Sports Update
'Boys of Winter' won't play in Hawaii
Hawaii Winter Baseball owner Duane Kurisu folded his league Friday afternoon, then went to Rainbow Stadium to see the University of Hawaii baseball team play Hilo last night.The five-year league was closed indefinitely after Kurisu and Major League Baseball were unable to reach an agreement to eliminate the salary and other player expense reimbursements.
Kurisu paid a portion of the salaries and expenses of the players sent by Major League Baseball since he started Hawaii Winter Baseball here in 1992.
That portion was to be 90 percent this year and 100 percent in subsequent seasons, forcing Kurisu to shut down his operations.
"Well, it's unfortunate that it has to come to this," Kurisu said this morning. "But I hope it will be back the next year or the year after."
Rainbows batter Hilo Vulcans, 11-2
Lars Hansen ignited the Rainbows' nine-run third inning. Matt Wheeler, Joe Whitsett and Neal Honma kept the fire burning.Randon Ho settled down after a shaky first to pitch six creditable innings as the University of Hawaii defeated the University of Hawaii at Hilo, 11-2, in a nonconference baseball game at Rainbow Stadium Friday night.
It was the eighth consecutive victory for the Rainbows (9-1) and the Vulcans (1-13) eighth loss in a row.
Six Rainbow hits and three Vulcan infield errors created the nine-run third that enabled UH to overcome a 1-0 UHH lead.
HHSAA decision not to hold tourney causes uproar
The question lingered Friday on the lips of wrestling coaches, athletes and their parents:Why did it take eight months for the Hawaii High School Athletic Association to decide against a girls' state wrestling tournament that was approved in May by the state's athletic directors?
The tournament, which was recommended at the annual meeting of the Hawaii Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association on Maui, was supposed to be held concurrent with the boys' event Feb. 27-28 at the Stan Sheriff Center.
But the five-member HHSAA executive board, which met on Monday, said their bylaws require at least three sanctioned leagues for any state tournament. Only the Oahu Interscholastic Association has an officials girls' league, although there are girls wrestling on boys' teams in other leagues on every island except Kauai.
Petitions to reverse the board decision were put into circulation in both the OIA and the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Friday. Meanwhile, parents of girl soccer players who successfully fought the transferral of their state tournament to Maui vowed to mobilize behind the wrestling families.
"They've (the HHSAA) got to wise up," said Diane Wong, a Kaiser parent who was one of the soccer protest organizers. "I've been calling soccer parents at the other schools to back these girl wrestlers."
Baldwin High principal Wallace Fujii, who is vice-president of the HHSAA executive board, said last night that it's incorrect to say the girls' tournament was "cancelled."
"There never was a tournament to cancel because the executive board had to approve it," he said.
Run will feature new Ford Island bridge
The Navy's one-mile-long bridge connecting Ford Island to Oahu will be the centerpiece of a 10-kilometer foot race on April 11, four days before its official dedication.Called, "The Run Across The Water," the race across the $78 million causeway promises runners an unprecedented view of Battleship Row, the island and Halawa.
Greg Gustine, civilian director of the Navy's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department, said last night that that the route will begin in the marina area on the Halawa side.
Once runners cross the bridge, they will run the perimeter of Ford Island before re-entering the bridge for the race back to Halawa.
"They'll see all the sites of the island and run past the (wreck of the) Utah on the island's backside," said Gustine.
"It's a one-time historic event," he said. Gustine hopes to have about 500 runners. "We are not intending to make it an annual event."
The starting gun will go off at 7 a.m.
The entry fee will be $15 for civilians and $12 for military. Late entry for civilians will be $20 and for military, it will be $17.
Kalaheo advances on 56-42 upset of Kaimuki
Lee George scored 29 points to lead Aiea to a 56-42 upset of Kaimuki in the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs Friday night at the Bulldogs' gym.George scored all seven of Aiea's first-quarter points, then came back with 12 more in the second period against the Bulldogs, who had lost only one regular-season game. Aiea was 7-3 during the regular season.
Kalaheo 66, Kahuku 38: At Kalaheo, Julian Sensley scored 7 of his 17 points in the third quarter to lead the Mustangs over the Red Raiders.