Derek Ho, who captured the Japanese Marui Pro surfing title 10 years ago, began his chase for another yesterday by winning an all-Hawaii heat in 1- to 3-foot waves at Torami Beach in Chiba, Japan. Ho, Garcia win in
Japan surf heatsHo beat out Shane Dorian and Kaipo Jaquias.
Hawaii's Sunny Garcia also moved ahead to tomorrow's Round 3 with a victory yesterday. Among those sent into today's elimination heats with Dorian and Jaquias were Shawn Sutton, Kalani Robb, Ross Williams, John Shimooka and Andy Irons, all from Hawaii.
Rochelle Ballard and Megan Abubo of Hawaii finished second and third, respectively, in their women's heats yesterday and were to try again today.
SEASIDERS, SANDBLOM ON ROLL: The Brigham Young-Hawaii women's tennis team moved a step closer to its second consecutive NAIA national championship yesterday at Tulsa, Okla., while Hawaii Pacific's Erik Sandblom stayed in the running for the individual men's singles and doubles titles.
Three BYUH women -- top-seeded defending champ Karin Ptaszek, third-seeded Helena Nordwall and No. 11 Teresa Stromberg -- advanced to today's singles quarterfinals and all three of the Seasiders' doubles teams moved on to the fourth round.
BYUH had 32 points, eight more than runner-up Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.) after yesterday's play. Hawaii Pacific's women were tied for 15th place with eight points but their last hope, the doubles tandem of Wanda Bimbuain and Wendy Phuramart, was eliminated yesterday.
On the men's side, second-seeded Sandblom advanced to a quarterfinal singles match against BYUH's seventh-seeded Wei-Yu Su today and teamed with Mathias Lundmark in a fourth-round doubles match.
The Seasiders also sent two doubles team into Round 4 and were tied for third place in the team title chase with 21 points, three behind co-leaders Auburn-Montgomery and Mobile (Ala.) Hawaii Pacific had 15 points and a share of seventh place.
MORENZ SECOND-TEAM A-A PICK: For the second time in her University of Hawaii softball career, outfielder Tia Morenz was named a Louisville Slugger second-team All-American yesterday by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Morenz, a senior from Pueblo, Colo., batted .387, leading the Wahine in hits (84), runs (56) and stolen bases (19) and earning All-WAC and All-West Region first-team honors.
She also was a second-team All-American in 1996.
FOUR-MAN BEACH BALL: An Oahu Volleyball Association four-man tournament will be played at Queen's Surf Beach Sand Box Saturday starting at 9:15 a.m.
Naveh Milo, Jason Salmeri and Milo and Ryan Hanneberg are on the top-seeded team.
Registration fees are $10 before Saturday and $15 at the event, with registration ending at 9 a.m.
For more information, call Paul McCurdy (833-8839) or Randy Morris (956-1699).