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Avery Pauole

Baldwin basketball  •   #42  F/C  Senior

The Baldwin boys basketball team picked up a couple of important wins last week and senior post Avery Pauole was right in the thick of it. 

Pauole, a 6-foot-6 senior forward/center, poured in 46 points in two games; He scored a game-high 23 points last Tuesday to lead the Bears to a 67-53 victory over Lahainaluna and followed that up with another 23-point outing in Saturday's 62-49 win over Kamehameha-Maui. 

"If he asserts himself, there's nothing really anyone can do and he did that from the beginning," Baldwin coach Cody Tesoro said of Pauole's effort in the win over the Warriors, which was broadcasted live statewide on Spectrum OC16. 

Not only was Pauole prolific, he was efficient. He was 9-of-14 shooting from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line. Pauole also grabbed five rebounds and committed only two fouls (the Bears were whistled for just total fouls). 

"We did make it a focal point to get the ball into him and he finished, he got rebounds, he stayed out of foul trouble — even in the Lahaina game, when he got going in the beginning and we got two, three easy buckets, then his confidence grows and once he gets his confidence going, there's not really much anybody can do and it just goes to show that even when the bright lights are on, he was able to come out and have his best game," Tesoro stated. 

Pauole has scored in double figures in every game so far this regular season for the Bears (5-2), including a season-high 24 points in a previous game against Lahainaluna. He is averaging 17.3 points per game through Baldwin's first seven games in Maui Interscholastic League play. 

"He can do it all, but he's very effective down low. When he asserts himself down low and he demands the ball, there's nothing that the defense can do to stop him, unless they double- or triple-team him, but he's unselfish and so he'll find the open man and make the right play," Tesoro said. 

Tesoro pointed out that Pauole was coming off of a minor knee injury he sustained in an overtime win over King Kekaulike on Dec. 30. 

"He plays through a lot of pain. He's had pain in his knees as he's still growing, but the game before the Lahainaluna one, against King K, he fell and he heard a little pop in his hamstring and the trainer came out and I thought he was done for the game, but he came back and made some key plays in overtime to win the game for us," Tesoro said of Pauole, who tallied a team-high 15 points against Na Alii. 

Pauole made the varsity squad as a freshman and is in his second season as a stater. As a junior last year, Pauole averaged 10.2 points per game, behind then-seniors Quintan Akana (18.4 ppg) and Hudson Yarbrough (16.6 ppg), both are whom stand at 6-7. 

"Avery had Quinlan and Hudson, two top-15 players in the state, and he was able to learn from them, go against them in practice and learn how to be better. Now this year, he's the leader, teaching them how to act and he's doing a tremendous job," Tesoro said. "He was out with a concussion for quite a bit at the beginning of the season, but now that he's healthy, he's been really, really effective for us."

Pauole has upped his production on the hardwood, while also providing much-needed leadership for the Bears this season. 

"People just kind of look up to him. They know he's one of the better players and people look up to him and when he speaks, people listen," Tesoro said. "It wasn't easy getting him to be a vocal leader; He's someone I had been grooming since he was a freshman — he wasn't too keen on being a talker, but he's worked at it and he's grown to be a leader by actions and what he says — so it's been a pretty amazing transformation and I'm glad to see how far he's come."

The Bears have won their last four games after a 1-2 start to the MIL season that included losses to both the Lunas and Warriors. They now sit one-half game behind first-place Kamehameha-Maui atop the league's Division I standings. 

"It was really big to get those wins last week and not to take anything away from Kamehameha and Lahaina, because they're both great teams and they're tough, but we didn't have our full roster for those first two games, so having a full, healthy roster and when your best player is playing his best basketball and leading you, you need all of that to come together to be successful and we had that in the past two games against Kamehameha and Lahaina," Tesoro said. 

Tesoro is hopeful that the rigors of a difficult preseason — specifically an 0-4 showing at the Iolani Classic — will payoff for his squad down the stretch. 

"We played four tough teams in the Classic — (Lake Oswego) is always competing for a state championship in Oregon and then, of course, we played three ILH teams in Saint Louis, Punahou and Maryknoll, who, all three are well-coached, disciplined and you know what you're gonna get — so I think being in those games, there's no possessions off and if you want to truly be a state championship competitor, that's the level you have to play at all the time. Even though we went oh-and-four, it was definitely a learning experience," Tesoro said. "We definitely learned something from it."

