Mid-Pacific’s ILH Varsity Bowling Team of 2022 made it to states this year for the boys and girls team with four players competing in the singles division.

Raiden Nakagawa, Kyler Osaki, Caitlyn Chang, and Dayna Mekaru were the four players who competed at states this year.

“I was happily satisfied to have four participants this year, competing in the singles event, despite our inexperienced Boy’s and Girl’s teams both with only two returnees. I would also like to congratulate this year’s Varsity Boy’s team for putting up a valiant fight this season, despite our very inexperienced team,” Bowling Coach Eric Yuuki said.

Yuuki has been coaching at Mid-Pacific for 14 years and went to states every year for either the teams or singles placement for as long as he has been coaching at Mid-Pacific.

Although three people on the boys’ team went to states last year, no one placed in the top 15. While only two people went to states on the boys’ team this year, Senior Raiden Nakagawa came in third place overall with his highest game at 237 during states.

Nakagawa, who has committed to Grand View University as a bowling athlete said: “This year our team was good, we had a pretty good season for ILH, and coming in third place this year was impressive.”

Team captain for this year’s boy’s team, Nakagawa explains how he did better from this year to last year as he was placed in 18th place last year compared to third place this year. This year he averaged about 216 during states and his overall highest in his career is 280.

“Personally, for me as an individual, improving was just what I wanted to do in a year. I just had a drive to be better. It’s more knowledge of the game and understanding what happens and overall practice throughout the whole year that I put into,” Nakagawa said.

Senior Kyler Osaki on the Mid-Pacific’s boys team also qualified for States. He didn’t place at all last year, but this year he came in 41st place.

“I think we did better this year. Raiden and I improved a lot, and our team as a whole had more experience because last year’s team had a lot of the players who were first years,” Osaki said.

There are 90 boys and 90 girls who can qualify for states; 27 boys and 27 girls in the ILH are qualified for states, and 48 boys and 48 girls in the OIA are qualified for states.

Senior Daynna Mekaru and junior Caitlyn Chang were the two girls who qualified for states. The girl’s team this year did not qualify for states just like the boys. But the girls did go to states for singles.

“I was happy that we went to States and it was my favorite part about this season because I got to go with Daynna. Although, I felt a little pressured but I tried to have fun; Being at States was already an accomplishment,” said Chang.

Chang, the Mid-Pacific girls’ team captain, placed in third place for the girls’ division. Last year she came in 10th place. Her highest game during states was 257.

“For States, I was very disappointed in myself in where I placed which was 27th since last year I just missed placing. I thought I could do way better this year, but the highlight was when I finally broke 200, ” Mekaru said.

Yuuki explains how he is proud of his returning bowlers and the effort they put in this season to become more successful and better themselves, improving their bowling skills.

“My favorite part of being the coach is when I see the students enjoying themselves with their teammates and having fun. Bowling is a team sport and I strive to teach this to the students. I also strive to win, but we cannot win it alone. We need to have good team chemistry,” Yuuki said.