Scouting paid off for Punahou's Jorge Barbosa. Punahou kept Mililani
forwards in check to earn titleBy Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.comIt helped that the Buffanblu's girls soccer coach had seen Mililani play numerous times before dethroning the Trojans as state champions last Saturday.
"The main thing we wanted to do was take care of forwards (Sarah) Yoro and (Jennifer) Loo by marking them tight," Barbosa said. "We knew they wouldn't be able to do anything offensively if we isolated those two. They saw what we were doing and moved Loo to center midfield, but no matter where they went, we shut 'em down."
Barbosa was ecstatic that his girls pulled off the job of marking those two dangerous Trojans in the 1-0 state title victory on Maui.
"They were focused and played with heart and desire," he said.
"They played an unbelievably gutsy game."
The coach credited Ashley Collins with stopping Loo and Alisa Lerud with keeping Yoro scoreless in the final.
Barbosa was also highly impressed with the "technically good" performance of coach Blanche Arakaki's Kauai squad at the state tournament.
"That was a scrappy little, hustling team," he said. "They were short, but they were winning balls in the air. They were really something to watch even though they lost in the first round."
Nitta Invitational set: Mililani High School is hosting the Glenn Nitta Baseball Invitational tomorrow through Sunday.
The Trojans will compete along with Kailua, Campbell, Leilehua, Roosevelt, Kaimuki, Castle, Kapolei, Maryknoll, Kamehameha, Damien and Mid-Pacific.
The tournament is named for the school's athletic director who coached the Trojans' baseball team for 28 years before retiring after the 2001 season.
"Coach Nitta's worth cannot be measured in wins and losses," tournament director Herb Yoshimura said. "He is a believer in young people and his dedication to their fullest potential has had a positive impact. ... We want to perpetuate his legacy for many, many more years."
Ching is MVP: Kamehameha's Megan Ching was named the MVP of last week's preseason girls basketball tournament at Punahou.
Punahou's Eryn Chun, Iolani's Lana Young, Kaimuki's Dalia Solia, Kahuku's Latoya Wily and Kalaheo's Taylor Smith also made the all-tournament team.
Raiders on top: Iolani received 19 points to take the top spot in the Hawaii State NWCA wrestling rankings released Monday.
St. Louis, Kamehameha, Kahuku and McKinley round out the top five.
The ILH championships are Saturday at Iolani.
The OIA championships are at Leilehua, also on Saturday.
The state championships are slated for March 14-15 at Blaisdell Arena.
Owls seek golf coach: Mid-Pacific Institute is looking for a golf coach. For more information, call athletic director Bill Villa at 973-5095.
Athletes of the Week
BOYS
>> Zane Cabral, Kalaheo basketball: Hit a 25-foot 3-pointer with time running out to beat Kaimuki in the OIA semifinals.
GIRLS
>> Rachael Lau, Punahou: Scored the winning goal in the state title game to lift the Buffanblu to a 1-0 victory over defending champion Mililani.
Honor Roll
BOYS BASKETBALL
>> David Johnson, University: Scored 16 points in an ILHtournament win over Damien.
>> Angelo Massey, Leilehua: Scored 15 points to lead the Mules past Mililani in the OIA semifinals.
>> Eric Shaver, Kamehameha: Scored 17 points for the Warriors in an ILHtournament victory over Maryknoll.
>> Sam Wilhoite, Kalaheo: Scored 18 points and dominated the boards in the OIA title game win over Leilehua.
>> Daniel Tautofi and Jimmy Miyasaka, Kaimuki: Tautofi scored 29 points and Miyasaka added 26 in the OIAthird-place game victory over Mililani.
>> Alex Patykula, Mililani: Scored 19 in the loss to Kaimuki.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
>> Megan Ching, Kamehameha: Averaged 11.7 points per game and totalled 13 rebounds in a preseason tourney at Punahou.
>> Eryn Chun, Punahou: Averaged 6.7 points with a total of nine rebounds in her school's preseason tourney.
GIRLS SOCCER
>> Adria Campbell, Punahou: Scored five goals in three state tourney games as the Buffanblu beat Mililani for the title.
>> Allison Lipsher, Punahou: Made six saves, including several shots that came within inches of crossing the goal line, in the Buffanblu's win over Mililani.
>> Krisha Kai, Kahuku: Scored all four goals for the Red Raiders in a 4-3 state tourney first-round victory over Kealakehe.
>> Anela Gonzales, Kalaheo: Headed the ball into the net late in the second half of a first-round state tourney game to lift the Mustangs over Kauai.
>> Andrea Fukuhara, Aiea: Had the only goal for Na Alii in a first-round state tourney victory over King Kekaulike.
>> Kari Tanimoto, Pearl City: Scored the winning goal in a state tourney overtime victory over Hilo, then followed with the game's only goal in a win against Baldwin.
>> Liane Tom, Mililani: Scored three goals in the Trojans' second-round state tourney win over Kalaheo.
>> Kainoa Correa, King Kekaulike: Scored the game-winner in a 3-2 consolation win over Kauai at the states.
>> Sarah Yoro, Mililani: Notched the only goal in a state semifinal win over Aiea.
>> Kami Kapaku and Koren Takeyama, Baldwin: Kapaku scored three times and Takeyama once in a state tourney consolation game rout of Kahuku.
BOYS SWIMMING
>> Mark Eckert, Iolani: Won the 200-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly in the ILHLast Chance Meet.
>> Hong Zhe Sun, Iolani: Won the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke at the same meet.
>> Keenan Anaya, Kauai: Won the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly in the Kauai Interscholastic Federation championship meet.
>> Jarred Perry, Kauai: Captured the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke at the KIF meet.
>> Scott Nagata, Hilo: Won the 50 and 100 freestyle events in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation championship meet.
GIRLS SWIMMING
>> Kamaile Crowell, Punahou: Captured the 50 and 100 freestyle in the ILH's last meet.
>> Erin Emberson, Island School: Won the 200 and 500 freestyle events at the KIFmeet.
>> Tamarah Binek, Waiakea: Took the 50 and 100 freestyle victories at the BIIFmeet.
>> Karly Kopra, Hawaii Prep: Swam to wins in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke at the BIIF championship meet.
BASEBALL
>> David Rodrigues, Waiakea: Went 5-for-5 with eight RBIs and a grand slam in a 21-0 preseason victory over Maryknoll.
Hawaii School Web Sites