Sports Update
There is a sense of urgency in the halls of the University of Hawaii athletic department that is bordering on full-blown panic. It's definitely crunch time
for Rainbow WarriorsEven coach vonAppen concedes
By Paul Arnett, Star-Bulletin
the team must stand and deliverIn the past few months, the Rainbows were left behind in the second-rate Western Athletic Conference. Their season-ticket sales in football are lower than the ratings of any TV show on UPN. And the team is only 26 days removed from playing the first game on a schedule that would make Notre Dame give the sign of the cross.
Even third-year head football coach Fred vonAppen concedes the time is now for the program. His team must stand and deliver under the most difficult circumstances and trying times, or run the risk of sending the athletic department further down the road to ruin.
"I don't think we can emphasize enough to our players how important this fall camp is to our season," vonAppen said. "We have a lot to get done in a short amount of time.
"We are expecting several of the new guys to come in and contribute right away. Any time you have that happen, you're going to experience some bumps in the road.
"With that said, I believe our fans are going to see our team finally taking shape. It's the third year we've been here as coaches, so we need to keep making steady, but significant progress."
Even though last year's team won only one more game than in vonAppen's rookie season, the Rainbows did show vast improvement. They could have easily finished with six wins had they made some key plays in four close ballgames.
"That's one of the things we're going to talk about on offense -- finishing what we start," UH offensive coordinator Don Lindsey said. "We're going to try to run effectively, take care of the football and try to keep our defense off the field and rested."
That was something last year's offense failed to do on many occasions, forcing the defense to play tired in the fourth quarter.
Several games were decided in the waning moments when the defense was playing on its last leg, including an overtime loss to Northeast Louisiana and a last-second defeat to Notre Dame.
"We're going to be a little ahead of the offense because most of our defense is already in," first-year defensive coordinator Tom Williams said. "Right away, we're going to work on situations, having the right guys in on certain downs and distances.
"I think this will help keep our guys fresher, especially late in a game. It also keeps more players actively involved in the game. Coach Lindsey did a great job getting this defense into place. It's up to me to take it from here."
Williams' main challenge will be developing three starters in the secondary. The only returning starter is cornerback Donnell Williams, and he missed all of spring with a hamstring pull.
The other three projected starters are Daniel Ho-Ching at free safety, Anthony Smith at strong safety, and Celnell Bobbitt at the left cornerback. Several newcomers also figure to be in the mix, including Phil Austin, Keith Bhonapha and James Polk.
"The secondary won't be our only point of focus," vonAppen said. "We need to get an offensive line in place with only one returning starter up front.
"We also have to settle the quarterback situation. We need somebody to step in and show they are ready to play right away."
The top three candidates are likely to be Josh Skinner, Dan Robinson and junior college transfer Tom Racius. Freshmen Bronson Liana and Shawn Withy-Allen also will take snaps in fall camp.
The key quarterback protector will be strong tackle Kaulana Noa. He is the only returning starter up front on offense. Three junior college players could join Noa before fall camp is through. They are center Dustin Owen, quick tackle Kynan Forney and quick guard Douglas Gosling.
"This is an important phase of any offense," Lindsey said. "I've never in my 33 years of coaching been involved in a spring practice like we had last year. We only had one healthy lineman, so that limits what you can practice on.
"We're going to be behind, but that doesn't mean we can't catch up. We're going to be looking at a lot of different things to see what we can do best. The thing is, we don't have much time before we have to play a tough top 25 team like Arizona."
The Rainbows will also spend a lot of time working on special teams. Because Hawaii was so bad at it last year, vonAppen won't use special in the title.
"We're going to call it the kicking game because we aren't very special," vonAppen said. "In fact, we were woeful last year, giving up six touchdowns in the kicking game. That's awful.
"We have a great punter in Chad Shrout, but we're going to be working with him, too. I don't want him just knocking 50-yarders down there. We need some angle kicks, sideline kicks, that sort of thing.
"But the main things will be protecting the punter and covering punts. We were all right on kickoffs, field goals and PATs. The bottom line is, we have a lot to get done by our Sept. 3 opener."
