Low giving up
volleyball
Derrick Low is a busy guy these days, but he'll be doing one less thing this fall than in previous years.
He won't be playing for the Iolani volleyball team.
Derrick Low
Low, who orally committed to play basketball for Washington State earlier this month, wanted extra time to focus on other things.
"It's not necessarily to concentrate on just basketball," Low said. "Schoolwork is one thing, basketball is another. I'm a senior now, so it's time to be getting certain things done. I want to enjoy my senior year a little better."
As an outside hitter, Low helped the Raiders volleyball team to a second-place finish in last year's state tournament.
As a guard for the basketball team, Low is trying to lead Iolani to its third straight state title this winter.
Iolani volleyball head coach Luis Ramirez is at a preseason tournament on Kauai and could not be reached for comment.
According to various sources, former University of Hawaii volleyball star Tony Ching is helping Ramirez with the Raiders this fall.
Low, one of Hawaii's most highly recruited high school basketball players ever, had fun at the Nike Camp in Indianapolis and at the Adidas Tournament in Las Vegas last month.
"It's just a thrill playing in front of all those college coaches (at the Nike Camp)," he said. "And I thought I did pretty good. I did what I was supposed to do, and I was aggressive going to the basket."
Low's Hawaii All-Stars team went 1-3 at the Adidas Tournament, but each of the three losses was by four points.
Also, Low's Electricians Hawaii team finished as runner-up in the NCAA Summer League, losing to Mango Moon 109-103 in the title game Tuesday night.
"We gave them too many easy fastbreak points," Low said. "That was their strength -- get rebounds and fly down the court -- and we didn't get back on defense."
That game will probably be the last organized game he'll play with longtime Raiders teammate Bobby Nash for a while. The 6-foot-7 Nash, who is an incoming freshman at the University of Hawaii, scored 30 in the title-game loss.
"I don't know if anyone can replace Bobby (at Iolani)," Low said. "But we'll have other kids on the team contributing (in the frontcourt) quite well -- Zach Tollefson, Todd Blankenship and Sean Carney."
Pac-Five off and running: New Wolfpack head football coach Joe Onosai is pleased with the progress of his squad.
Yesterday, he addressed speculation that Pac-Five would stress the running game more this year.
"Back when Pac-Five won two Prep Bowls (1982 and '85), there was a very balanced attack, and that's how you get it done," he said. "For the last decade, we've been pass oriented and have had the leading quarterbacks and leading receivers. But stats only take you so far.
"We look to defense as being our strength and we hope to be able to run the ball to shorten the game."
Onosai, a member of the 1982 Wolfpack Prep Bowl champs, said the team held a summer camp for the first time in 20 years, and he thinks it has helped the players bond.
Dizon to join Buffaloes: Waimea senior running back and linebacker Jordon Dizon has orally committed to play for the University of Colorado next year, according to Waimea athletic director Jim Kitamura.
Dizon was the Kauai Interscholastic Federation's leading rusher last year, and he has appeared in three state tournaments. This year, he'll make it four straight because Waimea already has an automatic berth into the newly created Division II tournament.
"They (the Buffaloes) want him and they'll give him a full ride if he accepts (signs a binding letter of intent)," Kitamura said. "They really like his ability as a linebacker."
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Dizon has attended camps in Colorado the past two summers.
"He was getting letters from schools like Colorado and Oregon all the time, and Colorado recruiters came here to visit him," Kitamura said. "He was kind of turned off that all of a sudden the University of Hawaii showed an interest in him when he went to a camp on Oahu this summer and that they weren't interested in him before."
Iolani improvements: The Iolani athletic facilities have a new look.
The football field and track are pretty much the same, but new bleacher seating for 1,200 fans are part of what is now called Kozuki Stadium and Eddie Hamada Track and Field.
The seating, which also includes an air-conditioned press box, is just one part of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building. The building also houses 32 classrooms, a new maintenance/storage facility beneath the stadium and a 350-space parking structure.
Iolani's first preseason home football game is Sept. 6, when Keaau visits from the Big Island.
Athletic director Judy Hiramoto said the new facilities help all students in "myriad ways" and that she's especially thankful for "the urgently needed" parking structure.
The school is also in the process of adding six new tennis courts (to replace the courts that were razed to make room for the Weinberg Building) and a new tennis office.
Calling all announcers: Even though legendary sports broadcaster Les Keiter retired as Aloha Stadium spokesman last year, he's still a consultant for "Stadium Stars," a program for people who want to become sports announcers.
"Hey all you wannabe sports announcers, here is a golden opportunity," Keiter said.
Those who sign up learn how to do play-by-play and analysis for high school football games at Aloha Stadium.
To sign up or for more information, call Dave Golz at 486-9511.
Volleyball tourney concludes tomorrow: The annual Longy Okamoto Volleyball Classic started yesterday and finishes up tomorrow at McKinley High School.
Two-time defending state boys champion Kamehameha is in the field, along with many other Oahu high schools. Two squads -- Molokai and a team from San Antonio -- flew in for the event.
Trojans need coaches: Mililani is looking for coaches for varsity baseball, girls water polo and boys and girls golf. Anyone who is interested can send a resume to athletic director Glenn Nitta at Mililani High School, 95-1200 Meheula Parkway, Mililani, HI, 96789. The deadline is Aug. 29. For more information, call Nitta at 627-7369.
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