Kaiser senior forward Chance Kalaugher and Konawaena sophomore guard Cherilyn Molina were instrumental to their respective teams in preseason tournament play last week. ScoringLive photo illustration

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Male Athlete of the Week: Chance Kalaugher, Kaiser baskeball
Fresh off a Division II state title last year, the Kaiser boys basketball team is riding that same wave of momentum this preseason.

The Cougars are off to a 7-0 start this year and a key factor for them has been the play of 6-foot-5 senior forward Chance Kalaugher.

Kalaugher has scored in double digits in each game this year and is averaging 23.3 points per game. He helped his team collect four wins last week — three at the OIA-ILH Challenge at Moanalua — including a 64-61 win over Thursday in which he scored a season-high 34 points.

"I think that Kamehameha game was probably the most impressive of the four," Cougars coach Branden Kawazoe said. "Just because it was the first time that basically we were on a big stage against a powerhouse and well-coached Kamehameha team."

Against the Warriors, Kalaugher hit four 3-pointers and was 14 of 18 from the free-throw line.

"He came out and he led us from the start both offensively and defensively and basically set the tone for us and everybody rallied around it and we were able to pull it off in the end," Kawazoe said. "His 34 points were impressive. He scored from both inside and out, he got to the line. It was a very, very good game for him."

In an 81-40 win over Waipahu, Kalaugher scored 17 points and two nights later, in a 61-53 win over Saint Louis he had 22 points before closing out the weekend with 25 points — including the game-winning basket — in a 74-73 overtime win over Punahou.

"He's scoring a lot of points," Kawazoe said. "A lot of our offense is tailored to run through him, but I think the guys did a good job of getting him the ball in places to be successful. He showed great balance in scoring, not just from one area, but all over."

Success isn't anything new for Kalaugher, who was named to the All-OIA East First Team last year and was selected as All-Hawaii Division II Player of the Year.

"Our whole thing is that we're a team first and all these awards and anything that comes along is just a product of being a great teammate and working hard," Kawazoe said. "I told him that if he just takes care of the daily things, the here and now, everything else will take care of itself. He's done a great job of not letting any of these individual things get in the way of the team. He knows that it takes more than one guy to win a basketball game, so he's very humble about it."

Kalaugher kept busy during the Fall as a menacing defensive end on the Cougars' football team.

"To be honest, football coaches have been asking about him and it sounds like he could have a future in football or basketball," Kawazoe said. "I think the possibilities are endless for him."

Kawazoe said Kalaugher has drawn interest from college basketball coaches both near and far.

"A ton of small schools on the mainland are interested in him," said Kawazoe, who also noted that all of the local Division II schools in Hawaii are on to Kalaugher. "Even UH called and they're interested, so he's getting some looks."

Kalaugher has been a mainstay on the varsity roster since Kawazoe took over the program three years ago.

"The biggest improvement I've seen is in his maturity and his ability to control his emotions throughout the game," Kawazoe said. "It's a testament to the work he's put in, the growth he's made both on the court and off the court. His outlook in life and academics have changed and developed and its translated to the basketball court. The hard work he's put in is really starting to pay off."

Kalaugher and the Cougars — who were promoted to Division I in the offseason — will participate in the prestigious Iolani Prep Classic over the weekend. They will open with The Master's Academy (Oviedo, Fla.) at 5 p.m. Friday.

Female Athlete of the Week: Cherilyn Molina, Konawaena basketball
Don't be fooled by her height, Cherilyn Molina has got some serious game.

The sophomore guard scored a total of 34 points in three wins over the weekend, helping defending Divison I state champion Konawaena to its first Iolani Girls Prep Classic title since 2011.

Molina is the youngest of three sisters on the Wildcats' roster. Her oldest sister, Chanelle, is a senior and two-time All-Hawaii Division I Player of the Year who is signed with Washington State, while middle sister, Celena, is a junior.

Chanelle collected tournament MVP honors while Cherilyn and Celena — along with another Konawaena player, Ihi Victor, were named to the all-tournament team.