Fishing club from Japan saves best for last
KAILUA-KONA -- The Mauna Kea Sports Fishing Club of Japan saved the best for last Friday.With less than 30 minutes of fishing time remaining, the Mauna Kea team hooked up to a 697-pound Pacific blue marlin. It took 35 minutes to land what proved to be the winning fish, giving the Japanese team the title of the 40th Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament.
Members of the winning team are Kohei Ushimura, Takaaki Ushimura, Masaya Miyamoto and Takami Morito. The marlin, one of the 10 largest ever caught on 50-pound test line, was worth 1,229 points.
Mauna Kea, last year's runner-up, finished with 1,529 points. Second place went to the Big Island's Hilo Yacht Club with 1,155 points.
NIGHT DOUBLES FINAL: Ryan Ideta and Alex Sugai will face Chris Leong and Andrew Csordas at 6 p.m. in Saturday's best-of-five-sets championship match of the Kailua Night Doubles tennis tournament at the Kailua Racquet Club.
Second-seeded Ideta and Sugai defeated the No. 3 team of Russell Santos and John Van Helmond, 6-2, 6-2, last night. Leong and Csordas, seeded fourth, had advanced to the final Thursday night.
KALAKAUA CAGERS ADVANCE: Three Hawaii youth basketball teams have advanced to their age-group semifinals in the Nike Las Vegas Tournament.
The Kalakaua White and Blue girls' 17-and-under teams each split two games Friday night for 3-1 records in preliminary play.
Michelle Gabriel had 15 points and Mayumi Stevens 13 in the Whites' 54-38 victory over the Wyoming Thunderbirds after a 49-47 loss to Northern California in which Stevens scored 15. Sisters Rae and Drae Self combined for 26 points as the Blues beat El Paso, Texas, 58-41, before bowing to the Lady Gaels of Las Vegas, 59-35.
Bobby Nash and Chris Ho tallied 11 and 10 points to lead the Kalakaua boys' 14-and-under team to a 58-49 victory over Sonoma Valley of California.
AIEA BRONCOS WIN BIG: Winning pitcher Dustin Goto and Ian Dacanay combined for six hits and seven RBI and Nelson Hao Jr. homered, leading Aiea to a 20-1 rout of Lafayette, Ind., Friday in the PONY Bronco Division World Series for 11-12-year-olds at Monterey, Calif..
HAWAII 3-0 IN AAU SERIES: Lee Korenaga went 2-for-3 as Hawaii beat Northern Indiana, 5-2, Friday at Minneapolis to advance out of pool play with a 3-0 record in the AAU 12-and-under national championship playoffs.
FOUR HAWAII LIFTERS STRIKE GOLD: Kristel Ajifu, Dana Kiyabu, Bryce Yamauchi and Kyle Yamauchi won weightlifting gold medals this week in the AAU Junior Olympic Games at Virginia Beach, Va.
Ajifu took the girls' 13-and-under title and Kiyabu the girls' 16-17 crown.The Yamauchi brothers captured the boys' 13-and-under (Bryce) and 14-15 (Kyle) gold medals.
QUARTERBACK CLUB SPEAKERS: Colin Chock of the Salle Honolulu Fencing Club is among the featured speakers at Monday's Honolulu Quarterback Club luncheon at the Pagoda Hotel.
Chock will give a fencing demonstration as well as explain the equipment and techniques used in the sport.
Richard Townsend, athletic director at Leilehua High School, will talk about Oahu Interscholastic Association football. Dr. Seiji Naya of the Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism will provide an update on sports facilities and the future of sports at the state level.
Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. with the program to follow at noon. The public is invited.
RAINBOW BASEBALL RANKS: For the 20th straight season, the University of Hawaii baseball program finished among the national leaders in attendance.
The Rainbows drew 98,441 fans, the first time since Rainbow Stadium was built in 1984 that the team did not reach the 100,000 mark. Still, Hawaii finished No. 10 national in cumulative attendance and ninth in average attendance (2,524).
LSU drew 232,597 fans, the third straight year the Tigers have led in national attendance.
HONORS TO FRASER, PARREIRA: Goalie Lila Fraser and utility player Denise Parreira of the University of Hawaii were named to the Mountain Pacific Federation Academic All-Conference women's water polo team.