Pauole was selected to the All-MIL First Team (as selected by The Maui News) and Honorable Mention All-Hawaii in both basketball and volleyball last year. Tesoro said that Pauole has yet to decide sport he will pursue in college. 

"He wants to do something, but he's kind of seeing what his options are after volleyball (season), but he's capable of playing at the next level for both," said Tesoro, who has a long relationship with Pauole and his family. 

"I've known Avery since he was a young kid and he's such a good kid; His parents raised him right. He's very respectful, he's a good guy to be around and I'm just glad to see how he's grown over the years, so it's been a blessing for me to be able to be around him and coach him," Tesoro expressed. 

Pauole and the Bears continue MIL play Friday, when they host Maui High (2-5) at 5:30 p.m. 

BOYS BASKETBALL

Poo Aiu, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored 20 points with eight rebounds, two blocks and an assist in a loss to Baldwin 

Rondell Blenman-Villareal, Campbell — Scored 16 points in a win over Radford 

CJ Bostic, Kalaheo — Scored 17 points in a loss to Moanalua 

Noah Buford, Kekaulike — Scored 23 points, including five 3-pointers, in a loss to Kamehameha-Maui 

Kana Castro, Lahainaluna — Scored 21 points in a loss to Baldwin 

Kade Cunningham, Lahainaluna — Scored 18 points in a win over Maui 

Noah Deleon, Waipahu — Scored 20 points a loss to Waialua 

Sam Dimaya III, Lanai — Scored 20 points in a loss to Maui Prep 

Noa Donnelly, Kailua — Scored 18 points in a win over Castle 

Excel Jury, Waianae — Scored 25 points in a loss to Radford 

Kache Kaio, Kahuku — Scored 18 points in a win over McKinley and scored 16 points with seven rebounds, two steals, two blocks and an assist in a win over Castle 

Mana Kaipuu-Manini, Kau — Scored 16 points in a win over Pahoa 

Keaka Kauhane, Kapaa — Scored 21 points in a win over Island School and scored 18 points in a win over Waimea 

Kyle Kelmenson, Haleakala Waldorf — Scored 20 points in a win over Molokai 

Joseph Kim, McKinley — Scored 21 points in a loss to Kahuku and scored 28 points in a loss to Kaimuki 

Cyris Laury-Schaefer, Haleakala Waldorf — Scored 16 points in a win over Molokai 

Kayman Lewis, Roosevelt — Scored 24 points in a win over Kalani 

Isaac Libron, Kohala — Scored 18 points in a win over Waiakea 

Daysin Lupica, Kaimuki — Scored 24 points in a loss to Moanalua 

Casey Lyons, Iolani — Scored 18 points in a win over Kamehameha 

Hunter Marumoto, Maryknoll — Scored 18 points in a win over Iolani 

Zion Milare, Maryknoll — Scored 16 points in a win over Iolani 

Zelston Militante, Leilehua — Scored 18 points in a win over Pearl City 

Issac Mirey, Kauai — Scored 17 points in a win over Island School 

Skylar Miyasato, Moanalua — Scored 20 points in a win over Kaimuki and scored 21 points in a win over Kalaheo

Jonny Philbrick, Kailua — Scored 21 points in a win over Castle and scored 26 points in a win over Farrington 

Kiandray Rideout, Honokaa — Scored 18 points in a win over Keaau 

Flavio Sailiai-Leon, Waianae — Scored 23 points in a loss to Leilehua 

Dylan Schnitzer, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored 17 points in a win over Kekaulike 

Pupualii Sepulona, Saint Louis — Scored 16 points in a win over Mid-Pacific and scored 17 points in a win over Punahou 

Eli Shibuya, Hawaii Baptist — Scored 24 points in a win over Hanalani and scored 27 points in a win over Maryknoll II

Kai Shively, Maui Prep — Scored 24 points in a win over Lanai 

Hawkins Souffrant, Radford — Scored 26 points in a win over Waianae 

Mikey Questin, Kapaa — Scored 16 points in a win over Waimea 

Jeremiah White, Kaimuki — Scored 28 points in a loss to Moanalua and scored 26 points in a win over McKinley 

