Andre Ilagan of Farrington takes care of the winning. His coaches and family take care of everything else.
Ilagan became the third member of his family to earn an OIA boys singles title on Saturday, beating fellow freshman Zion Heaven of Campbell 6-4, 6-3 at Central Oahu Regional Park.
"I heard my dad in the audience and it motivated me," Ilagan said. "I am just so happy for my family, so happy for my school. They get me food, they worry about me and I just play."
The Ilagans have more than an inkling what a champion needs, as Anthony Ilagan won OIA titles in 2001 and 2002 and Mark Ilagan earned his crown in 2004 after losing to Kahuku’s Dillon Porter in the 2003 final.
Andre Ilagan went into the final having dropped only four games in three matches in the tournament after sweeping Kalani’s Chad Aoki 6-1, 6-1 in the semis while Heaven beat Kalani’s Darrell Huang 6-4, 7-6 (2).
Andre Ilagan fell behind in both sets against Heaven, but recovered by attacking his taller foe’s backhand. The Governor put on a show at the end of the match, hitting the lines with shots that Heaven had no prayer of returning.
"He was smarter on the court than I was," Heaven said. "He made me hit more backhands than I wanted. I expected it, but I didn’t play it correctly, and I think that is probably the reason why I lost. But I am proud; this was a good experience."
Andre Ilagan now goes into the state championships on the same courts May 7-9, a state title one of the few accomplishments that has eluded the Ilagan boys.
Mark and Anthony both made state finals but lost to Punahou’s Robbie Lim. Anthony led his state final 5-2 in the third set before cramps crumpled his game. Andre started playing when he was 5 years old, and has been well aware of his family’s gift every time he stepped on a court.
"When I was about to go high school I started thinking I don’t want to break the streak or anything," Andre Ilagan said. "This is a relief, I have to thank God."
Andre Ilagan was the East No. 1 seed in the tournament and Heaven the West champion. Kaiser’s Lisa Owen made it a sweep for East top seeds by taking girls singles.
Owen took the court for the final against Kapolei’s Chantelle Lopez, who knocked off West champion Sophia Nishimura of Aiea as the West’s fifth seed on her way to the title match.
Owen played with a bandage wrapped around her left leg because of a quad strain, but she fought through it to beat the underdog 6-1, 6-1.
"I have wanted this since last year, when I got third in OIAs," Owen said. "I wanted first this time, it was a big goal of mine."
Owen says her new goal is to make the quarterfinals at states. She lost in the second round in her two previous tries.
Lopez kept Owen on the baseline for much of the match and tested her foe’s injury early and often, but Owen went side-to-side enough for the easy win. She barely touched a racquet during the week before the tournament, but she had a feeling that it wouldn’t be her most important weapon anyway.
"I think I got smarter in my playing," Owen said. "I learned to read my opponents better and I learned how to control my mental state, so I am a lot stronger mentally now. Chantelle is really good, I just had to be smart."
Mililani had been represented in at least one singles final every year since 2009, but was shut out this time. The Trojans made up for it with both doubles titles.
Jace Okagi-Okuma and Davin Lee beat Kalani’s Rayden and Koby Murata 6-1, 6-3 for the boys doubles title and Haley Fujimori and Alysse Nakasato teamed up to beat Elyssa Shirai and Leina Mizusawa of Pearl City 6-3, 6-0 for the girls doubles crown.