Sports Notebook Star-Bulletin staff

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220s prove too tough for some

Junior offensive lineman Ray Hisatake isn't exactly a new guy, though he hasn't played a down for the Warriors yet, so he had a compromise in yesterday's 220 conditioning test.

Hisatake, a junior college transfer who joined the program for spring practice, was among the players who attended all of the voluntary summer conditioning sessions. Most of those only had to run six 220-yard sprints yesterday, but as a newcomer Hisatake ran eight.

"It's kind of an initiation," he said.

"When I got to six, I felt all right and I felt I had to push those last two. My teammates didn't quit on me, so I wasn't about to quit on them.

Hisatake is competing at left tackle and checked in for camp at 313 pounds after playing at 338 in the spring.

"I feel healthier, I can move better," he said. "I feel great."

Not everyone did.

A total of 26 of 100 players who participated in the test did not complete it. A high percentage of the 26 are new players, strength and conditioning coach Mel deLaura said.

"I expected a little more," deLaura said. "If they follow the (training) book we give them, they slam it. But a lot go their own way and that's what happens."

Junior linebacker Adam Leonard, who led UH with 114 tackles last season, was held out of practice and the running as a precautionary measure.

Leonard underwent arthroscopic surgery in June to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. He remained home in Seattle to rehab the knee, and arrived in Hawaii last night to report for fall camp.

"It's just a precautionary thing and my knee should be OK," Leonard said. "I'll be practicing soon."

Sophomore transfer running back Leon Wright-Jackson did not run yesterday because of a minor technicality related to his physical exam that is expected to be resolved soon.

Immediately after the testing, coach June Jones said he was generally satisfied with the team's overall conditioning.

"A lot of the big guys, more than ever before (did well)," Jones said.

Scholarships awarded

Senior linebacker Rustin Saole and junior left tackle Keoni Steinhoff have received scholarships.

Steinhoff has worked his way up from anonymous walk-on to No. 1 at the position protecting quarterback Colt Brennan's blindside.

"A couple of schools looked at me (out of high school), but no scholarship offers," the Damien graduate said. "This is really exciting. My parents were the first ones I called."

New looks

Brennan's short dreadlocks remained a hot topic. Linebacker Blaze Soares and defensive end Victor Clore, teammates at Castle High, both showed up for practice with closely cropped bleached hair with green stars dyed in.

"We were just playing around and we were like, 'Let's just put stars on top.' Everybody liked it -- even the coaches," Soares said.

Short yardage

New punter Tim Grasso knows his opportunities might be limited. "I'd rather be on a great team and not punt very much than be on a losing team and punt every game," the JC transfer from Saddleback (Calif.) said. ... Today's practice starts at 8:30 a.m.

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