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Monday, May 15, 2000

Molokai,
Kamehameha
No. 1 seeds

By Dave Reardon
Star-Bulletin

Molokai officially completed a transition from underdog to favorite yesterday, as the Farmers received the top seed in the Wally Yonamine Foundation State Baseball Championship.

The 12-team tournament runs Wednesday through Saturday at Iron Maehara Stadium in Wailuku, Maui.

Molokai and three other seeded teams (No. 2 Kamehameha, No. 3 Kailua and No. 4 Waiakea) received byes, and don't start play until Thursday.

Molokai coach Ken Nakayama said being seeded No. 1 is no guarantee to success.

"It's a lot of pressure on us," Nakayama said. "But we have to expect pressure, being the defending champions."

The Maui Interscholastic League champion Farmers are 22-3 overall, and ranked No. 1 in the state.

Molokai's three losses all came to other teams in the tournament field: Kamehameha, Kailua and Baldwin.

The tournament schedule follows. Records include regular and postseason play.

WEDNESDAY, First Round - Game 1, 11:30 a.m.: Kapaa (10-3) vs. Campbell (9-5); Game 2, 2 p.m.: Hilo (9-2) vs. Leilehua (10-3); Game 3, 4:30 p.m.: Iolani (14-5) vs. Mililani (11-2); Game 4, 7 p.m.: Baldwin (13-4) vs. Castle (10-2).
THURSDAY, Consolation - Game 5, 9 a.m.: loser 1 vs. loser 3. Quarterfinals - Game 6, 11:30 a.m.: Kamehameha (16-4) vs. winner 2; Game 7, 2 p.m.: Waiakea (11-1) vs. winner 3; Game 8, 4:30 p.m.: Kailua (10-2) vs. winner 4; Game 9, 7 p.m.: Molokai (16-1) vs. winner 1.
FRIDAY, Consolation - Game 10, 9:30 a.m.: loser 2 vs. loser 4. Fifth-place Bracket - Game 11, noon: loser 9 vs. loser 7; Game 12, 2:30 p.m.: loser 6 vs. loser 8. Semifinals - Game 13, 5 p.m.: winner 6 vs. winner 8; Game 14, 7:30 p.m.: winner 9 vs. winner 7.
SATURDAY, Consolation - Game 15, noon: winner 5 vs. winner 10. Fifth-place - Game 16, 2:30 p.m.: winner 11 vs. winner 12. Third-place - Game 17, 5 p.m.: loser 13 vs. loser 14. Championship - Game 18, 7:30 p.m.: winner 13 vs. winner 14.

OTHER INFORMATION - Tickets: Adult, $6, Students $5 (cash only). Parking: Free. Radio: KUAI broadcasts all Kapaa games, KMVI broadcasts all Baldwin and Molokai games and the championship game. Online: www.sportsHIgh.com for daily results.

KAMEHAMEHA TOP HOOPS SEED: As expected, Kamehameha received the top seed in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Girls State Basketball Championships.

The 12-team tournament, similar in format to the baseball tournament, is Wednesday through Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center at the University of Hawaii.

The only thing that has stopped the defending-state-champion Warriors this season is the schedule. Kamehameha, 21-0 overall, hasn't played since completing its Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship season April 26.

"We have a tough first game (with the winner of the Kahuku-Maui game)," Warriors' coach Clay Cockett said. "It's been almost two weeks since we played. The girls are probably ready to play someone else."

Kamehameha, strong at every position, is led by point guard Rae Self and post Kea Kimball.

Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Kalaheo is another team to watch. Junior forward Brandy Richardson is not only the Mustangs' top player, but the consensus best in the state.

Friday's semifinals and Saturday's championship final will be televised by KFVE (channel 5).

The tournament schedule follows. Records are regular- and post-season.

WEDNESDAY, First Round - Game 1, 3 p.m.: Honokaa (10-3) vs. Leilehua (10-3); Game 2, 4:30 p.m.: Kapaa (8-0) vs. Punahou (9-4); Game 3, 6 p.m.: Maui (16-3) vs. Kahuku (9-4); Game 4, 7:30 p.m.: Nanakuli (11-3) vs. Mid-Pacific (8-6).
THURSDAY, Consolation - Game 5, 2 p.m.: loser 3 vs. loser 4. Quarterfinals - Game 6, 3:30 p.m.: Waiakea (12-2) vs. winner 4; Game 7, 5 p.m.: Seabury Hall (18-1) vs. winner 2; Game 8, 6:30 p.m.: Kalaheo (12-0) vs. winner 1; Game 9, 8 p.m.: Kamehameha (12-0) vs. winner 3.
FRIDAY, Consolation - Game 10, 2 p.m.: loser 1 vs. loser 2. Fifth-place Bracket - Game 11, 3:30 p.m.: loser 9 vs. loser 6; Game 12, 5 p.m.: loser 8 vs. loser 78. Semifinals - Game 13, 7:05 p.m.: winner 9 vs. winner 6; Game 14, 8:35 p.m.: winner 8 vs. winner 7.
SATURDAY, Consolation - Game 15, 3 p.m.: winner 5 vs. winner 10. Fifth-place - Game 16, 4:30 p.m.: winner 11 vs. winner 12. Third-place - Game 17, 6 p.m.: loser 13 vs. loser 14. Championship - Game 18, 8:05 p.m.: winner 13 vs. winner 14.

OTHER INFORMATION - Tickets: Adult, $6, Students $5 (cash only). Parking: $3. Online: Daily results at www.sportsHIgh.com

UNSUNG HERO: Everyone at the Mililani High School track Saturday will remember the exciting 4x400 relays that sealed victory for Punahou's girls and Kamehameha's boys at the end of the Island Movers 2000 State Track and Field Championships.

Individual stars grabbed much of the spotlight, too: there were three firsts and another record by Mililani's Vera Simms, along with individual double victories by Punahou's Victoria Chang, Kamehameha's Travis Ah King, Kaahumanu Hou's Ryan Schmidt, Maui's Terrance Taylor and Mililani's Robby Philipp.

Natalie Fujimoto of Punahou exceeded expectations.

The shy sophomore shot putter came up big. She was fifth going into the finals, but her 38-foot, 5-inch put gave her first place and a pivotal six points early in the meet.

"When she came and told us she got first, it was a huge spark," Punahou coach Steve Link said.

TOP SEEDS WIN STATE TENNIS: Erin Hoe of Mililani became the first four-time Hawaii high school state tennis champion Saturday. She beat No. 4-seed Jackie Hagen of Hawaii Prep, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3 in the final of the Carlsmith Ball State Championship Tournament at Mauna Lani.

Bradlee Lum-Tucker of Kauai won the boys' singles championship, while Janelle and Jamie Kaloi of Kamehameha won the girls' doubles and Punahou's Kevin Ching and Sean Jobe took the boys' doubles.

Punahou won the boys' team title, while Iolani took the girls' team championship.

Note: Full results from Saturday's tennis and track and field championships will appear in Wednesday's Prep Report.

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Tim Crouse contributed to this report.