Sports Update
Rainbows still have shot at baseball tourney
The light on the Rainbows' playoff hopes still burns today compliments of two bang-bang plays at first base and a couple of bouncing balls that made it into left field for singles.Down to the last batter with no one on base, the University of Hawaii baseball team rallied to edge San Jose State, 8-7, in the opener of a three-game Western Athletic Conference series at Rainbow Stadium Friday night.
The 'Bows still need to sweep the Spartans and get a lot of help from the New Mexico Lobos to claim the sixth WAC tournament berth. If Nevada-Las Vegas wins one of its remaining two games with UNM, UH is eliminated.
Elimination was staring the 'Bows (33-21 overall, 11-17 WAC) in the face as San Jose State reliever Ryan McDermott retired the first two UH hitters on ground balls to start the ninth inning.
Then, on a full count, Michael Dartt hit a high bouncer that SJSU first baseman Rob Douglass backed up to field. The extra bounce allowed Dartt to beat Douglass' throw to McDermott covering first by half a step.
"I was looking for the off-speed pitch and hoping to react to a fastball," Dartt said. "I have no idea what I hit."
Matt Wheeler followed with a high bouncer on the first pitch over third baseman Joe Chutuk's head for a single to left.
Punahou's Onaona Miller a 'scoring machine' to foes
People say that Punahou's Onaona Miller doesn't look like a low post player.Agile and versatile but not hostile, they say.
With her fawn face, doe eyes and fragile 5-foot-11 build, you'd expect her to be on the recruiting list of a modeling agency, not a college basketball program.
"That's what you'd think when you look at her for the first time," said Jesse Victorino, head coach of the three-time defending champion McKinley High School girls' basketball team.
"But she doesn't stay inside to try to pound with the big girls," he said. "She uses her quickness. You put a low post player on her, she'll burn you. She'll take her outside and then race her back to the basket. She's a scoring machine, and she can get your low post player into foul trouble."
Victorino said he can't remember seeing Miller miss a putback and he calls her 10-foot jumper "beautiful."
These words from an opposing coach sum up what has made the waif-like German-Hawaiian teenager a first-team all-star each year she has played varsity prep basketball.
She earned the distinction twice for Hilo High in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, and was named the league's player of the year as a sophomore.
After transferring to Punahou for her junior year, she not only earned Interscholastic League of Honolulu all-star status but first-
team all-state honors as well. On top of that were an unbeaten season, an ILH team title and a state team championship.
Many believe Miller was THE difference for Punahou last year, finally giving the state's best prep backcourt combination - guards Ki'i Spencer-Vasconcellos (Hawaii) and Lisa Kowal (Harvard) - someone they could depend upon to cash in on their maneuvers.
Second only to Iolani's Erin Stovall (Virginia) in ILH scoring, Miller averaged 15.5 points per game, 7.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots. In the state tournament, her average soared to 20 points as the Buffanblu buzz-sawed to the title.
With the graduation of Punahou's veteran backcourt, Miller's scoring average has fallen off to 12.8 this season.
But the rebound average is right there at 7.3 and the shot-blocking is up to 3.3 a game.
"She's had to make some adjustment," said Punahou head coach Shelley Fey, who has coached two state championship teams.
Although surrounded by a younger supporting cast, Miller has managed to lead the Buffanblu (11-1) to a successful defense of the league championship and another seeded start in the upcoming state tournament.
"It's been a matter of timing, working the inside-outside game, but we've definitely come a long way this season," she said.
Jim Seki wins state boy's golf title
Punahou School junior Jim Seki shot a 4-under-par 67 to capture the Hawaii High School Athletic Association state boys' golf title yesterday at the Kaanapali South Course on Maui.Seki shot a 36-hole score of 135 to win by two strokes. Finishing second at 137 with a final-round 72 was first-round leader Jaime Matsumura of Kauai High School. Waiakea High's Landon Chang was third at 71-138.
It was Seki's third tournament victory in 14 days. He won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu individual title on April 25 and topped a field of leading local amateurs to win the Navy-Marine Invitational last Sunday.
Waiakea won the team championship, ending Punahou's three-year domination. The Big Island school had a 567 stroke total to runner-up Kauai's 578. Maui High finished third with 589.
Melanie Matsumura of Waiakea High took the girls' individual title with a 36-hole score of 152 after a 78 yesterday.
THE RESULTS Boys
Jim Seki, Punahou 67-68-135
Jaime Matsumura, Kauai 65-72-137
Landon Chang, Waiakea 67-71-138
Justin Kim, Kamehameha 70-70-140
Ryan Masuda, Waiakea 71-70-141
Colin Ginoza, Pearl City71-72-143
Ian Hunt, Kauai 69-74-143
Kamden Ganir, Maui 73-71-144
Layne Hamamoto, Waiakea 72-72-144
Chris Igawa, Waiakea 69-75-144
Cory Kochi, Maui 73-72-145
Takeshi Mitsuhashi, Seabury 75-70-145
Chen Ponce, Ka'u 70-75-145
Kristofer Baptist, Kamehameha 73-73-146
Patrick Silva, Baldwin 73-73-146
Garrett Okamura, Baldwin76-71-147
Jason Shimabukuro, Maui 72-75-147
Sheldon Abril, Hilo 72-76-148
Jason Pirga, Kaiser 71-77-148
Norman Asao, HBA 73-76-149
Mark Langley, St. Louis 74-75-149
Raymond Napoleon, Kapaa 73-76-149
Kellen-Floyd Asao, HBA 75-75-150
Kirk Matsumura, Kauai 76-74-150
Sean Sadaoka, Aiea 74-76-150
Kito Buckley, Hawaii Prep 73-78-151
Luke Okihiro, Kalani 74-77-151
Nissen Osterneck, Seabury 73-78-151
Elika Sakazaki, Kauai 75-77-152
Shawn Downie, Hilo 80-73-153
Justin Fukumoto, Maui 80-73-153
Lawrence Kao, Seabury 75-78-153
Greg Takahashi, Mililani76-77-153
Casey Watabu, Kauai 72-81-153
Melanie Matsumura, Waiakea 74-78-152
Merynn Ito, Aiea 75-81-156
Kathy Cho, Punahou 76-83-159
Rachel Kyono, Kauai 82-78-160
Cecily Quinajon, Waiakea82-79-161
Randi Sakihara, University78-83-161
Lauren Tachibana, Hilo 79-82-161
Bridget Dwyer, Punahou 77-85-162
Dawn Miyashiro, Hilo 80-82-162
Shayna Miyajima, Baldwin 81-83-164
Joan Shimozaki, Seabury 83-81-164
Whitney Asao, Hawaii Baptist 81-85-166
1. Waiakea, 567. 2. Kauai, 578. 3. Maui, 589. 4. Kamehameha, 598. 5. Baldwin, 611. 6. Hawaii Baptist, 612. 7. Seabury, 613. 8. Hilo, 615. 9. Punahou, 617. 10. Kaiser, 635. 11. Aiea, 639. 12. Kahuku, 645. 13. Mililani, 664. 14. Roosevelt, 669. 15. Moanalua, 675. 16. Konawaena, 676. 17. Leilehua, 678.