge said on the experience in the tournament. “It shows us that we can compete on the state level. We’re hoping to come back here during states and compete against them again. We already know what to look forward to during states. We just have to work to compete at a higher level each game that we play.”

-Michael Lasquero

Female Athlete of the Week: Taufau Williams, Kailua basketball
Mandy Llamedo is trying to change the culture surrounding the Kailua girls' basketball program and Taufau Williams is an agent of change.

The sophomore shooting guard helped the Surfriders go 2-0 last week with wins over Kahuku and Kaiser. Williams scored 11 points in a one-point win over the Red Raiders Wedensday and followed that up with an astounding 44 points in a double-overtime victory against the Cougars Friday.

"To be honest, she did everything within the offense and the flow of the game, so it didn't seem like she was carrying us that much because everybody had touches on the ball and a few other girls put in points, too," Llamedo said of Williams' performance against Kaiser. "With Patricia (Vaimoana) — who's kind of our go-to player offensively — only having eight points, the scoring had to go somewhere and we'd like to spread it out, but Tau just did what she needed to do in that game. Actually, looking at the numbers now, it's unreal what she did."

For Williams, who has been in the starting lineup since her freshman season, a year under her belt has made all the difference.

"We knew that she was capable for that kind of a game from her freshman year, but it was just a matter of getting her to understand that that's her role and her responsibility," Llamedo said. "As a freshman she was kind of timid and didn't want to feel like she was hogging the ball, so it was good to see her take control of the game."

Williams, who stands 5 feet, 9 inches, was 20 of 24 from the free-throw line and is averaging 16.5 points per game this season, including a 20.4 average in league games. The Surfriders are off to a 4-1 start in the Eastern Division of the Oahu Interscholastic Association, good for third in the Red East.

"When I first came on as head coach, the one thing I asked of them is to be good people underneath everything and it starts in the classroom with the teachers and with each other, just building trust and respect," said Llamedo, who is in her fourth season at Kailua, second as the head coach. "It's been good so far. There's no way we would be where we are without them buying in. We still have a lot of work to do and they understand that. I'm still trying to make them work to get better because we have yet to reach our full potential as a team."

Llamedo and her staff have been working hard to change the attitudes of their players and the program as a whole.

"When I first came on as an assistant, the general attitude was that they didn't feel like they belonged on the same floor with some of these teams," Llamedo said. "It's really been about trying to change their mindset and a lot of that had to do with players like Tau understanding their responsibilities to the team. Even with talent, without trust and a team concept, they would get nowhere, so it's good to see them get off to this kind of a start."

Llamedo says she has to remind herself at times of Williams's youth, despite her ability on the court.

"There have been moments where I jump on her in practice for having too much fun at times, but I forget how young she is when I see her play because she's a powerful player, but when I sit and talk with her she's a jokester," Llamedo said. "She's very laid back and silly. She's not a very serious person and I think that's what helped her in that game against Kaiser."

Williams and the Surfriders return to the court on Thursday when they host Farrington.

-Kalani Takase

BOYS BASKETBALL
Daniel Andrews, Punahou — Scored 18 points in a win over Kalaheo Friday

Ryan Garces, Baldwin — Scored 20 points in a win over Farrington Friday

Kawehe Hano Kohatsu, Kailua — Scored 25 points in a loss to Radford Saturday

Kupaa Harrison, Kalaheo — Scored 29 points in a win over Walnut Grove (B.C., Canada) Thursday

Ihaka Johnson, Saint Louis — Scored 17 points in a win over Campbell Wednesday and 21 points in a win over Mililani Friday

William Kailimai, Kailua — Scored 25 points in a loss to Moanalua Friday

Chance Kalaugher, Kaiser — Scored 17 points in a win over Radford Friday and 14 points in a loss to Moanalua

Justin Kam, Punahou — Scored 26 points in a win over Damien Monday, 15 points in a win over Kalaheo Friday and 16 points in a win over Baldwin Saturday

Noa Kinimaka, Kamehameha — Scored 16 points in a loss to Westchester (Calif.) Wednesday, 16 points in a win over Moanalua Thursday and 15 points in a win over Fuxin (China) Saturday.

Marc Ma, Iolani II — Scored 18 points in a win over Oroku (Japan) Saturday

Alec Macleod, Kalaheo — Scored 18 points in a win over Walnut Grove (B.C., Canada) Thursday and 14 points in a loss to Punahou Friday

Jacob McEnroe, Farrington — Scored 17 points in a win over Hawaii Prep Thursday

Matthew Nuumanaia, Saint Francis — Scored 21 points in a loss to Mililani Wednesday and 20 points in a loss to McKinley Friday

Ikaika Phillip, Iolani — Scored 20 points in a loss to West Linn (Ore.) Thursday

Jordan Riley, Radford — Scored 19 points in a win over Kailua Saturday

Brandon Roberts, Kalani — Scored 18 points in a win over Pearl City Friday

Jamaal Willis, Moanalua — Scored 20 points in a loss to Hamilton (Wisc.) Wednesday, 17 points in a loss to Kamehameha Thursday and 21 points in a win over Kaiser

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Kayelah Arakaki, Pearl City — Scored 16 points in a loss to Waianae Friday

