Hawaii Beat
Star-Bulletin staff
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Kahuku's Fonoti back in NFL
CHARLOTTE, N.C. » The Carolina Panthers signed guard Toniu Fonoti, giving him another chance in the NFL after his weight soared to nearly 400 pounds.
The former second-round pick from Nebraska was out of the league last year after being released by Atlanta before training camp. He played only six games in 2006 and three games a year earlier with Miami, Minnesota and San Diego.
Fonoti is listed at 6-foot-4 and 350 pounds. He started 15 games as a rookie with San Diego in 2002. After spending the following season on injured reserve, Fonoti started all 16 games in 2004 for the Chargers. His weight soon ballooned and he has failed to become a full-time starter since.
Wahine's Houston joins A2 team
Hawaii incoming senior hitter Jamie Houston was named to USA Volleyball's A2 national team yesterday, one of 22 players selected.
Houston, second in kill average nationally last season, also competed on the A2 team last summer. She was the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year and the WAC tournament MVP.
The 22 players, all with collegiate eligibility remaining, will be split into two 11-member teams during training sessions prior to competing in the USAV Adult Open Championships, May 24-31, in Atlanta.
Named as head coach was former Hawaii men's volleyball player Jerritt Elliott, the current women's coach at Texas.
Frick second at NCAA men's diving
For the second consecutive year, Hawaii diver Magnus Frick finished second in the 1-meter competition at the NCAA men's swimming and diving championships.
Yesterday, the senior was eighth after the preliminaries with a score of 329.65. In the final, Frick finished at 399.70 but saw the gold slip away when Georgia's Chris Colwill scored a meet-high 76.80 on his last dive to win with a 407.25.
The top-eight finish gives Frick the third All-America honor of his career. The Swedish national also won the 1-meter event at the Conference USA Championship earlier this month.
He and teammate Mats Wiktorsson have qualified to compete the 3-meter and platform events over the next two days. Although Wiktorsson had qualified for yesterday's 1-meter event, he did not compete.
Markowitz tries for another gold
The Punahou boys track and field team completes its two-week road trip tomorrow at the Mustang Relays in Mira Costa, Calif.
The Buffanblu's Abe Markowitz will try to follow up on his gold medal performance of last weekend at the Surf City Invitational in Huntington Beach. That meet featured 2,700 competitors from 50 schools. Defending state champion Punahou was fourth out of 33 teams in the boys competition.
Markowitz won the discus with a toss of 168 feet, 6 inches.
"He really popped one on his last throw," Punahou coach Mike Pavich said. "He pr'd by 14 feet.
Markowitz also was fourth in the shot put with 51-10 1/2.
Zach Coronas ran a pr of 22.29 to place second in the 200 and was third in the 400 with a 50.87.
"It's been a great trip so far," Pavich said. "Lots of hospitality and outstanding experiences and performances for our athletes."
Toyama, Warriors 14th in golf tourney
Travis Toyama carded a final-round 72 to lead the Hawaii golf team to a 14th-place finish at the 62nd Western Invitational yesterday at the Pasatiempo Golf Course in Santa Clara, Calif.
Toyama tied with two others at 222, eight strokes behind medalist Jack Newman of Michigan State. Hawaii had a team aggregate 915 over 54 holes; St. Mary's won the title with an 880.
[ PACWEST PLACE ]
UHH tops Saint Martin's in baseball
Shane Kessell drove in two runs to highlight a five-run fourth inning and the Hawaii-Hilo baseball team held on for a 10-7 victory over Saint Martin's yesterday in Lacey, Wash.
The Vulcans (8-14) built a 10-0 lead after five innings. The Saints rallied over the last three innings, scoring four in the bottom of the ninth, but got no closer.
Brian Shannon picked up the win for UHH.
The teams meet in a doubleheader today at Saints Field.
» San Francisco State snapped an eight-game losing streak yesterday by holding off Hawaii Pacific 7-6 in a nonconference baseball game in San Francisco.
The Sea Warriors (22-10) scored three runs in the top of the ninth to rally to within one, highlighted by Nicko Garibay's two-run single up the middle. HPU had two runners on with one out, but Gators reliever Ernie Munoz got Danny Lee to fly out to left and caught Aaron Asher looking at a called third strike to end it.
The teams continue their five-game series today with a doubleheader at Maloney Field.
BYUH's Peterson to play NABC game
Brigham Young-Hawaii men's basketball player Paul Peterson has been chosen to play for the West team in the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-Star Game, which is being held tonight in conjunction with the NCAA Division II elite eight in Springfield, Mass.
Seasiders assistant Brandyn Akana will also participate in the game as an assistant coach of the West team.
Peterson, a senior guard, helped the Seasiders to the NCAA II West Regional title game. He averaged 15 points and 3.7 assists per game.
Peterson is the only PacWest player chosen for the game, which is for seniors only.