StarBulletin.com

Kaimuki players admit to locker abuse


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POSTED: Wednesday, August 26, 2009

When Kaiser volleyball players returned to school and practice after the weekend, they found several of their lockers damaged and a physical education teacher's office window broken.

Kaiser filed a police report and Kaimuki football players responsible for damage confessed.

Kaiser athletic director Rodney Iwasaki declined comment and said the situation was handled. Football coach Pat Samsonas confirmed that the damage was done just prior to the start of the Saint Louis-Kaimuki football game, which was held at Kaiser on Friday.

“;It's something that shouldn't be part of the game,”; Samsonas said, noting that first-year Kaimuki coach Clint Onigama and athletic director Fred Lee took proper measures after the incident.

“;I know Clint's a good guy,”; Samsonas said. “;It's something that needs to be taken care of.”;

Onigama and Lee did not return calls from the Star-Bulletin yesterday afternoon.

According to two sources, Lee has banned Kaimuki's football team, which does not play home games, from using locker rooms the rest of the season.

Kaimuki had a fracas at the end of a scrimmage with Waianae earlier this month, which led to the suspension of at least one Bulldogs player.

Last year, Kaimuki players were suspended after a player took off a helmet and swung it at the back of a Kahuku player's head in the final seconds. A source said Kaimuki did damage to the locker room at Roosevelt's Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium, the site of the game with Kahuku, on that night. Kaimuki's designated home games were moved from Roosevelt to Kaiser the rest of the season.

Roosevelt athletic director John Chung couldn't verify that claim.

“;I don't know what game, there are so many games here,”; Chung said. Roosevelt shares its field with three neighboring football programs that don't host games.

“;Last year, nothing was broken. There was pounding on the lockers, but it didn't get to the point where things were smashed in,”; Chung said.