Hawaii Beat

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Wednesday, August 20, 1997

Mililani repeats as
national prep Bobby Sox
champions

BUENA PARK, Calif. -- Mililani rallied for four runs at the top of the seventh inning to edge Lemon Grove, Calif., 4-3, in the championship game of the Prep National Bobby Sox National Championship softball tournament.

It is the second consecutive national title for Mililani in an event for players ages 15 to 18.

Mokulani Naeole was the winning pitcher. Starting pitcher Chenelle Chikazawa, the tournament's most outstanding hurler, returned to protect the one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning to earn the save.

Other team members include Robin Chock, Kehau Dela Pina, Holly Garcia, Lei Hashida, Lauren Okimoto, Arcia Painter, Christine Pascua and Nancy Vega.

The head coach is Jake Jicha. He is assisted by Bert Chikazawa, Bobby Chock, Jesse Choi, Chad Jicha, John Jicha and Alika Thompson.

The team manager is Flora Palumbo.

Mililani also won the Memorial Day Classic in Las Vegas, the Hawaii State Bobby Sox Prep tournament and the Hawaii ASA 18-and-under tournament earlier this year.

AIEA ELIMINATED: At Yountville, Calif., undefeated Fairfield, Calif. (5-0) beat Aiea, 7-4, yesterday to capture the title of the American Legion Western Regional (16-18 years) baseball tournament.

Fairfield broke a 4-4 tie at the top of the seventh inning on a solo home run by Jason Williams off of losing pitcher Derek Akimoto.

Steve DeSoto added a two-run shot in the ninth to clinch it for Fairfield.

Aiea's Tony Oliveira, who went 2-for-4 with a double and solo homer, was awarded a $1,500 scholarship for winning the tournament's Buick Leadership Award. He was a redshirt freshman at Nevada-Las Vegas last year.

BALLARDADVANCES: At Hossegor, France, Rochelle Ballard of Hawaii reached the quarterfinals of the Rip Curl Pro surf contest yesterday.

She posted the best overall score of the day, 24.00.

"I guess I've figured out what it takes to win heats, relax, concentrate and look for better waves," Ballard said.

PADDLING CHALLENGE: The third annual Kailua Bay Men's Iron Challenge Outrigger Canoe Race is Saturday starting at 9 a.m. at Kailua Beach Park.

Registration is open until 8 a.m. race day. The distance is 9.5 miles and the cost is $72 per six-man crew.

For more information, call Hank Leandro at 847-2345 (day) or 262-6894 (night) or Mike Willet at 832-3682 (day) or 262-3348 (night).

BIG ISLAND AMATEUR: The 74th Big Island Amateur Golf Championship will be held Friday through Sunday at the Waikoloa Beach Resort.

Play starts at noon Friday and at 7 a.m. the other two days.

For information, call tournament coordinator Steve Ho'okano at (808) 886-6060.

HAWAII PARTICIPANTS: The following Hawaii athletes were members of the 1997 U.S. Canoe and Kayak Junior World Team that competed in the Junior World Championships at Lahti, Finland, July 19-23.

Mike Stock and Andy Bussey of Kailua and Bret Shimabuku of Honolulu were on the men's team. Christina Turney of Kailua and Mahealani Lum of Honolulu competed on the women's team.

Following the U.S. Canoe and Kayak Team Spring National Championships at Gainesville, Ga., July 30-Aug 1, Turney was awarded the Mimi Lebeau Award as the top junior women kayaker, winning the Junior K-1 500-meter race.

PARKER TO COACH: Fred Parker, a Radford High School graduate who played baseball for the Rams and then for Northwestern Louisiana State University, has been named Henderson State University's first softball coach.

Henderson State, an NCAA Division II school in Arkadelphia, Ark., will begin intercollegiate softball competition in the spring of 1999.

TOURNAMENT CHANGE: The Honolulu Korean Jaycees have announced that the Cristine Mito Memorial golf tournament set for Aug. 30 has been rescheduled. A new date and location will be announced.

VULCANS' FANFARE: The University of Hawaii at Hilo women's volleyball team averaged 450 fans per match last season, seventh best in the NCAA Division II attendance figures.

Nebraska-Kearney led the nation with an average of 786 per match, followed by Nebraska-Omaha (725), North Dakota State (723), Cal State Bakersfield (519), Augustana (467) and St. Cloud State (466).

The Vulcans open the season with the Aug. 29-30 Hawaiian Style Classic at the Afook-Chinen Civic. For season ticket information, call 974-7520.

CENTURY RIDE CLINICS: Cyclists interested in the upcoming Century Ride can learn more about the ride and preparation for it by attending free clinics, Aug. 28, Sept. 4, 11, 18, 5:30 p.m. at all Island Triathlon & Bike locations.

For information, call 732-7227 (Kapahulu Avenue), 622-0011 (Kemoo Farm) or 422-5811 (Pearl Harbor).

SOTELO NAMED: Richard Sotelo of Mililani is the new Play Tennis America Director for the Hawaii Pacific Section.

Sotelo, USPTA certified and current teaching professional at the Pearl Harbor MWR tennis facility, has over 12 years of teaching experience.

The USTA's Play Tennis America is a national grass roots effort designed to teach new or novice players the basics of the game.

PURSE INCREASE: The purse for the Hyatt Regency Maui Kaanapali Classic golf tournament, Oct. 13-19 at the Kaanapali North Course, has been increased $200,000 to $850,000.

Defending champion Bob Charles will compete.

IRONMAN QUALIFIERS: Seven Hawaii triathletes have qualified for the Oct. 18 Ironman World Championship held along the Kona Coast.

They are: Lindsay Weeks, David Cobb, Kelmer Beck, Chris Tang and Thomas Billings, all of Honolulu, and Gilbert Loomis III of Kailua and Kaneohe's Tony Guerra.

The event consists of a 2.4-mile ocean swim in Kailua Bay; a 112-mile bike race along the Kona coast from Kailua-Kona to Hawi and return, and a 26.2-mile marathon along the Kona coast that finishes in Kailua-Kona.