Komine headed to Visalia
after signing with Oakland

It's official. Shane Komine is a member of the Oakland Athletics organization.

"I signed the papers a couple of days ago, sent them in and report to Visalia Thursday," said Komine, who graduated from Kalani High School and concluded his collegiate carrier with Nebraska.

Visalia is in the Class-A California League and has one Hawaii representative on its pitching staff, former Hawaii Rainbow Jeff Coleman.

"It's a little bit of a surprise to go there. I was looking on the Internet and most of the players they signed went to Vancouver," said Komine. "If that's where they see me fitting in, then that's where I'll go and just give my best."

Vancouver is in the short-season Class-A Northwest League, while the California League is rated a high Class-A circuit.

Komine was selected in the ninth round by the A's in this year's First-Year Player Draft. A year ago, the St. Louis Cardinals picked him in the 19th round, but he turned down a $50,000 bonus to return to Nebraska for his senior year.

"I feel a lot stronger this year than I did last year at this time. That's because I took five weeks off (after surgery)," said Komine. "The signing bonus wasn't as big, not even half, but that doesn't really matter. I'm just excited to get a chance to play pro ball."

Valentin grabs another Maui surf title

In the only professional longboarding contest on Maui, Joey Valentin from Honolulu proved it wasn't a fluke when he sealed his second victory on the Valley Isle. The Aston No Ka Oi was held this weekend at Lahaina Harbor in clean and consistent shoulder- to head-high waves.

The final pitted three from Oahu against a lone Maui local -- Noah Shimabukuro.

Shimabukuro consistently won earlier heats only to place second to Valentin in the semifinal, foreshadowing events to come.

Long noserides and cutbacks were countered and answered between the two throughout the 30-minute final.

In the end Valentin scored a total of 22.5 (out of a possible 30), one point ahead of Shimabukuro to seal the win. Kanoa Dahlin placed third, followed by Dino Miranda.

Metzger and Wong settle for bronze

Punahou's Stein Metzger and Kevin Wong split a pair of matches yesterday to capture the men's bronze medal for the United States in the $300,000 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Gstaad, Switzerland.

Metzger and Wong, who split $11,940 for third place, defeated seventh-seeded Roberto Lopes and Franco Neto of Brazil 21-18 and 21-14.

Metzger and Wong also defeated Lopes and Neto last August in Belgium.

Third-seeded Mariano Baracetti and Martin Conde of Argentina won their fourth FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour gold medal by defeating 25th-seeded Marcio Araujo and Benjamin Insfran of Brazil 21-14 and 21-15 in the men's title match.

Ironside holds off Prince at Clambake

John Ironside shot a 68 in the final round of the Kapalua Clambake Pro-Am at the Bay and Village courses yesterday, beating Dean Prince by a stroke for the professional title.

Ironside shot a 136 over the two rounds, while Prince put up a final-round 67 to finish at 137. Ron Castillo Jr. took third while Mike Ruiz, John Galarita and Jon Bettencourt tied for fourth.