"I was very proud of Cherilyn, in fact I was very proud of all the girls," Wildcats coach Bobbie Awa said. "Chanelle is a very good player, there's no doubt about that, but I think all the girls do their share and play their roles and I think if one is off, the other is one. It could be any of them; my starting five is very good."

Cherilyn had 10 points in a 75-22 win over Mililani Thursday — despite picking up two first-quarter fouls — and followed that up with a solid all-around performance in a 62-48 win over South Medford (Ore.) Friday. She had 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, but it was her defensive work that night that impressed Awa most.

"Against South Medford we switched it up defensively and she played against (University of Hawaii-commit Juli Tago) and did an excellent job on her," Awa said.

In Saturday's 62-50 win over Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) in the title game, Cherilyn scored 13 points — nine of them coming before halftime — and added three rebounds, two steals and an assist.

"She's really stepped up her game from last year," Awa said. "She's so much more competitive and confidence. She was always competitive, but I think she's playing with a lot more confidence now and it's nice to see. I think she's prepping herself to fill into Chanelle's role once she leaves next year."

Awa said Cherilyn, who is "maybe 5-5," provides a multitude of skills that sometimes goes unnoticed.

"She's a key factor to our team," Awa said. "It's difficult to get her out of the game because if Chanelle is tired I know I can put the ball in Cherilyn's hands. She's very comfortable with the ball in her hands and she will make good decisions, too. She's been shooting the ball well and taking care of the ball well."

Despite the gains she has made, Awa said Cherilyn still has much room for improvement.

"She's getting better every year and I think just having another year under her belt has done wonders for her this year," Awa said. "She's really been preparing herself throughout the whole offseason to get herself better. She's developing as a player, but the confidence that she has is nice. It's not a ‘go-to-Chanelle' kind of deal all the time. When the ball is in her hands, she's not afraid to look to score when she can."

Celena and Cherilyn both have scholarship offers from Washington State and Hawaii. Cherilyn also has an offer from Montana State.

The Wildcats, who are ranked atop the Hawaiian Electric/ScoringLive Power Rankings, will host Pahoa Tuesday in their Big Island Interscholastic Federation opener.

BOYS BASKETBALL
Keinan Agonias, Pahoa — Scored 18 points in a win over Kau

Keanu Akina, Kahuku — Scored 21 points in a win over Lahainaluna

Isaiah Akiona, Kaiser — Scored 16 points in a win over Saint Louis

Cole Arceneaux, Punahou — Scored 24 points in a win over Mililani

Zayne Chong, Punahou — Scored 17 points in a loss to Kaiser

Kamaalea Emeliano-Solomon, Kohala — Scored 17 points in a loss to Honokaa

Joseph Gouty, Leilehua — Scored 23 points in a win over Kamehameha

Hugh Hogland, Iolani — Scored 20 points in a win over Moanalua

Kalalani Kaaikala-Caban, Lahainaluna — Scored 15 points in a loss to Saint Francis

Kaeler Kahana, Kamehameha — Scored 16 points in a win over Moanalua

Samuel Kahapea, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 16 points in a win over Waiakea

Jerry Lawson, Le Jardin — Scored 19 points in a win over Castle and scored 19 points in a win over Waianae

Aaron Leong, Hanalani — Scored 15 points in a loss to Iolani II

Keoua Mahiko, Kaiser — Scored 24 points in a win over Punahou

Bayley Manliguis, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 24 points in a win over Konawaena

Calvin Mattos, Waiakea — Scored 16 points in a loss to Kamehameha-Hawaii and scored 17 points in a win over St. Joseph

Jeremy McGoldrick, Castle — Scored 21 points in a loss to Le Jardin and scored 23 points in a win over Hanalani

Jaymason Nunuha, Saint Louis — Scored 18 points in a win over Mililani

Christian Ono, Kaimuki — Scored 15 points in a win over Nanakuli

Steven Park, Aiea — Scored 15 points in a loss to Kalaheo

Saige Pulu, Moanalua — Scored 16 points in a loss to Punahou

Dane Sakamoto, Kamehameha II — Scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers, in a win over Castle