Caden Williams, Radford — Scored 16 points in a win over Waianae 

Flynn Williams, Maui Prep — Scored 19 points in a win over Lanai and scored 51 points in a win over Lanai 

Aidan Wong, Iolani — Scored 16 points in a loss to Maryknoll 

Skyler Yamada, Punahou II — Scored 23 points in a win over Hawaii Baptist 

Justin Yap, Maryknoll — Scored 16 points with five rebounds, two steals and an assist in a win over Punahou 

James Zara, Waialua — Scored 36 points in a win over Waipahu 

BOYS SOCCER

Nicolas Alaya, Waimea — Scored two goals in a loss to Island School 

Logan Aurio, Kapolei — Scored six goals in a win over Nanakuli and scored two goals in a win over Leilehua 

Leo Davies, Kaiser — Scored three goals in a win over McKinley and scored four goals in a win over Kaimuki 

Elijah Dinkel, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored three goals in a win over Keaau 

Andre Estaniqui, Mililani — Scored two goals in a win over Leilehua and scored two goals in a win over Waipahu 

Laakea Fernandez, Aiea — Scored five goals in a win over Nanakuli 

Luke Fujioka-Silva, McKinley — Scored two goals in a loss to Kalaheo 

Kainalu Geer, Island School — Scored two goals in a win over Waimea 

Declan Horio, Punahou — Scored three goals in a win over Saint Louis 

Christopher Johnson, Campbell — Scored two goals in a win over Pearl City 

Landen Kalani, Roosevelt — Scored three goals in a win over Farrington 

Allan Kamahao Donis-Sablan, Kailua — Scored two goals in a win over Castle 

Kekoa Kiesling, Baldwin — Scored three goals in a win over Maui 

Nathaniel Medina, Castle — Scored three goals in a win over Kaimuki 

Aziah Nelson, Waiakea — Scored four goals in a win over Christian Liberty 

Poikeao Roback, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored three goals in a win over Keaau 

Kyan Smith, Mid-Pacific — Scored the lone goal in a win over PAC-5

Joshua Takasue, Kapolei — Scored two goals in a win over Leilehua 

Jaylen Temple, Moanalua — Scored two goals in a win over Kalaheo 

Robert Wilson, Radford — Scored two goals in a win over Pearl City

Rylie Echavaria

Moanalua soccer  •   #16  MF  Senior

When it comes to the soccer pitch, Rylie Echavaria can usually be found in the center of the action. 

That was certainly the case last week for the Moanalua midfielder. Echavaria, a 5-foot-3 senior, scored five goals in two games for Na Menehune. In a 4-2 win over Kalaheo Thursday, Echavaria netted a pair of goals. Two nights later, she put away a trifecta of goals in a 5-0 rout of Kahuku. 

"Rylie has an exceptional finish and shooting touch, she really does — one that I haven't seen in a very long time," longtime Moanalua coach Nikki Dela Pena said. 

Echavaria has started for Na Menehune since she was a freshman. Back then, she played center-back for Dela Pena. After she lost out her sophomore season to COVID, Echavaria switched between center-back and center-mid as a junior, when she finished one-off the team lead with 10 goals scored. 

Despite all of that, it wasn't the prettiest of starts for Echavaria. 

"In the begging of the season she was getting mentally down a little bit because her shots were going off, but as the season progressed, it's nice to know that she's also maintained focus and gotten back to where she is and even better at times," Dela Pena said. 

Dela Pena said that while there may be circumstances that call for Echavaria to drop to center-back, she is primarily patrolling the central midfield this season. 

"She's definitely an impact in that middle," Dela Pena said. "She can collect balls, she can scan the field, she knows where players are and where to get them if they're not there and defensively, because she has such a strong background at center-back, she can help the other two in the middle and that really makes us stronger."

Both of Echavaria's goals against the Mustangs came in the run of play. Her first goal opened the scoring for Moanalua, which held a 2-0 lead at halftime. Echavaria's second goal gave her team a 3-1 advantage. 

