The head of a national high school sports publication said his company is working on securing television coverage for September's football doubleheader at Aloha Stadium featuring two of the nation's top-ranked teams against in-state powers Kahuku and St. Louis. Interstate twinbill might
be televisedBy Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.com"It looks very promising," said Andy Bark, president of Student Sports Inc.
Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) plays two-time defending state champion Kahuku and national champion De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) faces St. Louis on Sept. 21.
Bark, who spent fourth grade at Hauula Elementary School, lived in Hawaii for a year and has watched Hawaii teams play several times during his 17 years at Student Sports.
"We're going to do everything we can," Bark said. "Not only because we may be involved in it, but because we have followed Hawaii football for many years and know the kind of football they play."
Student Sports was responsible for televising last year's highly anticipated game between De La Salle and Poly. The game was televised by Fox Sports, but Bark said several national distributors have expressed interest in carrying the doubleheader.
Keith Amemiya, executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, said September's games would be subject to local blackout unless the event is a sellout.
Bark said the games could approach the magnitude of last year's Poly-De La Salle game if all four teams are undefeated going into the doubleheader.
He said the caliber of play in Hawaii compares favorably with that of other prep football hotbeds around the country.
"The best teams in Hawaii would beat the best teams in Ohio and Pennsylvania hands down," he said.
Bearing down: Baldwin clinched the last spot in the Hawaiian Airlines Boys State Basketball Championship Tournament with a 47-45 win over King Kekaulike Monday night at the Maui High gym.
The Bears are the second seed from the Maui Interscholastic League and face OIA third-place finisher Castle in a first-round game tonight at Kekuhaupio Gym. Tip-off is 6 p.m.
Wrestling titles up for grabs: Wrestlers from both of Oahu's high school associations hit the mat this weekend for their league championship meets.
The Oahu Interscholastic Association championships open with preliminary rounds at 1 p.m. Friday at Leilehua gym. The finals are noon Saturday.
The Interscholastic League of Honolulu tournament is Saturday at Kamehameha. The meet starts at 10 a.m. with the qualifying round. The semifinals are scheduled for 11:45 and the finals start at 6:30 p.m.
The state championships are March 1 and 2 at Blaisdell Arena.
Borreca doubtful: Punahou swimmer Nick Borreca is entered in boys 50-yard freestyle at the Local Motion State Swimming and Diving Championships, but is unlikely to compete in the event.
Borreca had mononucleosis early in the season and Punahou coach Kenny Chew said he probably won't receive clearance from his doctor in time to compete this weekend.
Borreca set records in the 50 and 100 freestyle and swam on record-setting 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams at last year's state meet.
He has already signed a national letter of intent to attend Florida in the fall.