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Notebook
Thursday, October 26, 2000
WARRIORS NOTEBOOK
University of Hawaii head coach June Jones knows what inspiration can mean to a team. SJSU riding
emotional waveAfter coaching with the Detroit Lions in 1989-90, Jones had the opportunity to get to know guard Michael Utley of Washington State, before Jones left to join the Atlanta Falcons' staff in 1991.
Upon hearing of Utley's spinal cord injury in a game in November of 1991, Jones felt the emotion his former players were experiencing for a fallen comrade.
As Utley left the field, he gave a thumbs up sign to his Detroit teammates, who went on to win their next six games in his honor.
Through this experience, Jones will try to prepare the Warriors for the emotional wave San Jose State rode over here with as the Spartans come ashore tonight for Saturday's game with Hawaii. They are sure to be emotional for the Western Athletic Conference game after learning last weekend fallen teammate Neil Parry would have to have his right leg amputated just above the ankle.
The special teams player, whose brother, Josh, is the Spartans' leading tackler, broke his ankle in the third quarter of a game at Texas-El Paso on Oct. 14.
A compound fracture resulted that severed a major artery. Life-threatening bacteria set in several days later, forcing doctors to amputate a portion of his right leg.
"They will be very emotional and will probably play that way throughout the game," Jones said. "I'm sure they will play their best game for him. They'll play their asses off.
"We've made our players aware of it, so they understand what to expect. All you can do is talk to them. When Mike Utley went down, everyone who knew him felt emotional for him and his family. That's just how it is."
Injury update
Jones confirmed that running back James Fenderson will not play on Saturday, due to sore ribs. He suffered the injury in the first quarter of last weekend's 38-13 loss at Rice University.Senior back Afatia Thompson will be the starter. He is returning after missing two games with an ankle sprain. Junior Robert Grant will back him up.
Down linemen Doug Sims (knee), Lui Fuga (shoulder), Chris Brown (bruised leg) and Mike Iosua (shoulder) will play. So will linebacker Rinda Brooks (hamstring), offensive guard Vince Manuwai (hamstring), and safeties Dee Miller (hamstring), Nate Jackson (foot) and Jacob Espiau (shoulder).
Defensive end Joe Correia was expected to play some this weekend, but he reinjured his broken foot in practice last night and is listed as questionable.
"We're in better shape physically than we were last week," Jones said. "Everybody has these kind of bumps and bruises. You suit up and play through them."
Chang moves on
Like a shooting guard who has an off-night, UH quarterback Timmy Chang already has put the debacle at Rice University behind him.Granted, his first school record is one he would soon forget. Throwing five interceptions in one game is something he never did in high school. But give Chang credit, he isn't dwelling on the negative.
"When you play quarterback at Hawaii, you're under a microscope," Chang said. "You have to take the bad with the good. It's part of being the quarterback. I understand that."
That's one reason Jones has decided to stick with him as Hawaii prepares for San Jose State this weekend. He believes Chang is the quarterback of the future and wants to give him every opportunity to grow the rest of the way.
"Some of the stuff is his fault," Jones said. "But he will learn. He and the receivers need to keep working together. Once they get on the same page, the offense will work well."
Paul Arnett, Star-Bulletin
With one game remaining on its schedule, the record-setting Hawaii Pacific University women's soccer team wants to close this season by accomplishing yet another goal gone unfulfilled before this year -- a first-ever victory over the University of Hawaii Wahine. SMALL COLLEGE NOTEBOOK
HPU gunning
for UH WahineIn the much-anticipated showdown each year between the state's only two intercollegiate women's programs, the Division II Sea Warriors have unsuccessfully pursued the elusive win over the Division I Wahine five times since HPU's inaugural season in 1995. But after posting their first winning season ever this year with a team-record 10 wins, including victories in all six of their most recent games, the Sea Warriors feel that this Sunday night's game against the Wahine at Waipio Peninsula Stadium is their best opportunity so far to come out on top.
