DEAN SENSUI / DSENSUI@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii receiver Gerald Welch, a St. Louis graduate, could redshirt this season after having knee surgery.
It's the next best thing to starting over for the Texas-El Paso football team when the Miners host Hawaii's Warriors on Saturday. Miners looking
Cross country off and running
for fresh startBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comUTEP is 1-2 after absorbing back-to-back shellackings at Kentucky (77-17) and No. 2 Oklahoma (68-0). The Miners gave up an NCAA record number of points in consecutive games.
Coach Gary Nord sees the UH game as a new beginning. It is, after all, the Western Athletic Conference opener for both teams. He hopes his young players and staff can look at the wipeouts as learning experiences.
"It wasn't any fun. (Oklahoma) was one of the best football teams I've ever faced as a coach," Nord said. "They have more speed than I've ever seen on one football team."
The third-year coach said his team's mistakes hurt as much as the No. 2 Sooners' overwhelming talent. Sophomore quarterback Jon Schaper lacks dependable receivers other than senior Terrance Minor (four catches for 66 yards against Oklahoma).
"We didn't execute our passes very well," Nord said. "We had nine drops. We didn't give ourselves a chance. Five turnovers. When you turn it over five times on the road, you're going to get the results we had."
That's also what happened when UTEP lost 66-7 at Hawaii last year. The Miners lost the ball five times, and UH returned three interceptions for touchdowns.
Warriors coach June Jones doesn't care about the recent history or the fact that UH is a 20-point favorite.
"They're at home, they're playing somebody they feel embarrassed them last year. They have everything working in their favor, so we're stressing that they will play their best game," Jones said. "It's the WAC, so it's a whole new deal for them."
Welch done for year?: Jones said inside receiver Gerald Welch will likely redshirt and heal his surgically repaired right knee. The junior from St. Louis School agreed that's probably a good idea.
"I waited a long time (to have a chance at regular playing time)," Welch said. "But this is the smart thing to do."
Welch performed well in training camp and was penciled in as a starter, but he aggravated the knee. Since he has not played in UH's two games this season and he hasn't used a redshirt year, Welch would still have two more years of eligibility beginning next fall.
He played in 10 games in 2000 and 2001, catching 13 passes for 114 yards.
Another inside receiver, freshman Nate Ilaoa, said he is ready to play after missing the Brigham Young game with a recurring left hamstring problem. He's not worried about coming back too quickly.
"I know my limits," Ilaoa said. "It was real disappointing, but for the better. Coach had me out for a reason. He felt it'd be better to hold me out, rest it and get some treatment on it.
"I'm getting there. It hurts a little more than usual, but I feel better when I run."
Ilaoa caught four passes for 38 yards and a touchdown in his UH debut against Eastern Illinois three weeks ago.
Short yardage: Marcus Weems, a 6-foot-4, 180-pound freshman wide receiver from Kealakehe High School, has walked on to the team. ... Backup sophomore cornerback Josiah Cravalho said the right ankle he sprained in the season opener three weeks ago "is about 80 percent," and he might be able to play Saturday. "If Josiah can run, we'll bring him," defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa said. ... Defensive tackle Tala Esera is slated to make the trip to UTEP, joining fellow true freshmen Abu Ma'afala (tackle) and Kenny Patton (cornerback).
BACK TO TOP |
Cross country season
off to major startThe Long Beach Poly football team won't be the only Jackrabbit squad in action on Oahu this Saturday.
Hours before the football squad faces Kahuku in the HHSAA Football Classic, the Poly girls cross country team will run in the fourth annual Iolani Invitational at Kualoa Ranch along with 15 other mainland teams, one from New Zealand and 20 local squads.
Close to 200 runners are expected to compete in the first major meet of the cross country season.
Along with Poly, teams from California participating in the meet are Chino, Orange, St. Joseph's, Montgomery, Centennial, Clovis East, Milikan, Deer Valley and Gunn. Also making the trip are Rotoura (New Zealand), Viroqua (Wis.), Eisenhower (Wash.), Auburn Riverside (Wash.), Cresent Valley (Ore.) and Bingham (Utah).
Defending state girls champion Iolani and boys champion Kamehameha highlight the local entrants.
The high school meet will be followed by the University of Hawaii's Big Wave Cross Country Invitational. The college meet will feature the return of former Punahou standout Victoria Chang, who transferred to Hawaii from Stanford this fall, and San Diego State's Christal Cuadra, last year's state girls individual champion.
The OIA also begins its season Saturday with meets at Radford, Pearl City and Nanakuli.
Other highlights of the cross country calendar leading up to the league championship meets include the Kaiser Invitational on Oct. 5, the Mililani Invitational on Oct. 20 and the Punahou Invitational on Oct. 19.
Volleyball rematch: Kamehameha and Iolani meet in a rematch of last year's state boys volleyball championship Friday at Kekuhaupio Gym. First serve for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu match is set for 5:30 p.m. The girls play at 7.
Kamehameha, which went 20-0 en route to the state boys title last season, enters the match at 4-0. Iolani is 3-0.
The Kamehameha and Iolani girls teams both enter their contest at 2-0.
Classic parking: The Aloha Stadium parking lot will open at 2 p.m. for Saturday's HHSAA Football Classic. Stadium turnstiles open at 3.
Parking will be $2 per vehicle. The stadium's sectional parking rules will be enforced, meaning vehicles will be routed to certain parking areas depending on which gate they enter. Tailgating will be allowed before the games, but not after the second game.
Parking will also be available at Leeward Community College (free), Kam Drive-In ($2) and Radford High School ($1). Shuttle service is available at Kam Drive-In (free) and Leeward CC ($2). Tailgating is not allowed at the alternate sites.
Shuttle service runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Return trips will start at 8 p.m.
The Long Beach Poly-Kahuku game starts at 5 p.m. The De La Salle-St. Louis game is scheduled for 8 p.m.
Aloooha: De La Salle was scheduled to arrive at 11 this morning. Long Beach Poly arrives tomorrow at 11:25 a.m.
De La Salle will practice at Aloha Stadium today and Friday and at the University of Hawaii tomorrow. Long Beach Poly practices at Aloha Stadium tomorrow and at UH on Friday.
Who: Kahuku vs. Long Beach Poly, 5 p.m.; St. Louis vs. De La Salle, 8 p.m. Football Classic
When: Sept. 21
Where: Aloha Stadium
TV: KGMB (time TBD)
Radio: KUMU 1500-AM