Dela Pena noted that the teams played through less-than-ideal field conditions, which made it tough for Na Menehune to establish their style of play. 

"Players couldn't get their footing, it was slipper so trying to move and trying to get a defense set, trying to get an offense set was really difficult, so when we were able to get her involved and she took the green light to go, I'm glad she was confident enough to have the time and look to take those," Dela Pena said. 

Unlike her pair of goals against Kalaheo, however, Echavaria's hat trick against the Red Raiders Saturday came exclusively on direct kicks. Her first goal was the lone score of the first half; Her second made it 2-0 early in the second half and her final goal closed out the scoring. 

"They were three completely different kicks," Dela Pena described. "The first one was about 30 yards out, the second one maybe 25 and I was a little more nervous on the closer (third) one, which was right outside the 18(-yard box), so must be about 20 yards, but she proved me wrong. She hit that backdoor, no touch, into the side."

So marveled by Echavaria's execution was Dela Pena that she reached out to her over the weekend to express her appreciation. 

"There was a wall in front of her all three kicks and there was a goalie who was stopping a lot of goals in the first half, so shots weren't really going in. There's no way someone can take three direct kicks and not get touched by anyone — it was perfectly set," she said. "It was amazing. I had to give her a text and tell her how amazed I was with her shot this week."

Echavarria, a team captain, leads Moanalua with nine goals scored this season. She is tied for sixth among all Division-I goal scorers in the Oahu Interscholastic Association. 

Dela Pena credits Echavaria for her mental preparation, as well as her vocal leadership that she provides for the rest of her teammates. 

"I would say she's a focused threat. She's just extremely focused on what we need to do and she gets her team ready. She's not that loud, but she's more of a paced person to kind of make sure we're all on the same page," Dela Pena said. "When she speaks though, they really take to heart what she has to say and it shows how she's respected on the team."

Dela Pena couldn't overstate Echavaria's importance toward the overall success of the team as a whole. 

"She makes her team better and I think that's kind of the definition of a great player, you make those around you better and that's why she's in such a key role in the middle, because she helps the other kids be better," Dela Pena said. "It's nice to see her still contributing to the team and understand that we're all involved. She may be the leading scorer on the team, but she has confidence in them and relays that to them and never in a negative way because it's all good and there's just no drama, so she's like a glue to this team, she really is."

Moanalua finished the regular season undefeated at 9-0-1 and will be the top seed out of the Eastern Division in the 12-team OIA D1 tournament, which gets underway next week. 

Dela Pena said that the win over then-second place Kahuku Saturday provided a boost of momentum for her squad as it enters postseason play. 

"It was an important game, we knew that," she said. "There were energized stands with the first- and second-place teams playing for that first seed, but it was just kind of nice to see that come together because we struggled scoring in the beginning of the season and we've had two forfeited games, so we only had eight games to play and try to work around, so we really tried to key in on shooting and placement during practice, and direct kicks, so it was nice to see those things come together."

Echavaria and Na Menehune will have a bye in Monday's opening round before they play host to either West fourth-seeded Waipahu (7-2-1) or East fifth-seeded Kalaheo (4-4-2) in Tuesday's quarterfinals.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Shynastee Ahina, Hawaiian Mission — Scored 25 points in a win over Island Pacific and scored 25 points in a loss to St. Andrew's 

Kalena Akinaka, Kekaulike — Scored 16 points in a loss to Kamehameha-Maui 

Denise Alfonso, Kapaa — Scored 19 points in a win over Kauai 

Theresa Anakalea, Damien — Scored 19 points in a loss to Iolani and scored 28 points in a loss to Punahou 

Kealoha Baricuatro, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored 18 points in a win over Kekaulike 

Nina Batacan, La Pietra — Scored 15 points in a win over St. Andrew's and scored 24 points in a loss to Island Pacific 

Kihani Cavaco, Nanakuli — Scored 16 points in a win over Aiea 

Haven De Silva, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored 10 points with 12 rebounds, three steals, one assist and a block in a win over Baldwin 

Skyline Fagarang, Lahainaluna — Scored 16 points in a win over Baldwin 

Jayda Fullum, Island Pacific — Scored 22 points in a win over La Pietra 

Myah Galdeira, Kailua — Scored 28 points in a win over Anuenue 

Puaena Herrington, Waiakea — Scored 16 points in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii and scored 20 points in a win over Honokaa 

