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Arena Football player dies at game in Wichita

VALLEY CENTER, Kan. >> An arenafootball2 player died last night after collapsing during a game.

A league official said Bakersfield Blitz linebacker Julian Yearwood, 31, collapsed while sitting on the bench in the first quarter of the game against the Wichita Stealth.

Emergency officials tried to resuscitate Yearwood for 15 to 20 minutes in the Blitz sideline area before placing him in an ambulance, Stealth spokesman Deuane Howard said. Yearwood was pronounced dead at a Wichita hospital at 9:37 p.m., Howard said. The game was immediately called off.

Arenafootball2 spokesman Ron Deuter said the league planned to wait for autopsy results before discussing any potential cause of death.

Yearwood, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound fullback/linebacker from the University of Nevada, was in his third season with the Blitz. He had 22 1/2 tackles, six sacks and one interception in 12 games, including 11 starts, this season.

Bakersfield is scheduled to visit Hawaii for the third meeting between the teams July 27.

Blast not giving up on stadium

The owner of the Pacific Blast women's football team hasn't given up on her squad playing at least some games at Aloha Stadium this season.

"It's still a consideration. But the field isn't that important. Our main goal is to play, regardless of where it is," Blast owner Nicole Wylie said.

The Blast hoped to play all five of their home games of their first season in the Women's Professional Football League at Aloha Stadium, starting Aug. 3 against the Houston Energy. But Wylie determined last week that the team would probably not be able to afford the $3,500-4,000 it costs to rent and staff the stadium per game.

The team is holding a fund-raiser tonight at Volcanoes night club from 4 to 9 p.m. The event will help determine if the Blast can host Houston at all for the opener, and if the Blast will play in the WPFL this year. Home teams are responsible for visiting team's expenses.

The Blast hopes to raise $60,000, and needs to have $80,000 in total sponsorship for the season, Wylie said.

Former Rainbow pitcher at QB Club

Rich Olsen, Nicole Wylie and Rex Johnson are the speakers at tomorrow's meeting of the Honolulu Quarterback Club.

Olsen is a former University of Hawaii pitcher who coaches the Hawaii Island Movers summer team.

Johnson is president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Wylie is owner of the Pacific Blast women's football team.

The public is invited to the lunch meeting, which begins at 11:30 at the Pagoda Hotel. The first speaker goes on at noon.

Mottl receives honor at Transpac banquet

Pegasus 77's Mike Mottl was presented with the Don Vaughn Memorial Trophy as the most valuable crew member on the boat with the fastest elapsed time in the Transpacific Yacht Race.

Philippe Kahn's Pegasus team also won the Barn Door for the second successive race in ceremonies attended by nearly 900 people at the Renaissance Ilikai Hotel in Waikiki on Friday night. Bill Turpin and his Alta Vita crew received the King Kalakaua Trophy for first overall on corrected handicap time.

Pigout brings in record bucks for UH football

The eighth annual Pigskin Pigout at Murphy's Bar & Grill raised a record $140,000 for the University of Hawaii football program on Thursday night.

The event featured bidding for sports memorabilia and other items. "Ownership" of Murphy's for one day drew the largest bid, with a winning call of $20,000.

Proceeds from the Pigout pay for UH football's training table and summer school tuition for players.

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