The best mixed plate in Kalihi could be found at Farrington High School this fall. Govs’ coach picks
a hybrid offenseBy Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comNew varsity football coach Randall Okimoto comes from an eclectic offensive background, and the Governors' scheme next season figures to reflect his various influences.
The 1992 Farrington graduate earned all-state honors as the featured back in the Governors' ground-hugging attack. He went on to the University of Hawaii, where he learned the intricacies of the spread-option offense his first three seasons. He finished his playing career in 1996 in the West Coast offense installed by Fred vonAppen.
Okimoto said his offense is something of a hybrid of the varying philosophies, and he hopes the scheme can help the Governors return to prominence in the Oahu Interscholastic Association. Farrington went 1-6-1 in the OIA Red Conference last season.
"It'll depend on the personnel we have," Okimoto said. "We want to be able to run the ball and control the game, but we also want to be able to keep the defense honest."
The Governors started spring practice Tuesday and continue drills through next week.
Sing Chow wins Gatorade award: Kamehameha senior Leo Sing Chow has been named the Gatorade State High School Softball Player of the Year.
Sing Chow threw two no-hitters and posted a 13-0 record and 0.24 earned run average for the state champion Warriors this season.
She closed the season by tossing a shutout and hitting a home run in Kamehameha's 4-0 victory over Kailua in the state championship game in February.
Sing Chow also owns a 3.86 grade point average and is headed for UH-Hilo in the fall.
Kamana'o on national team: Iolani volleyball standout Kanoe Kamana'o has been selected to play for the U.S. Women's Junior National Team.
The incoming senior played on the squad last year and is listed as a libero for this year's squad. The 19-member team is scheduled to train in Colorado Springs, Colo., in early July and compete in the NORCECA Championships in Puerto Rico from July 12-19.
Kamana'o was named the state player of the year last fall after leading Iolani to the state championship. She recently made a verbal commitment to UH.
Kawika Shoji, son of UH women's volleyball coach Dave Shoji and an incoming freshman at Iolani, was among 22 players selected for USA Volleyball's High Performance Camp.
The camp is scheduled for July 26-31 in Colorado Springs.
8-player football out on Maui: The Maui Interscholastic League has scratched a plan to add 8-player football to the league schedule.
MIL executive secretary Stephen Kim said only a couple of schools were willing to commit to the sport and cited transportation costs for Molokai and Lanai as a prohibitive factor.
"The travel just kills us," Kim said.
Five MIL schools competed in football last year. A sixth, Kaahumanu Hou, was kept out of the league for not having the required minimum number of players on its roster.
MIL principals voted to set the roster minimums at 25 players for schools with a junior varsity team and 30 for those with varsity only. Freshmen do not count toward the minimums.
Kim said the league is planning to include Kaahumanu Hou on next season's schedule.
Nash appeals NCAA rule: Iolani basketball player Bobby Nash is appealing an NCAA rule that would prevent him from playing with a summer league team in California.
Nash, an incoming senior, has played with the Elite Basketball Organization team based in Fresno for the past two summers. But a new NCAA rule states that players must live within 150 miles of a team's base city.
Nash is planning to join the team after he competes in the adidas ABCD Camp in early July. But if the appeal fails, Nash said he'll play for the Hawaii Raiders. The summer league team is scheduled to participate in the adidas Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas from July 22-26.
"I hope I can play (with EBO), but if all else fails I'll go with the Raiders and give them the same 100 percent I would give with EBO," Nash said.
The EBO program has produced players such as DeShawn Stevenson of the Utah Jazz and Duke forward Carlos Boozer in recent years.
ASSETS hosts hoop camp: ASSETS School is sponsoring the Sole Fundamentals Basketball Camp from June 17 to 21 at Manoa Valley District Park.
The camp is open to students in grades 5 through 11. The camp staff includes former college players Brandyn Akana (BYU-Hawaii), Kalia McGee (Hawaii), Kawika Smith (Hawaii Pacific), Janice Smith (Rutgers) and Pierre Elliott (Pacific).
The camp fee is $100 and each participant receives a shirt and basketball. For more information, call 440-3615 or Ross Kinsler at 282-8300.
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