Punahou alumna Ali Wilson scored the most points of any freshman in the Northeast Small-College Conference.
Laboring in obscurity
Many local athletes toil outside
the spotlight at small colleges, but
their achievements are anything
but small
So many student-athletes from Hawaii are succeeding at the highest levels of college sports that sometimes others who earn distinction at smaller colleges are squeezed out of Hawaii Grown by space and time.
For example, Randi Miura, a St. Andrew's Priory graduate from Waipio, had no press clippings when she enrolled in Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore., in 2002.
But at the end of her sophomore season, Miura was chosen first-team All-Northwest Conference softball catcher by coaches of the NCAA Division III league. Lewis & Clark coach Jennifer Piper says that Miura is a shining example of what determination and hard work can accomplish.
"She walked on as a freshman and hit in the eighth or ninth slot," Piper said, "but she worked very hard over the summer and fall and worked up to No. 3 or 4 in our batting order this season."
"She became a challenge at the plate for opposing teams," Piper says.
Miura, who has started all but one game for the Pioneers the past two years, batted .261 this year and was second on her team in runs scored (16) and RBIs (13).
"She worked her way into being a big, big portion of our team," Piper said. "She has a great head on her shoulders and loves to play."
Miura's teammates elected her captain this year. Piper says Miura is so versatile that she might be used as a middle infielder next season.
"I wish I could have nine of her," the coach said.
HONORABLY MENTIONED on the All-Northwest Conference softball team was Pacific (Oregon) freshman outfielder Jimo Fujimoto (Iolani '03 of Mililani).
Fujimoto led Pacific in batting at .314, including seven multiple-hit games and was one of two regular starters who never made an error.
Also on the Pacific roster were junior outfielder Kimi Hee (Mid-Pacific '01), who also was errorless for 2004; second baseman Erin Sakai (University '00) and freshman infielder Kami Shigematsu (Honoka'a).
SWIMMING
Ali Wilson and Puni Almony, classmates at Punahou a year ago, have hit Connecticut College and the Northeast Small-College Conference like a tsunami out of the Pacific.Wilson scored the most points of any freshman in the conference championship meet and set three school records with times of 5:06.26 in the 500-yard freestyle (first place); 10:40.19 in the 1,000 freestyle (second place) and 17.46.62 in the 1,650 freestyle, swimming's mile.
She lowered the college's 1,000 record about 23 seconds during the season. She also helped the 4x100 freestyle relay team set a school record.
Almony, who is from Kaneohe, also scored points in all three of those events and contributed to a school record 800 freestyle relay record.
Connecticut had its highest conference finish in history, "in large part because of them," coach Mark Benvenuti said.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Junior Kaniela Aiona (Honoka'a '01 of Kamuela) earned honorable mention in the Saint Louis Conference and sophomore Christian Basilio (Hilo '02) developed into an important role player for Webster University in St. Louis, Mo."Kaniela was our best interior offensive player -- our second-leading scorer (12.4 points per game) and second-leading rebounder (5.9 per game)," coach Chris Bunch said. "He made a huge jump from 2003, when he averaged about six points a game, and he could be as good as anybody in the league next season if he keeps improving."
Aiona, who is 6-feet-6, made 49.6 percent of his field-goal attempts and 78.9 percent of his free-throw attempts.
Basilio, who is 6-5, "was our best defensive player off the bench," Bunch said. "He scored 14 points in our two-overtime win over Maryville, the conference champion."
Aiona and Basilio were recruited to Webster by David Kaneshiro (Hilo '90), who was appointed head coach at Blackburn College in Illinois last fall. Kaneshiro was an all-conference player at Beloit in 1994 and coached Webster to a conference championship in 2002.
He hopes to improve on his team's 7-17 record in his first season by luring some Big Island players there.
For movie fans, Webster's nickname is the Gorloks.
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Vassar (N.Y.) sophomore Matt Bninski (Hawaii Baptist Academy '02 of Aiea) ranked 17th nationally in small-college kills with 4.11 per game (329 in 80 games).He tied for 13th nationally in aces with an ace in every other game (40 total). Bninski hit .284.
SOCCER CORRECTION
Colin Yuh, who will play at Yuba (junior) College in Northern California this season, was a 2002 graduate of Pearl City High School and was second-team All-OIA West. Information on last Sunday's list of college-bound soccer players was incorrect.
