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Monday
Evening QB
THE Stanford-Nebraska baseball Super Regional was truly that in Hawaii, as the All-American pitching matchup of local boys Justin Wayne (Punahou) and Shane Komine (Kalani) came to pass after all. Komine says it
‘wood’ not matterIf it was fate for them to meet, couldn't the baseball gods have picked a way to make it less painful for Komine?
Komine is normally Nebraska's first pitcher and Wayne is Stanford's second, so it was unlikely that they would meet in a best-of-three series.
But Komine's start was pushed to Saturday against Wayne, one result of his jaw being smashed by a line drive the week before.
The Cardinal prevailed, knotting the series. Then they won yesterday, and are headed to the College World Series.
Wayne, a junior, could also be headed to a big payday as a result of today's pro draft.
Komine, a sophomore, could be in the same situation next year. That, he said, would be gravy.
"I'm fortunate I'm still alive today," Komine said.
Another pitcher in the same regional was also hit in the face by a batted ball.
"It was unreal. Right when I got discharged from the hospital, they were wheeling the other guy in," Komine said.
The coincidence brought forth the issue of aluminum bats.
"I don't feel they make that much of a difference," Komine said. "The ball comes off the bat pretty hard with wood, too. I was just unlucky."
Another theory on aluminum bats is that they make pitchers vulnerable when throwing inside. But Komine said he will continue to have no fear.
"I come inside a lot, just to keep them honest. If you get inside early in the game, you get respect," he said.
Jim Winchester confirmed yesterday he is retiring as Kamehameha's boys' varsity basketball coach.
The move ends the longest current varsity basketball head coaching tenure in the state.
In his 19 years at the Warriors' helm, Winchester's teams had 15 winning seasons and took three Interscholastic League of Honolulu championships. They reached the state title game three times, winning it in 1992.
"It's time to pack up my good memories and ride off into the sunset," said Winchester, a 1967 Kamehameha graduate who played on the 1965 state championship team.
Former University High and St. Louis School coach Darryl Gabriel is rumored as Winchester's successor. Larry Park Jr., Winchester's assistant the past 11 years, is also a candidate.
Also, according to other sources, former University of Hawaii volleyball player Joey (Akeo) Miyashiro is replacing Dan Kitashima as head coach of the Kamehameha girls' varsity volleyball team.
Lahainaluna's Kawika Casco starred in football, wrestling, track and field and swimming -- when he wasn't fashioning a B-plus average, or practicing tae kwon do, in which he is a black belt -- over the past year.
Last night, Casco proved it only seems he can be in two places at one time. Because the Lunas graduated last night, Casco missed his induction into the Nissan Hawaii High School Hall of Honor.
But he was there, through St. Anthony athletic director Pat McCall's vivid introduction.
The other inductees are Houston Ala (Kamehameha), Timmy Chang (St. Louis), Victoria Chang (Punahou), Erin Hoe (Mililani), Mitzi Ing (Iolani), Chad Kapanui (Roosevelt), Kealani Kimball (Kamehameha), Brad Lum-Tucker (Kauai), Jason Mandaquit (Hilo), Vera Simms (Mililani) and Gerald Welch (St. Louis).
Dave Reardon, who covered sports in Hawaii from 1977 to 1998,
moved to the the Gainesville Sun, then returned to
the Star-Bulletin in Jan. 2000.
E-mail dreardon@starbulletin.com