Fraser, a communications major, had a 4.0 grade point average and Parreira, majoring in nutrition, was at 3.65 during their junior years.
ODKF GRANTS AWARDED: The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation has awarded athletic grants to four organizations and 12 individuals for the third quarter of this year.
A grant of $1,000 was given to Kama'aina Kids to conduct summer water sports activities, and to the Outrigger Canoe Club boys 16s volleyball team for travel to the USVBA junior national tournament in Texas. Grants of $500 went to Na Wahine O Ho'olehua, a all-women's canoe club for distance competition, and to the UnbeataBulls, a boys soccer team competing in the regionals in New Mexico.
Individuals receiving $500 grants were: kayaker Mahealani Lum; canoe paddler Victor Sherman; and volleyball player Corrie Machesky. Also to six members of the World Team traveling to Portugal: Melanie Bartels, Rachael Block; Lee-James Ha'o, Jessie Merle-Jones, Macy Mullen, and Stanton Suehiro; and to three surfers competing in the national amateur meet: Keala Naluai, Clayton Ventura and Jamie O'Brien.
For information on the grants, write to ODKF at P.O. Box 90310, Honolulu, 96835, or access the website at http://planet-Hawaii.com/duke.
HONORS TO FRASER, PARREIRA: Goalie Lila Fraser and utility player Denise Parreira of the University of Hawaii were named to the Mountain Pacific Federation Academic All-Conference women's water polo team.
Fraser, a communications major, had a 4.0 grade point average and Parreira, majoring in nutrition, was at 3.65 during their junior years.
ODKF GRANTS AWARDED: The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation has awarded athletic grants to four organizations and 12 individuals for the third quarter of this year.
A grant of $1,000 was given to Kama'aina Kids to conduct summer water sports activities, and to the Outrigger Canoe Club boys 16s volleyball team for travel to the USVBA junior national tournament in Texas. Grants of $500 went to Na Wahine O Ho'olehua, a all-women's canoe club for distance competition, and to the UnbeataBulls, a boys soccer team competing in the regionals in New Mexico.
Individuals receiving $500 grants were: kayaker Mahealani Lum; canoe paddler Victor Sherman; and volleyball player Corrie Machesky. Also to six members of the World Team traveling to Portugal: Melanie Bartels, Rachael Block; Lee-James Ha'o, Jessie Merle-Jones, Macy Mullen, and Stanton Suehiro; and to three surfers competing in the national amateur meet: Keala Naluai, Clayton Ventura and Jamie O'Brien.
For information on the grants, write to ODKF at P.O. Box 90310, Honolulu, 96835, or access the website at http://planet-Hawaii.com/duke.
STATE KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: The 16th Aloha State Traditional Karate Championships are scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 24, at the Aliamanu Mililtary Reservation Gym.
Competition will be in kumite, kata and kobudo forms. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. folloed by bouts at 9:30 a.m.
The event is open to karate and martial arts students of all ages and ranks. For information, contact Joseph Bunch at 422-4493.
IOLANI INVITATIONAL VOLLEYBALL: Pearl City, coached by former University of Hawaii player Stephanie Shota, will defend its title in the Iolani Invitational Girls Volleyball Tournament, Aug. 19-22, at Iolani School gym.
Twenty teams, including nine from California and one each from Arizona and American Samoa, are entered. Other Hawaii teams competing in the state's largest volleyball tournament are Aiea, Frrington, Kaimuki, Kamehameha, McKinley, Punahou, Waiakea and host Iolani.
Play runs from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. Aug. 19-21. On Aug. 22, play begins at 7:30 a.m. through the 7 p.m. championship match.
Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. A four-day pass is $12 and a three-day pass is $9.
For more information, contact tournament director Ann Kang at 943-2245.
WINDSURFING NATIONALS: The U.S. Windsurfing National Championships will be held Aug. 18-22 off Kanaha Beach Park on Maui.
There will be eight men's and three women's classes, from 18-under through 35-older. The disciplines are slalom, course and long-distance racing with races starting daily at 11:15 a.m..