Chantelle Arce, Kaiser — Scored 37 points in a loss to Kailua Friday

Tayhila Lee Chong, Waianae — Scored 16 points in a win over Pearl City Friday

Penina Faumui, Farrington — Scored 27 points in a win over Castle

Mich'lae Higa, Aiea — Scored 18 points in a loss to Waianae Wednesday

Keala Kaio-Perez, Kailua — Scored 18 points in a win over Kaiser Friday

Carly Kakuda, Kalani — Scored 23 points in a win over Castle Friday

Tiare Kanoa, Kamehameha — Scored 19 points in a win over Sacred Hearts Wednesday

Mikaela Limper, Mililani — Scored 19 points in a win over Nanakuli Wednesday

Sarah Liva, Mililani — Scored 16 points in a win over Nanakuli Wednesday

Sabrina Marzan, Campbell — Scored 22 points in a loss to Radford Friday

LaChae McColor, Moanalua — Scored 18 points in a win over McKinley Friday

Jasmine Moody, Radford — Scored 22 points in a win over Pearl City Wednesday and 25 points in a win over Campbell Friday

Celina Pagan, Sacred Hearts — Scored 17 points in a loss to Iolani Saturday

Keala Quinlan, Roosevelt — Scored 22 points in a win over McKinley Wednesday

Alohi Robbins-Hardy, Kamehameha — Scored 16 points in a win over Sacred Hearts Wednesday

Roselyn Shimaoka, Kaiser — Scored 17 points in a win over Kalaheo Wednesday and 29 points in a loss to Kailua Friday

Tavae Sina Sofa, Roosevelt — Scored 22 points in a win over Farrington Friday

Tiare Sugui, McKinley — Scored 22 points in a loss to Moanalua Friday

Jeneva Toilolo, Farrington — Scored 22 points in a win over Castle Wednesday and 18 points in a loss to Farrington Friday

Roseanna Tulimasealii, Waianae — Scored 23 points in a win over Aiea Wednesday

Patricia Vaimoana, Kailua — Scored 21 points in a win over Kahuku Wednesday

BOYS SOCCER
Raymond Alves, Kalani — Scored two goals in a win over Kaiser Wednesday

Carter Casuga, Pearl City — Scored two goals in a win over Nanakuli Friday

Alec Dinsmore, Punahou — Scored four goals in a win over Pac-Five Wednesday

Antonio Espinoza, Punahou — Scored two goals in a win over Pac-Five Wednesday

Jhonah Felipe, Kalaheo — Scored three goals in a win over Roosevelt Saturday

TJ Fitzsimmons, Kamehameha — Scored two goals in a win over Damien Saturday

Naia Graham, Kailua — Scored three goals in a win over McKinley Wednesday

Pono Halemano, Kamehameha — Scored two goals in a win over Damien Saturday

Sylas Leb, Kaiser — Scored two goals in a win over McKinley Saturday

Cody Kuge, Kaiser — Scored two goals in a win over McKinley Saturday

Christian Longnecker, Kaiser — Scored two goals in a win over McKinley Saturday

Marc Matas, Mililani — Scored two goals in a win over Pearl City Tuesday

Bryson Maximo, Campbell — Scored two goals in a win over Waialua Friday

Anthony Pataray, Saint Louis — Scored two goals in a win over Damien Wednesday

Kona Reiny-Aloy, Campbell — Scored three goals in a win over Waialua Friday

Aaron Russ, Radford — Scored two goals in a win over Waianae Friday

Ethan Russ, Radford — Scored two goals in a win over Waianae Friday

Sergei Sharer, Saint Louis — Scored two goals in a win over Damien Wednesday

Mikel Sodini, Kahuku — Scored two goals in a win over Castle Wednesday

Dillon Yamamoto, Roosevelt — Scored three goals in a win over Kaimuki Wednesday

GIRLS SOCCER
Hoku Afong, Moanalua — Scored two goals in a win over Kalaheo Wednesday and two goals in a win over Kalani Saturday

Sha'tres Ah Nee, Campbell — Scored three goals in a win over Waialua Friday

Alea Amano, Kaiser — Scored two goals in a win over McKinley Saturday

Alicia Chang, Kaiser — Scored two goals in a win over McKinley Saturday

Jaelynn Chargualaf, Campbell — Scored two goals in a win over Waialua Friday

Nia Fernandez, Sacred Hearts — Scored two goals in a win over Saint Francis Friday

Tia Furuta, Mililani — Scored two goals in a win over Pearl City Tuesday

Jaselyn Gonsalves, Campbell — Scored three goals in a win over Nanakuli Tuesday

Kiley Haraguchi, Campbell — Scored three goals in a win over Waialua Friday

Kai Hasegawa, Kaiser — Scored three goals in a win over Kalani Wednesday and three goals in a win over McKinley Saturday

Tasha Inong, Pearl City — Scored three goals in a win over Nanakuli Friday

Kylee Kim-Bustillos, Iolani — Scored three goals in a win over Saint Francis Tuesday

Kawaiulani Makue, Kamehameha — Scored two goals in a win over Mid-Pacific Tuesday

Reanne Masaki, Roosevelt — Scored two goals in a win over Kalaheo Saturday

Nikita Price, Moanalua — Scored two goals in a win over Kalani Saturday

Bo Samson, Sacred Hearts — Scored two goals in a win over Saint Francis Friday

Raisa Strom-Okimoto, Aiea — Scored five goals in a win over Radford Tuesday

Taylor Strong, Kailua — Scored two goals in a win over McKinley Wednesday

Chelsie Sugioka, Moanalua — Scored two goals in a win over Kalani Saturday

Shantel Torres-Benito, Iolani — Scored two goals in a win over Saint Francis Tuesday

BOYS WRESTLING
Blake Cooper, Pearl City — Won the 160-pound weight class at the Hawaii Wrestling Officials Association Scholarship Tournament and earned a tournament-best 22 points for the Chargers, who captured the team title.

GIRLS WRESTLING
Jenna Mauliola, King Kekaulike — Won the 113-pound weight class at the Hawaii Wrestling Officials Association Scholarship Tournament and earned a tournament-best 22 points for Na Alii