Isaac Slade-Matautia, Saint Louis — Scored 17 points in a win over Mililani

Kekai Smith, Kalaheo — Scored 17 points with seven rebounds in a win over Aiea and scored 18 points in a loss to Lahainaluna

Manu Taukolo, Waianae — Scored 16 points in a win over Iolani II

Kalakaua Timoteo, Mililani — Scored 17 points in a loss to Iolani

Dominic Veneza, Le Jardin — Scored 19 points in a win over Waianae

James Wilkins, Moanalua — Scored 17 points in a loss to Iolani and scored 28 points in a loss to Kamehameha

Kobe Young, Kamehameha — Scored 19 points in a loss to Kaiser

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Tywanna Abbott, Leilehua — Scored 15 points in a win over Kapolei

Camy Aguinaldo, Iolani — Scored 15 points in a loss to Punahou

Gieani Balino, Campbell — Scored 21 points in a win over Waianae

Alexis Delovio, Maryknoll — Scored 18 points in a loss to Punahou

Cameron Fernandez, Lahainaluna — Scored 15 points in a loss to Bishop O'Dowd, scored 19 points in a win over Radford and scored 15 points in a win over Mililani

Fiamea Hafoka, Lahainaluna — Scored 16 points in a win over Mililani

Jessica Hanashiro, Sacred Hearts — Scored 16 points in a loss to Kamehameha

Skye Haraga, Punahou II — Scored 17 points in a win over Maryknoll II

Ricka Jackson, Campbell — Scored 16 points in a win over Waianae

Kyle Johnson, Radford — Scored 17 points in a loss to Punahou

Kamaile Kandiah, Punahou — Scored 29 points in a win over Iolani

Ashley Kiko, Roosevelt — Scored 18 points in a win over Kaiser

Keleah Aiko Koloi, Lahainaluna — Scored 26 points in a win over King Kekaulike and scored 16 points in a win over Radford

Jazmina Lafitaga, Mililani — Scored 15 points in a win over Iolani II

Vae Malufau, Punahou — Scored 15 points with 15 rebounds in a win over Iolani

Markell Marquez, Honokaa — Scored 18 points in a win over Keaau

Tyra Moe, Punahou — Scored 18 points with eight rebounds in a win over Iolani

Chanelle Molina, Konawaena — Scored 26 points in a win over Mililani, scored 26 points in a  win over South Medford and scored 22 points in a win over Bishop O'Dowd

M. Pang, Maryknoll II — Scored 16 points in a loss to Punahou II

Kiara Peterson, Hanalani — Scored 16 points in a  win over Le Jardin

Brandi Pfeiffer-Kekoa, Kaimuki — Scored 16 points in a  win over Kalani

Keala Quinlan, Roosevelt — Scored 19 points in a win over Kaiser

Melina Souza, Damien — Scored 18 points in a loss to Hawaii Baptist

Alyssa Spurling, Hanalani — Scored 24 points in a win over Le Jardin

Cheyenne Teo, Kahuku — Scored 19 points in a win over Castle

Ihi Victor, Konawaena — Scored 16 points in a win over Mililani

Kiana Vierra, Kamehameha — Scored 16 points in a win over Sacred Hearts

Delcie Williams, Kailua — Scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win over Kalaheo

GIRLS SOCCER
Rachel Bowler, Iolani — Scored two goals in a win over Mid-Pacific

Moana Kimura, Kalani — Scored two goals in a win over Kaimuki

Lauryn Oishi, Iolani — Scored two goals in a win over Mid-Pacific

Asio Ono, Pac-Five — Scored two goals in a win over Mid-Pacific

Whitney Pauso, McKinley — Scored two goals in a win over Farrington

Kristine Portigo, McKinley — Scored two goals in a win over Farrington

Alexis Schmidt, Sacred Hearts — Scored two goals in a win over Saint Francis

Kaycee Selga, Sacred Hearts — Scored two goals in a win over Saint Francis

Jamie Shimamoto, Punahou — Scored two goals in a win over Pac-Five