Mid-Pacific's Dunn Muramaru isn't about to call attention to his Owls baseball team before the season starts, but as coach of the defending state champions, it's hard for him to avoid it when pressed. Baseball contenders
gearing up for
competitive seasonBy Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.com"There's a lot more talent out there than what we have," Muramaru said. "We're not the real imposing kind of team, but we try to put guys out there who are fundamentally sound and pitchers who throw strikes."
The Owls defeated Kamehameha 7-6 to win Mililani's Glenn Nitta preseason tournament final last weekend.
Teams are in the middle of formulating their best lineups for the upcoming season openers.
The Interscholastic League of Honolulu starts March 15 and the Oahu Interscholastic Association begins March 26.
The Owls have already played the ILH rival Warriors three times in the preseason.
"We're feeling each other out," Muramaru said. "They didn't throw their best guys and we didn't throw our best guys (at the Nitta tournament). It just happened that we ended up winning."
At least two coaches -- Muramaru and Mililani's Cary Kihara --were highly impressed with the Warriors' offense.
"(Kamehameha's) Keoni Ruth isn't playing in the field because of surgery after the football season," Muramaru said.
"But that hasn't hurt his hitting and (teammate) Bubba Merino hit a 400-foot home run against us the other day. And Kai Santos hit one out a few days before. To hit one out (at Mililani) you've got to hit it pretty far."
Leadoff hitter and center fielder Ryan Leong and infielders Troy Hanzawa, Randy Rundgren and Jonathan Hee are a few of the Owls' key players.
Rundgren is the brother of Rex Rundgren, the former Mid-Pacific shortstop who is now in the Florida Marlins' organization.
"Randy has really good hands and could play shortstop for most teams, but Troy is more experienced," Muramaru said.
With six sophomores, Kihara's Trojans will be on the young side.
"But we have a solid returning corps that works well together," he said.
"Kamehameha was hitting the ball pretty solidly at the tournament and Mid-Pac looks pretty good."
Kihara was also impressed with the play of Kapolei catcher Drake Kula, who hit a double and a triple in his first two at-bats during one tournament game.
"He's going to be a force for them," Kihara said.
Radford hosts hoops: The Lady Rams Basketball Classic starts tomorrow and runs through Saturday.
Host Radford will compete along with Kalani, King Kekaulike, Maryknoll, Pearl City, Roosevelt, Punahou II and University.
For more information, call David Lane at 421-4200, ext. 233.
Buffanblu are No. 38: The Punahou girls soccer team jumped into the Student Sports Fab 50 national rankings at No. 38 last week after their state championship victory over Mililani.
The Trojans are No. 48.
The state champion Mililani boys are No. 26.
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Athletes of the Week
BOYS
>> Derrick Low, Iolani basketball: Scored 13 points and controlled the tempo of the Raiders' offense in three state tournament games, including the victory in the final over Saint Louis.
GIRLS
>> Christine Phillips, Kalaheo swimming: Swam to victories in the 200 and 500 freestyles at the state meet.
Honor Roll
Boys basketball
>> Desmond Hanohano, Saint Louis: Had 14 rebounds in a state semifinal victory over Maui.>> Gene Rivera, Maui: Scored 20 points in the third-place victory over Kamehameha.
>> Sam Wilhoite, Kalaheo: Hit for 23 points and pulled in 11 rebounds in the fifth-place victory over Leilehua.
>> Jordon Dizon, Waimea: Scored 22 points to lift the Menehunes to the consolation title game win over Waiakea.
>> Bobby Nash, Iolani: Scored 15 points to help keep Saint Louis from mounting a comeback in the final.
>> Daniel Tautofi, Kaimuki: Scored 25 points in a state consolation loss to Waimea.
>> Jason Rivers, Saint Louis: Held the high-scoring Tautofi to just two points in a tourney win.
>> Maafu Finau, Maui: Scored 26 points in a quarterfinal win over Leilehua.
>> Levi Bartholomew, Waiakea: Scored 42 points and pulled in 20 rebounds to lead the Warriors over Mililani in a double overtime consolation game.
>> Jimmy Miyasaka, Kaimuki: Scored 21 in a tourney loss to Saint Louis.
>> Angelo Massey, Leilehua: Connected for 24 points in a first-round win over Waimea.
>> Zac Anduha, Mililani: Delivered 20 points for the Trojans in a first-round loss to Baldwin.
Girls Basketball
>> Rachel Kane, Punahou: Averaged 8.3 points per game and had a total of 10 rebounds and eight steals in the Konawaena preseason tourney.>> Chelsea Yasuda, Hawaii Baptist Academy: Totaled 30 points in wins over St. Anthony, Maui and Seabury Hall.
Swimming
>> Noa Sakamoto, Punahou: Beat rival Mark Eckert of Iolani in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events at the state meet.>> Hong Zhe Sun, Iolani: Set a state meet record in the 200 individual medley in 1:49.17 and led the Raiders to their second straight title. He also won the 100 backstroke and was part of two winning relay teams, including the record-setting 400 team (3:09.71) along with Mark Eckert, Damon Jones and Daniel Lim.
>> Randall Tom, Seabury Hall: Won the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly at the state meet.
>> Meredith Egloria, Kapolei: Won the 50 and 100 freestyles.
>> Whitney Nekoba, Tiffany Bumatay, Marlene Yafuso, Tamarah Binek and Cassie Ka'apu-Lyons, Waiakea: Made up the Warriors' three winning relay teams on the way to their second straight state title. Ka'apu-Lyons also placed second in the 100 backstroke to give her team a five-point lead going into the final event.
Diving
>> Drew Wallace, Punahou: Set a new record in 1-meter diving at states with a score of 439.65.
Baseball
>> David Rodrigues, Waiakea: Went 9-for-14 in a tourney at Hilo and had eight RBIs in one game.
Wrestling
>> Aaron Ishikawa and Owen Yonehara, Iolani: They led the Raiders to the ILH boys title with victories in the final. Ishikawa won the 103-pound class, while Yonehara was tops at 135.>> Jazmine Cockett and Naleisha Pelekai-Wai, Kamehameha: Led the Warriors to the league title. Cockett captured the 130-pound class and Pelekai-Wai won at 121.
>> Lokahi Aipia, Kahuku: Won the 171-pound class to lead the Red Raiders to the OIA boys title.
>> Elizabeth Torres and Ashley Estioko, Kahuku: Won with pins to spearhead the Red Raiders' drive to the OIA girls title.
>> Emile Suehiro, Rene Suehiro, Lawrence Thain, Desmond Thain and Tania Liufau, McKinley: The Suehiro and Thain brothers repeated as OIA champions, while Liufau won her first OIA girls heavy-weight title with three pins.
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