St. Louis only halfway
By Pat Bigold
home with trip funds
Star-BulletinThe organizer for the St. Louis football team's preseason trip to Nevada said only half of the money needed has been raised.
Sol Batoon, who directs Hawaii Sun, Surf 'n Slam, a tax-exempt non-profit corporation, said his group has secured $10,000 of the $20,000 needed for air fare for the Crusaders' trip to play Green Valley High School of Nevada on Sept. 5.
The 90 St. Louis roster players are responsible for their hotel bills and meals.
But Batoon said he is confident the remainder of the money, which is being solicited from small corporations in Hawaii, can be raised in the next two months.
Although it took more than four months to raise the first $10,000, Batoon said he is confident the rest can be raised in less than half that time.
"I know we can do it," said Batoon, father of former St. Louis all-state defensive backs Kaipo and Kawika Batoon.
He said eight businesses have already signed on as sponsors and he is negotiating an airline deal.
The St. Louis football team would be the largest party ever taken on a trip by Hawaii Sun, Surf 'n Slam, which has taken boys' and girls' basketball teams to Las Vegas basketball tournaments sponsored by Nike, Adidas and Puma since the 1980s.
Green Valley, a Division 4-A program (3,000 students or more), was 7-4 last year.
Gators' head coach Larry Thomas said his team beat Long Beach Poly (No. 2 in the 1997 USA Today Super 25) two years ago.
Green Valley's top player is 6-foot-3, 185-pound defensive back Cornelius Williams, who has 4.4 speed in the 40.
"Our up-front people are probably considerably smaller than St. Louis, but we're a little quicker," said Thomas. "That's what I have heard."
Thomas said the Gators, like St. Louis, depend heavily on a passing attack.
"We're in a multiple formation, pro set, one back, no back. We throw the ball, run a little bit of option, but we're in a passing formation most of the time."
Batoon said he expects Green Valley to play in Honolulu next year.
St. Louis will open its preseason Aug. 20 at Aloha Stadium against Kansai University of Japan.