Iolani’s Stovall
By Pat Bigold
in All-American game
Star-BulletinIolani guard Erin Stovall will become the first girl to represent a Hawaii school in a prep All-American basketball game this weekend. Stovall, who was a preseason second-team All-American pick in Street&Smith's magazine, is one of only 20 players selected from around the nation to compete in the Fifth Annual Nike All-American Girls' Basketball Game in Hampton, Va., on Saturday.
The 5-foot-7 Stovall, who has yet to play an Interscholastic League of Honolulu game for the defending state champion Raiders, left today for Virginia. She will debut for Iolani in a home game against Sacred Hearts on April 11.
It's a thrill for the California native, who watched a friend, Melody Peterson (now with Stanford), play in the same All-American game on ESPN last year.
"I see this as one last time to have fun with the other 19 girls at this level," said Stovall. "We've traveled together, been at Nike All-American camp together, and played against each other the last few years."
Stovall signed an early letter of intent to play for the University of Virginia last November after receiving more than 20 scholarship offers. One factor in her decision was the family's Virginia roots. Her parents, Bill and Rosemary, grew up in Richmond.
Stovall, who led Woodbridge High of California to the No. 6 ranking in USA Today's top 25 last year, played only two preseason games in an Iolani uniform.
But when the Raiders' track team went to California for a meet in Huntington Beach two weeks ago, Stovall spent her spare time playing pickup games with old Woodbridge teammates and players from Mater Dei High School.
"My 3-point shot is finally dropping," she said. "My legs just weren't in it before."
Stovall said she is nearing the condition in which she wants to play during the season.
NATIONAL INVITES: Kamehameha catcher Dane Sardinha and Iolani shortstop Keoni DeRenne have been invited to the USA Baseball Junior National Team trials in Joplin, Mo., July 11-20. Sardinha and DeRenne, who are both top-50 prospects in Baseball America, played on the Junior National Team last year.
The team will compete in Brazil (May 23-June 1) in a qualifying tournament for the world championships.
GIRLS PLAYING BASEBALL: Two girls have earned spots on their schools' varsity baseball teams and their coaches say they have essential roles.
At Pahoa High on the Big Island, Mandy Alicuben is in her second year as a starting first baseman/outfielder. At Kailua High, all-star softball shortstop Brandy Choy Foo has made a successful conversion to second base as a backup.
Today, Alicuben likely will make Hawaii prep history by becoming the first girl ever to get a varsity pitching start.
Head coach Frank Degelese said he'll start Alicuben, a 5-foot-5 southpaw, against perennial Big Island Interscholastic Federation contender Hilo because she has a good curve.
"She throws harder than two or three of our other pitchers and she has a good pickoff move to first base," said Degelese.
He said he fears the Vikings, a fastball-hitting team, might give junior right-hander Justin Mercado a harder time.
Alicuben, a left-handed batter who comes up second in the order, is 3-for-5 at the plate this season for the Daggers and has three RBIs.
"She can handle the bunt and go with the pitch," said Degelese.
At Kailua, head coach Wess Unten said Brandy Choy Foo changed his mind about girls playing baseball.
"She has a terrific glove and good arm," said Unten. "She played virtually every preseason game and batted well. She makes contact."
In a scrimmage against Kalaheo, Choy Foo lashed a line-drive double to right field.
Danny Kimura, Iolani's all-purpose player, earned the win as a pitcher and went 3-for-4 with four RBIs as the defending state champion Raiders repelled Mid-Pacific, 9-3, yesterday at the Owls' field. Kimura makes Owls see double
By Star-Bulletin staffKimura had an RBI double in the first, a two-run single in the fourth and an RBI double in the sixth.
Iolani shortstop Keoni DeRenne went 2-for-3, including a two-run double in the second inning to help pace the Raiders' offense.
Iolani 221 211--9 7 0 Mid-Pacific 020 001--3 6 4Danny Kimura, Akoni Ah Yat (6) and Scott Tajima; Kenneth Yamaoka, Darren Imada (6) and Chad Ramos. W--Kimura. L--Yamaoka.Leading hitters--Iol: Kimura 3-4, 2 2b, 4 RBIs; DeRenne 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Omori 2b; Tajima 2b. MPI: Ebisutani 2-3, 2b, 2-run HR, 3 RBIs; Kato 2-3; Nogawa 2b.