Maela Honma, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 20 points in a loss to Waiakea

Kiani Hoolulu, Kailua — Scored 19 points in a win over Castle and scored 20 points in a win over Anuenue 

Keanu Huihui, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 17 points in a loss to Waiakea and scored 26 points in a win over Pahoa 

Ellana Klemp, Hanalani — Scored 15 points in a win over Punahou and scored 18 points in a win over Mid-Pacific 

Brooke Kurasaki, Mililani — Scored 19 points in a win over Waipahu 

Jordyn Luna, Maui — Scored 15 points with five rebounds, four assists and a block in a win over Lahainaluna 

Talo Mafatini, Baldwin — Scored 21 points in a loss to Lahainaluna and scored 15 points with eight rebounds, three steals and a block in a loss to Kamehameha-Maui 

Jolie Mantz, Waiakea — Scored 15 points in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii 

Daija Mitchell, Island Pacific — Scored 20 points in a loss to Hawaiian Mission 

Kiryn Morita, Iolani II — Scored 16 points in a loss to Mid-Pacific and scored 15 points in a loss to Kamehameha II 

Marsha Muaau, Nanakuli — Scored 16 points in a win over Aiea 

Alana Nagata, University Lab — Scored 33 points in a win over Iolani II and scored 27 points in a loss to Sacred Hearts 

Hema Nakaahiki-Young, Kauai — Scored 15 points in a loss to Kapaa 

KalysaMarie Ng, Sacred Hearts — Scored 17 points in a win over Hawaii Baptist and scored 21 points in a win over University Lab 

Haley Ostrander, Lanai — Scored 16 points in a win over Haleakala Waldorf 

Ledjan Pahukoa, Lahainaluna — Scored 25 points, including seven 3-pointers, in a win over Baldwin and scored 21 points in a loss to Maui 

Leila Paraon, Kapolei — Scored 21 points in a loss to Pearl City and scored 23 points in a win over Waialua 

Makelah Richardson, Roosevelt — Scored 15 points in a win over McKinley 

Taylor Schnitzer, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored 19 points with four rebounds, five steals and an assist in a win over Baldwin 

Malia Tini, Castle — Scored 16 points in a loss to Kailua 

Laynee Torres-Kahapea, Punahou — Scored 20 points in a win over Kamehameha and scored 24 points in a win over Damien 

Ciera Tugade-Agasiva, Maryknoll — Scored 18 points with five rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in a win over Damien and scored 15 points in a win over Iolani 

Tuisila Wily-Ava, Kahuku — Scored 18 points in a win over McKinley 

Dorothea Yoakum, Mid-Pacific — Scored 15 points in a win over Iolani II 

GIRLS SOCCER

Kaia Borje-Peeples, Roosevelt — Scored four goals in a win over Farrington 

Paula Devine Capili, Pearl City — Scored three goals in a win over Radford 

Talin Fermahin, Aiea — Scored two goals in a win over Nanakuli 

Hailee Hanaike, Castle — Scored four goals in a win over Kaimuki 

Taylor Hansen, Kapolei — Scored two goals in a win over Leilehua 

Aeryn Hatico, Pearl City — Scored three goals in a win over Radford 

Emma Higashi, Mililani — Scored three goals in a win over Leilehua 

Bryanna Kaman-Chang, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored two goals in a win over Keaau 

Sarah Naumu, Kamehameha — Scored the lone goal in a win over PAC-5

Trilogy Rivera, Campbell — Scored the lone goal in a win over Aiea

Xehlia Salanoa, Punahou — Scored three goals in a win over Punahou II 

Hilinai Schenk, Kalaheo — Scored two goals in a loss to Moanalua 

Maddison Shearer, Kamehameha — Scored three goals in a win over Damien 

Kena Tihada, Baldwin — Scored three goals in a win over Maui 

Sophia Wilson, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored two goals in a tie with Hilo 

Sienna Yamashita, Kapaa — Scored two goals in a win over Kauai 

Taylor Yoshimura, Pearl City — Scored the lone goal in a win over Campbell