Kahuku senior defensive end Jonathan Mapu has already received scholarship offers from several top-notch programs, including Penn State, Tennessee, Nebraska and Wisconsin, Red Raiders head coach Siuaki Livai said yesterday. Penn State, Tennessee
offer Mapu scholarshipsBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comLivai said the University of Hawaii has also expressed interest, but he did not know if the Warriors had offered Mapu a scholarship.
Livai said Mapu was the standout performer at the Utah and Brigham Young camps this summer, and word has spread.
"They're not fooling around; they're making firm offers," Livai said. "Penn State is really going hard for him."
Mapu (6-foot-3, 260 pounds) has appeared on several preseason top-recruit lists.
The defending state champion Red Raiders play Skyline (Salt Lake City, Utah) Friday at Kahuku. Skyline, a perennial Utah powerhouse, beat Kahuku 24-21 last year in Utah.
Livai said a game proposed for Aug. 23 against Utah 5A state champion Northridge in Layton, Utah, was canceled several months ago.
In another matter, Livai said he is happy for the six back-up players who left his program to go to school and play football at Waialua.
Livai said about 100 players are trying out for the Kahuku varsity team and it is difficult to find playing time for everyone.
"It's a good opportunity for them," he said. "I wish them well. It's better for them to get a chance to play than sit around."
ILH changes opener: The Interscholastic League of Honolulu season-opening football doubleheader originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 8 at Aloha Stadium has been rescheduled for Sept. 7.
The move was spurred by KFVE's announcement this week that it will televise the University of Hawaii's opening game Sept. 8 against Montana on Maui.
"We want to give football fans the opportunity to enjoy the high school and college games," ILH executive secretary Clay Benham said.
Damien plays Iolani at 4:45 p.m., followed by St. Louis and Punahou at 7:30.
The Oahu Interscholastic Association regular season begins Aug. 24.
Bray Classic set: Iolani and Kaimuki highlight the four-game Father Bray Classic next Saturday at Aloha Stadium.
The Raiders and Bulldogs meet at 7:45 p.m.
The other games match McKinley and Radford (11:30 a.m.), Pac-Five and Farrington (2:15 p.m.) and Waipahu and Leilehua (5 p.m.).
Champs return: Harvard-Westlake will be here to defend its Iolani Invitational Volleyball Tournament championship. The tournament runs all next week at Iolani.
Harvard-Westlake returns eight players from its California state championship girls team of a year ago, including Courtney Schultz, who has committed to Stanford.
Local teams include Kamehameha, Lanai, St. Joseph's, Waiakea, Waianae and host Iolani.
Here and there: Hartwell Lee Loy's appointment as athletic director at Waipahu has been made official. Lee Loy was formerly the athletic director at Kahuku, a post now held by Linda Semones. ... Hawaii High School Athletic Association executive director Keith Amemiya was honored as one of "Hawaii's rising business stars of 2001" in the Pacific Business News' "Forty Under 40" annual feature.