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Ruth, McGuigan continue
to excelThe reputation of Hawaii high school baseball was upheld on Division I college diamonds this year by the last two Hawaii Players of the Year.
Kamehameha's Keoni Ruth, the 2003 Player of the Year, started all 55 games at second base for the University of San Diego (34-21). Ruth batted .342 (77-for-225), leading the team in stolen bases with 14 in 15 attempts. He fielded .974 (seven errors in 274 chances.)
Patrick McGuigan, the 2002 PlayerPitcher of the Year, was the University of San Francisco's most effective relief pitcher in his sophomore season.
McGuigan had a 2.61 ERA, six saves and a 3-3 record for the Dons, who struggled through a 27-32 season. He pitched 51 2/3 innings in 31 relief appearances (no starts) and struck out 38.
Also at San Diego, junior outfielder Gavin Ng (Mililani '00) was used mainly as a pinch runner or defensive replacement in 40 games and batted .259.
Also at USF, junior utility infielder Cy Donald (Mililani '01) batted .319 in 45 games (30 starts) and junior second baseman Royce Fukuroku (Maui '01) batted .254 in 54 games (28 starts).
Troy Nakamura (Iolani '94) has been an assistant coach at San Francisco since he finished an outstanding playing career there in 1998.
At Chicago State, freshman second baseman Jonathan Sakurai (Aiea '03) started 53 games and batted .253. Sakurai led his team and was second in the Mid-Continent Conference in stolen bases with 25 in 29 attempts, a success rate of .862.
At Navy, freshman Michael Garcia (Kalaheo '02) was a reserve infielder, playing in seven games.
At Pacific (Oregon), senior third baseman Kyle Shimizu (Maui '00 of Kula) earned Northwest Conference (NCAA Division III) honorable mention for the second year in a row. Shimizu, who also played catcher, hit .276 with 16 runs and 16 RBI in 36 games.
Also on the Pacific roster were: sophomore outfielder Kyle Yanabu (Mid-Pacific '01), who batted .312 in 21 games; sophomore pitcher Chris Loo (Iolani '02 of Waipio), who was 0-3 with a 9.43 earned run average in 21 innings; senior pitcher Kyle Oroku (Leilehua of Mililani), who was 3-2 with a 6.91 ERA in 27 1/3 innings; and freshman infielder Mark Saito (Honoka'a '02 of Pa'aulio), .222 in 18 games.
At Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (southern California), three Hawaii players were chosen on the All-Southern California Intercollegiate Conference (SCIAC) team selected by coaches.
Senior shortstop Tyler Kimura (Iolani '00 of Kalani Valley) and sophomore outfielder Kyle Seminara (Punahou '02 of Mililani) were picked first team and senior catcher Chad Sakumoto (Punahou '00 of Kaimuki) was picked second team in the NCAA Division III league.
Seminara led Claremont batting at .366 and slugging at .621 in 39 games. He also was chosen second-team Western Region Division III by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Kimura batted .315 in 40 games, while Sakumoto, who is playing semipro baseball in the Netherlands, hit .324 in 32 games with .524 slugging and .989 fielding averages.
Sophomore relief pitcher Matthew Oda (Punahou '02 of Kakaako) led Claremont in earned run average at 3.99. He was 3-0 in 15 relief appearances and 29 1/3 innings.
At Yavapai College (Ariz.), freshman shortstop Gered Mochizuki (Baldwin '03) batted .305, shared the team lead in runs scored with 47 and stole 12 bases.
Left-hander Shawn Benson (Pearl City '03) led the team with a 2.00 ERA. He went 6-2 with 57 strikeouts in 63 innings.
Moss, Aterado make changes
Two former all-state athletes have changed destinations for their college careers.
Consensus all-state football linebacker Dylan Moss of Saint Louis obtained a release from Division I-AA Alcorn State of Mississippi, with whom he had signed in February. On Thursday Moss committed to Northern Colorado, which is transitioning up to Division I-AA.
Two-time junior college All-America soccer player Majell Aterado, who was known as Gerard Horn when he was all-state for Pearl City High in 2000, is going to West Florida instead of Alabama-Birmingham, with whom he had signed.
Moss demanded a release after Alcorn State reneged on the academic scholarship it offered despite his 1320 SAT score and 2.8 GPA, according to his mother, Susan Moss of Kailua.
Aterado failed to meet the NCAA Division I academic requirements at Santa Rosa JC so his letter of intent with UAB was voided and he is en route to Division II West Florida instead.