The event is open to any current U.S. Windsurfing member. Fees are $75 for juniors, $85 for social (non-competitors) and $140 for competitors.
QUEEN LILIUOKALANI RACES: The 27th Queen Liliuokalani outrigger canoe races are scheduled for Sept. 5-6 in Kailua-Kona.
Over 1,000 paddlers from Hawaii, Tahiti and the U.S. mainland are expected to compete in the event that features one-person, and single- and double-hull races. The overall male and female crews will win a trip to Tahiti to compete in November's Hawaiki Nui Vaa Canoe Race.
The races are held between Kailua Bay and Honaunau. Food and paddling-related booths will be open at the Kailua Pier.
For more information, call 329-0833.
MAUI BASKETBALL MATCHUPS: Host Chaminade will take on Syracuse in the 9 a.m. opening game of the 15th annual Maui Invitational Preseason Basketball Tournament Nov. 23 at Lahaina Civic Center.
After the opener, Clemson plays Michigan at 11 a.m., Indiana goes against Kansas State at 4:30 p.m. and Utah meets Arizona State at 7 p.m.
ESPN and/or ESPN2 will televise three of the first-round games, both Tuesday semifinals and the Wednesday title game.
HOOTERS FISH FEST: The Hooters Big Game Fishing Tournament is scheduled for Aug. 14-15, starting at 6 a.m. each day, off Keehi Small Boat Harbor, with a $40,000 prize for the biggest fish over two days.
Other prizes include $10,000 per day for the most total weight and $1,000 per day for each qualifying fish (ahi, marlin, mahi mahi, ono).
Weigh-ins will be at Hooters Restaurant in the Aloha Tower Marketplace.
Entry fees are $475 per team until July 31, $525 thereafter.
The captains' meeting will be at 7 p.m., Aug. 12, at Hooters.
For entry forms and more information, call Lori Young at 524-4668 or visit the Hooters website at http://www.hootershawaii.com.
BASEBALL MEETING: Baseball players interested in playing for the University of Hawaii team are invited to an Aug. 26 meeting at 3:30 p.m. at Rainbow Stadium. They must be full-time registered students at the UH-Manoa campus.
For more information, call the baseball office, 956-6247, before Aug. 19.
MAYOR'S CUP BOX-CAR RACES: The Mayor's Cup Celebrity Box Car Challenge will be held Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tripler Army Medical Center front parking lot.
Members of the American Box Car Racing International will race at 9:30 a.m. There will be practice for celebrities and sponsors at 11:30 a.m, followed by the sportscasters race, the Mayor's Cup race and an awards ceremony.
For more information, call ABCRI president Robert "BC" Cowling at 947-3393.
CYCLING CLINICS: Free Century Ride cycling clinics will be offered by Island Triathlon & Bike to help riders get ready for the Hawaii Bicycling League Century Ride on Sept. 20.
The clinics will be held at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 27 and Sept. 3, 10 and 17 at two IT&B locations: 569 Kapahulu Ave (parking across Kapahulu) and Pearl Harbor Navy Exchange Outdoor Living, Bougainville Drive.
Call 732-7227 (Kapahulu) or 422-5188 (Pearl Harbor) to make reservations.
GOLF BENEFIT FOR PUBLIC TV: The HPT Classic, a golf tournament Course. Sponsored by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Housing and Development Corporation of Hawaii to benefit Hawaii Public Television, will be played Aug. 21 at Kapolei Golf Course.
An entry fee of $500 per three-person team includes a post-tournament awards banquet. Special tournament sponsorships cost $1,000 and include recognition opportunities, complimentary three-person teams and other benefits. The entry/sponsorship registration deadline is Aug. 5. For more information, call Dean Fujimoto, 973-1387.
WOMEN'S PRO BILLIARDS MEET: The Women's Professional Billiards Association's Honolulu Classic will be contested Nov. 5-8 at Hawaiian Brian's Billiards, 1680 Kapiolani Blvd.
Top pros expected to play include national champion Allison Fisher, the winner in 1996, when the tournament was last held, Jeanette "The Black Widow" Lee; Jennifer Chen, Gerda Hostatter, Ewa Laurance and Loree Jon Jones.
See expanded coverage in Saturday's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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