High School Beat
Star-Bulletin staff
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Prepvolleyball.com hands out honors to several Hawaii players
Kanani Herring of Kamehameha has been selected by Prepvolleyball.com as the national sophomore of the year.
Herring, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter, also was the Star-Bulletin's All-State player of the year.
Prepvolleyball.com also honored Dani Mafua of Mid-Pacific, Camilla Ah-Hoy of Kahuku, Megan Burton of Iolani and Careena Onosai of Word of Life. All four were selected as Top 250 players.
Mafua placed the highest at No. 27.
Mafua and Onosai committed to Hawaii last year. Ah-Hoy has signed with Oregon State, and Burton with St. Mary's.
Mafua, Burton, Onosai and Herring play for Imi Ike volleyball club.
Home sweet home
Dylan Rush's transfer home to Ka'u has worked out, at least on the mat.
The two-time state wrestling champion was at Konawaena for three years to improve his exposure for football, but when he ran out of sparring partners, Rush tried to transfer to Lahainaluna.
It was in West Maui where Rush spent summers in wrestling camps. However, the school nixed his request and he wound up at Ka'u, where athletic director Kimo Weaver is sometimes a wrestling partner.
The results have been impressive: 40 consecutive wins, including 11 pins in a row. Eight of those pins were in less than 30 seconds.
Rush has grown from 230 pounds during the football season to 246, which helps him significantly in his 275-pound weight class. His fourth Big Island Interscholastic Federation crown came with a pin just 25 seconds into his match.
He is ranked No. 6 nationally in the 285-pound class by Intermatwrestle.com.
Rush signed earlier this month to play football at UCLA this fall.
Doc's prescription
Mark Mugiishi is a doctor and head basketball coach of four-time defending state basketball champion Iolani. Still, he admits there is no exact answer for teams that miss the state tournament despite impressive seasons.
Case in point -- Punahou and Maryknoll have been ranked in the Star-Bulletin Top 10 since the start of the season, but didn't qualify for the state tourney because the Interscholastic League of Honolulu has only three berths according to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association's numerical formula.
Mugiishi would like to see the tourney expand from 12 to 16 entries.
"I think there's been a lot of discussion about a 16-team tourney, where no one has a bye. Even among the HHSAA," he said.
Girls basketball expanded with the advent of Division II a couple of seasons ago. Football added Division II, but cut back on the number of D-I entries.
Mugiishi would like to see a boys basketball D-II state tourney someday.
"I really don't think they should reduce D-I (for boys basketball)," he said. "For fans and players, you want more exposure for the top teams. I fully support the D-II effort, but it shouldn't take away from D-I."
Athlete of the Week
BOYS
Nick Love, Punahou: Scored two goals in a state quarterfinal win over Hawaii Prep and added two assists in a 2-0 state championship victory over Iolani. Selected as the most outstanding player of the state tournament.
Honor roll
BASKETBALL
Okesene Ale Jr., Kahuku: Scored 38 points in a win over Campbell.
Tyler Caswell, Kalaheo: Scored 25 points in a win over Campbell.
Lolomana Mikaele, Damien: Scored 20 points in a win over Mid-Pacific.
Thomas Pyo, Kaimuki: Scored 15 points in a win over Kalaheo. All of his points came in the first three quarters before he left with an ankle injury.
Keone Reyes, Kaimuki: Provided key ballhandling and nine points off the bench in a win over Kalaheo. Scored 18 points with 18 rebounds in an OIA title victory over Kahuku.
Tyler Tsukazaki, Maryknoll: Scored 23 points against Punahou.
SOCCER
Lee Anderson, Iolani: The midfielder was selected to the state tournament team.
Josh Edelo, Mililani: The defender was named to the state tournament team.
Drew Geis, Kapolei: Selected to the state tournament team as a midfielder.
Aaron Inouye, Waiakea: Scored two goals to lead the Warriors over HPA for fifth place at the state tourney.
Will Jensen, Punahou: The versatile junior was selected to the state tournament team.
Curtis Kiyabu, Kapolei: Named to the state tournament team as a forward.
Morgan Langley, Iolani: Scored two goals in a win over Leilehua. Scored the lone goal in an overtime win over Mililani. Selected to the state tournament team as a forward.
Deryck Lim, Punahou: Scored one goal against Hawaii Prep. Tallied a last-minute winning goal against Kapolei. He also scored one goal in the Buffanblu's state championship victory over Iolani. Named to the state tournament team as a forward.
Andy Luersen, Punahou: The defender was selected to the state tournament team.
Raymond Machi, Iolani: Had two goals and one assist in a state quarterfinal win over Waiakea.
Danny Marks, Iolani: Named to the state tournament team as a defender.
Daniel Phelps, Leilehua: The midfielder was selected to the state tournament team.
Bryson Tamanaha, Kapolei: Named to the state tournament team as a defender.
TO NOMINATE ...
To nominate an athlete of the week, contact the Star-Bulletin sports department by 11 p.m. Sunday:
Phone: 529-4782
Fax: 529-4787
E-mail: sports@starbulletin.com
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To nominate ...
To nominate an athlete of the week, contact the Star-Bulletin Sports Department by 11 p.m. Sunday:
Phone: 529-4782
Fax: 529-4787
E-mail: sports@starbulletin.com
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