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Hawaii Beat
Star-Bulletin staff
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Gatorade honors for Alconcel
Nicole Alconcel, the senior pitcher who helped lead Baldwin to the state title in February, has been named the Gatorade State Softball Player of the Year for Hawaii.
Alconcel was 16-0 for the season with an 0.18 ERA, 13-0 in Maui Interscholastic League play with 12 shutouts, two no-hitters, 97 strikeouts against 22 walks. In the state tournament, she was 3-0, allowing one run in 21 innings and had 25 strikeouts.
The Star-Bulletin's state Player of the Year also helped her own cause at the plate when accounting for all of the Bears runs in the final two state tournament games. She had two-run homers in both the 2-0 semifinal victory over St. Francis and the 2-0 title win over Mililani.
"Nicole's by far the hardest working kid on the field," Baldwin coach Ryan Souza said in a press release.
Alconcel will play softball at Hawaii-Hilo next season. She is now eligible for the national player of the year.
HWB to play on neighbor islands
Hawaii Winter Baseball will play some games this year on Maui and the Big Island, HWB President Hervy Kurisu said.
The HWB, going into its second season after an eight-year break, will remain a four-team league with the teams based on Oahu. In the league's previous incarnation (1993-1997) teams were based on four islands.
The availability of Les Murakami Stadium is a determining factor on how many games will be played off Oahu; Murakami Stadium is expected to undergo resurfacing that might not be completed before the start of the HWB season in October. The HWB also played games at Hans L'Orange Park in Waipahu last year.
Decision on Kauai's Morgado due today
By this afternoon, Kelii Morgado could be reinstated as football coach at Kauai High School.
Even then, the battle would be just beginning.
Morgado, removed as coach earlier this year by athletic director Ross Shimabukuro and principal Linda Smith, went to court in Lihue yesterday in hopes of securing a preliminary injunction.
Fifth Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe will give her decision at 1 p.m.
"We put on six witnesses who testified," said Eric Seitz, Morgado's attorney.
If he is not reinstated, Seitz hopes Watanabe will order a new procedure for the selection of a new coach.
Morgado, who has coached Kauai to four KIF titles in a row, was fired in a controversial manner during the spring. The administration at the school allegedly sought to remove him because of four complaints from players in the fall, but Morgado's supporters maintained that Smith had overlooked the longtime coach's contributions to the school and community.
In the spring, he was asked to reapply for his coaching position and was interviewed by a panel that included Shimabukuro. After the interview, Morgado was asked to consider the position and have a decision within two weeks.
However, the next day, the school hired a new varsity coach, Derek Borrero, the former junior varsity coach.
HPU's Bode named All-American
Hawaii Pacific University tennis sensation Hendrik Bode was named to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-America team yesterday.
Bode led the Sea Warriors to the NCAA Division II national championships and a No. 12 ranking in the final ITA poll.
In addition to his All-America selection, Bode was named the ITA Rookie of the Year.
He finished the regular season undefeated at 24-0 and ranked 17th in singles and 25th in doubles. Bode's final singles win came in the NCAA West Regional match vs. BYU-Hawaii, where his straight-set victory lifted HPU to the national tournament.
