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Tuesday, October 10, 2000
Warriors hit The scheduled MRIs for Keani Alapa and Avion Weaver yesterday and today will be done only to confirm what is already known --both players tore their anterior cruciate ligaments in last Saturday's loss at Texas Christian and will be out for the season.
hard by injuries
Alapa and Weaver will miss
the remainder of the season after
getting hurt in loss to TCUUH's Sims angered
TCU's offensive lineBy Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinUH trainers confirmed yesterday that Weaver will file a medical hardship case with the NCAA next spring. The senior running back has a redshirt year available to him. Had he injured his knee in the third game, he would get one automatically.
NCAA rules state a player can only appear in 50 percent of the first six games to be eligible for a medical hardship. Weaver injured his knee in the first quarter of the fourth game, so there's hope the NCAA will grant the appeal.
Weaver said after the game that the left knee didn't hurt and he was hopeful he could get back this year. He also thought the TCU player dived at his knee intentionally. UH trainers said it's best to have the surgery soon after the swelling goes down in order to rehab it for the spring.
The Sacramento, Calif., resident was the most valuable player in last year's Oahu Bowl win for Hawaii over Oregon State. This year, Weaver rushed for 116 yards and one touchdown on 30 carries. He caught 13 passes for 122 yards and no scores.
It's believed Afatia Thompson will be back in time for this week's Western Athletic Conference meeting with Southern Methodist. He has been slowed by an ankle sprain and did not play in last Saturday's game in Texas.
He will likely share the stage with senior running back James Fenderson, who gained 107 yards on 12 carries against the nationally ranked TCU defense. Those numbers are tempered somewhat by two costly fumbles.
"Losing Avion would be a blow for us," UH head coach June Jones said after the game.
"He's an explosive runner, who can catch a football coming out of the backfield. We'll miss him if he can't come back. James came in and did a good job running the ball. But he has to learn not to fumble it."
As for Alapa, the redshirt freshman from Kaaawa was injured in the second half at TCU. His right knee was so painful, he had to be helped into the locker room by coaches and trainers.
Former quarterback Bronson Liana came in and did a good job for Alapa, who backs up Anthony Smith. So much so, Liana, who has three tackles in four games, will start in place of Smith against SMU this weekend.
FORT WORTH, Texas -- University of Hawaii defensive lineman Doug Sims was right -- it was a long day. Texas Christian running back LaDainian Tomlinson made sure of it. UH’s Sims angered
TCU offensive lineAssociated Press
"He (Sims) came over to me before the game and said, 'Hey, Tomlinson, it's going to be a long day,' " Tomlinson said.
"The (offensive) line came over and asked what he said. I think they got mad.," he added. "We just took over the game from the start."
Tomlinson rushed for 294 yards -- the highest total in the country this season -- and four touchdowns in Saturday's 41-21 win.
WAC Players of the Week:
Texas Christian running back LaDanian Tomlinson, Texas-El Paso defensive lineman Menson Holloway and Nevada punter Derek Jones are the Western Athletic Conference Players of the Week.Tomlinson earned his second offensive honor of the year, leading the Horned Frogs past the Hawaii Warriors for their 10th straight win.
Holloway made nine tackles, eight solo, three sacks and forced two fumbles in UTEP's 40-7 victory over Tulsa.
Jones earned special teams honors with nine punts for a 41.6-yard average in Nevada's 38-7 loss to UNLV. He placed four of them inside the 20 and his 41.8-yard average ranks 28th in the country.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