Punahou 13, UHBA 4: At Moiliili Field, third baseman Larry Oshiro's bases-loaded triple highlighted a six-run second as the Buffanblu downed UHBA in a game called after five innings because of darkness.
Matt Shido drove in three runs with a pair of doubles for Punahou (3-1). Jensen Muraoka had a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth for UHBA.
Punahou 560 20--13 9 3 UHBA 101 02--4 6 4Justin Wayne, Nick Torres (4) and David Sugihara, Larry Burgess (4); Nate Pang, Cy Shimabukuro (2), Jensen Muraoka (4) and M. Ganialogo. W--Wayne. L--Pang.Leading hitters--Pun: Shido 2-2, 2 2b, 3 RBIs; Oshiro 2-3, 3b, 4 RBIs; LaFontaine 2b, 2 RBIs. UHBA: Muraoka 2-3, 2-run HR; Arimoto 2-3.
St. Louis 111 022 0--7 12 1 Maryknoll 100 010 1--3 4 6Kaena Kong and Kona Sampaio, Joe Cabansag (6); Rob Richards, Jon Teraizumi (6) and Dale Ibara, Mark Bagayas (6). W--Kong. L--Richards.Leading hitters--StL: Fujii 3-3; Correa 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Sampaio 2-4, 2b; Rouge 2-4; Thorton-Murray 2-5. Mrykl: Ibara 2b.
Shauntay Fletcher scored 13 points to lead the Waianae Seariders to a 39-27 home-court win over Moanalua last night in Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division girls' basketball. Fletcher paces Searider girls
By Star-Bulletin staff
over MenehunesWaianae opened a 21-9 lead at halftime.
Moanalua 4 5 8 10--27 Waianae 9 12 6 12--39Moanalua: Sanchez 0, Kapua 0, Morikawa 7, Beck 4, Tang 0, Ferris 3, Padagdao 0, Masolf 7, Togiai 6, Huddy 0.Waianae: Acosta 6, Fletcher 13, Aldeguer 0, Lorenzo 5, Lave 6, Amina 2, Reinheardt 7, Mendez 0.
Mililani was led by Kristin Anderson's game-high 15 points.
Mililani 9 7 4 21--41 Radford 13 12 15 15--55Mililani: C. Kagiyama 0, Okimoto 6, Askman 8, A. Kagiyama 8, Anderson 15, Vega 4.Radford: Geolina 12, Tokarec 4, Valdez 0, Rivera 2, Kauo 8, Massey 0, Shuster 1, Morris 0, Terell 0, Galon 9, Kapesi 5, Walker 5, Benford 9, Van Herpen 0.
Gatoloai led the Marauders with 11 points and Marie Tuifao added 10. Kelly Lum Ho led the Golden Hawks with a game-high 13 points.
Nanakuli 7 4 8 9--28 Waipahu 3 10 4 12--29Nanakuli: Naone 0, Beck 0, Lum Ho 13, Ahina 8, Ako 2, Montez 3, Romena 0, Iliwaalani 2, Nakasone 0.Waipahu: Baldovi 0, Orpilla 0, Meana 8, Saau 0, Uele 0, Tuifao 10, Gatoloai 11.
Bridget Halmos added 12 points and Jeana Fisher chipped in with 10 for the winners.
Pearl City 9 6 10 10--35 Campbell 16 12 11 21--60Pearl City: Agullar 2, Kahakai 0, Ashitomi 0, Matsumoto 0, Pacheco 13, Yuen 2, Reavis 4, Makue 4, Isumu 6, Moe 4.Campbell: Pico 0, Sao 22, J. Halmos 0, Domingo 0, Burkett 0, B. Halmos 12, Curran 8, McChesney 6, Lactaoen 2, Fisher 10, Baldwin 0.
Waialua, which had only five players, was led by Leslie Matas' game-high 12 points.
Aiea 17 9 4 16--46 Waialua 7 6 15 7--35Aiea: Yokomoto 10, Machado 5, Acosta 0, Miguel 2, Fukumoto 0, Miyashiro 0, Manangan 6, Warlick 6, Yee 4, White 6, Ecknoff 0, Rivers 5, Ho 2.Waialua: Dela Pena 8, Ladao 4, McIntosh 3, Matas 12, Kahuli 8.