A win would be especially satisfying to HPU's departing players: seniors Tracie Ifuku and Jannicke Snildal, and juniors Ranesha Mattu and Hanna Olofsson (both have eligibility remaining but are leaving after graduation next spring). These veterans have endured the frustration of the losing campaigns in the earlier years of the program, particularly four-year starters Ifuku and Snildal.
Finally tasting the sweetness of success, they want to end their careers with a victory in the game that all admit to looking forward to from the beginning of each season.
"It's always our biggest game," said Ifuku, the former Kaiser High School standout who anchors the Sea Warriors defense from her sweeper position. "I know they're going to be tough. On both sides, I think we play our best game against each other because it's like the battle for Hawaii."
Snildal, a forward originally from Orkanger, Norway, counterbalances Ifuku on the other end of the field, providing the Sea Warriors their primary offensive threat with a school-record 26 career goals (9 on the year).
Olofsson, a midfielder from Grabo, Sweden, has also contributed in a major way on offense with two of her three goals this year being game-winners.
Mattu, from White Rock, British Columbia, plays both defender and midfielder, and has started 10 games this year while scoring one goal.
"Since we never beat them yet, this is my last year and I really want to go out on a winning note," Snildal said. "We had a winning season, did that well, now beat UH, that's our last goal and I really think we can do it."
Indeed, the Sea Warriors have plenty of reason to feel confident. Though HPU is not in contention for postseason play due to a 1-4 start on the mainland in Pacific West Conference play, it has gone 9-1 since returning home. The Wahine have lost four straight entering the weekend.
And even with the PacWest splitting up after this year and the Sea Warriors soccer program going back to independent status, the departing players feel that this year's success is just a beginning.
"I have high hope that they (returning players) will continue to do well," Ifuku said. "Especially after this season, they have a lot of pride, heart and guts, and they know how to win."
Sea Warrior men impress
The HPU men's soccer team is putting together an impressive record of its own.The Sea Warriors are 8-2-1 on the year, 3-1 in the PacWest, and all but one of their victories were by shutout.
Goalkeeper Fredrik Andreasson has resided in net for a school-record six of these shutouts and has a conference-leading 0.54 goals against average.
Still in the hunt for postseason play with two conference games remaining, the Sea Warriors have won their last four contests with the defense not allowing a goal in the last 315 minutes of play. The Sea Warriors' next game is a nonconference matchup against rival BYUH on Saturday at Laie.
PacWest home games
The four local schools will be playing PacWest women's volleyball home games beginning tonight and continuing through SaturdayHPU and BYUH are jockeying for postseason positions, while Chaminade and UH-Hilo are just playing out the few games remaining on their schedules.
No. 1 HPU can clinch the Pacific Division and host role for the PacWest tournament with just two more victories.
No. 7 BYUH is hoping to bounce back after suffering its first loss in five games to the Sea Warriors on Tuesday.
HPU hosts Alaska Anchorage tonight, and will play Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday.
BYUH hosts Alaska Fairbanks tonight, then goes up against Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.
Chaminade hosts MSU-Billings tomorrow before meeting Western New Mexico on Saturday.
UHH hosts Western New Mexico tomorrow and meets MSU-Billings on Saturday.
Gaspar, So'onalole win berth
BYUH's Petra Gaspar successfully three-peated as champion in the doubles competition of the Rolex Super Bowl of Small College Tennis last weekend, but fell short of the same milestone in singles.With the doubles victory, Gaspar and her Seasiders championship teammate from last year, Tagifano So'onalole, earned a berth in the 2001 Rolex National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships to be held in February, with the remainder of the draw comprised of Div. I competition.
Brandon Lee, Special to the Star-Bulletin
WAHINE VOLLEYBALL PLAYBOOK
vs. Texas Christian & Southern Methodist
First serve: Tomorrow, 4 p.m, .TCU's Rickel Center. Saturday, 12 p.m.., SMU's Moody Coliseum.
Pat Bigold, Star-Bulletin
