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Hawaii Grown: College Athletics
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Eastern Oregon looks for Shimabukuro when it counts
RYAN SHIMABUKURO made his last game for the Eastern Oregon Mountaineers a memorable one.
The 6-foot-1, 230-pound senior tight end from Saint Louis had not caught a pass all season, but had three receptions for 19 yards against Montana-Western in the season finale Nov. 12.
His diving 9-yard touchdown catch at the 8:14 mark in the third period broke a 14-14 tie. The Mountaineers went on to win 22-17 to finish the season at 6-3.
Used primarily as a blocking tight end, Shimabukuro played in 36 of 39 games the last four seasons after redshirting his first year. He had 16 receptions for 134 yards and two touchdowns in his career.
Kaulana Yanigahara, a 5-11, 190-pound cornerback from Saint Louis, also concluded his career at Eastern Oregon this fall.
He saw action in eight games and had six tackles, five of them solo.
Hawaii takes over Cal: Hawaii was well represented on the All-California Pacific Conference women's volleyball team.
The Menlo College Oaks led the way with four local players being honored.
Christa Hewett, a sophomore from Kamehameha, was named the Cal Pac Libero of the Year and earned a spot on the second team. She led the league with 5.77 digs a game and is the career digs leader with 816 after two seasons at Menlo.
Setter Kari Shimomura (McKinley '02), was named to the first team, the fourth consecutive season she has received conference honors.
Perhaps Cal Pac's most versatile player this season, Shimomura played as a hitter, setter and libero at different points in the year.
She finished the regular season second in total assists (446) and digs (280); fifth in assists per game (5.57), digs per game (3.50), total kills (142) and aces (27), and eighth in hitting percentage (.245).
Sanoe Eselu (Moanalua '03), a junior outside hitter, was picked for the second team. She was second on the Oaks with 237 kills.
Courtney Adaro, a sophomore middle blocker from Moanalua, was honorable mention. She led the Cal Pac with 59 total blocks (24 solo, 35 assisted) and Menlo with 0.73 blocks per game.
Also receiving honorable mention notice were Miya Frank (Roosevelt '05), a middle blocker for the Holy Names Lady Hawks; Tara Higa (Aiea '02), a senior defensive specialist for the Pacific Union Pioneers, and Lokemele Davis (Hilo), a freshman setter for the Mills College Cyclones.
Roberts rules: Lecca Roberts was an honorable mention selection on the All-West Coast Conference women's volleyball team.
The sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter for the Pepperdine Waves was fourth in the league with 1.32 blocks per game. Roberts, a sophomore from Seabury Hall, started 27 matches and was fourth among the Waves' hitters with 265 kills.
Kekai Crabb, a junior libero from Kamehameha, led the 17-7 Waves with 348 digs in 28 matches. She was second with 17 service aces.
Woo improves: Angela Woo (Kapolei '05), a freshman middle hitter/blocker for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Institute, put together a solid season.
"Angela, in one season, set a respectable bar for herself and her teammates," Eagles coach Katy Meyer said.
"She led the team in hitting efficiency at .245 with 106 kills on 286 attempts and 30 block assists which gave her the top spot for blocks per game at .770."
Woo posted a 90 percent service efficiency and had 105 of the NAIA Eagles' 825 digs.