High School Beat
Star-Bulletin staff
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Castle, Kailua vie for East lead
Paul Honda
Star-Bulletin
A regular-season title in most leagues means an automatic state-tournament berth. But in the OIA, a division title amounts to a first-round bye in the playoffs and nothing more.
Those factors don't have an effect when Castle and Kailua play. Castle (6-0-1) is playing some of the best baseball in the state, thanks to a nucleus of improving players under Joe Tom Sr.
The Knights, who landed in the Star-Bulletin Top 10 at No. 8 yesterday, will host seventh-ranked Kailua (6-1) this afternoon with the East lead at stake. Roosevelt (6-0-1) will play Kaiser (4-2).
Tom pointed to a number of Knights for the regular-season surge.
"Pulama (Silva) has been throwing well (in) the last two outings. Lyle Kitagawa has been hitting the ball (and) playing great defense," Tom said of the senior catcher.
Coby Agres and Codey Cabral have been solid. Coby, he's becoming more consistent with the bat," the coach said.
Shortstop/pitcher Kainoa Tom has provided tough defense, Tom added.
"Our pitchers have cut down on walks," he said.
Kailua and Castle played twice in nonconference games. They played to a 6-all tie in the Mililani tournament, and Castle won at Kailua's tourney 13-1.
Rising force
The high school soccer season is done, but
Mark Kane is feeling uplifted.
The former college coach has been at Castle for a long time now. The talent coming into the prep ranks amazes him.
"I'm impressed with the level of play our girls are playing. At ODP, in the Western states, we're getting to be a powerhouse," Kane said of offseason play. "California is ahead of us, of course, but we're competing against them very well. We're holding our own. I'm happy."
He remembers a time when soccer was in an early stage of growth.
"This is 30 years I've been watching soccer. I think the first state (tournament) was '82. It's getting there, it's really getting there, by leaps and bounds. We've had players with teams, but just not as many (as now). Now Mililani and Pearl City and Iolani and Kamehameha, so many teams are comparable," Kane said.
"The younger players are getting there, too. For the next five years, girls soccer is gonna be just as tough."
High School Report
Athletes Of The Week
Randy Castillo Aiea baseball
Threw a 10-inning shutout with 13 strikeouts in a 1-0 win over rival Mililani.
Yasmina Taketa Kalani track and field
Won the 100-meter dash (12.2 seconds), 200 dash (25.9), 400 dash (61.9) and long jump (16 feet 7 1/4 inches) at the OIA East championships.
Honor Roll
BASEBALL
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Samuel Chi, Waipahu: went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs against Nanakuli.
» Daren Fujii, Roosevelt: went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored against Farrington.
» Triton Gante, Waipahu: fired a five-inning, three-hit shutout against Nanakuli. He also went 3-for-3 with a triple and a double against Radford.
» Michael Kalahehoe, Kapolei: went 3-for-3 with a triple, two doubles and three RBIs against Radford.
» Lyle Kitagawa, Castle: accounted for all of his team's runs with a three-run homer against Moanalua.
» Colby Lee, Kalaheo: went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored against Kaimuki.
» Case Miyahira, Iolani: went 3-for-3 with an RBI against Kamehameha.
» Kyle Okamura, Kalaheo: pitched four shutout innings and went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs against Kaimuki.
» Waylen Sing Chow, Kamehameha: went 3-for-3 with a double against Iolani.
» Randy Tuley, McKinley: went 4-for-5 against Kahuku.
BASKETBALL
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Michel Chon, Christian Academy: scored 20 points against Redemption Academy.
» Nicole Fu, Maryknoll: scored 22 points against Mid-Pacific.
» Jamie Ronolo, Moanalua: scored 21 points against Kahuku.
» Lindsay Wong, Kamehameha: had 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals against Iolani.
» Dianna Zane, Roosevelt: had 13 points and five steals against Farrington.
TRACK AND FIELD
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Leialoha Bratton, Kaiser: won the 800-meter run (2 minutes, 36 seconds) and the 3,000 (12:19) at the OIA East championships.
» Ethan Rista, Castle: won the 110 hurdles (15.4), 300 hurdles (41.9) and 200 dash (22.9) at the OIA East championships.
» Corday Vorderbruegge, Kaiser: won the 100 hurdles (17.3) and 300 hurdles (52.8) at the OIA East championships.
WATER POLO
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Nicole Higa, Kapolei: scored five goals against McKinley.
» Skye Kusao, Iolani II: scored five goals against Pac-Five II.
» Whitney Robinson, Punahou II: scored five goals against Kamehameha II.
» Dara Tawarahara, Iolani: scored seven goals against Pac-Five.
» Kiyana Yoshikawa, McKinley: scored six goals against Kapolei.
To nominate:
Call: 529-4782.
Fax: 529-4787.
E-mail: sports@starbulletin.com
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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