Hogue to coach basketball
at AOP
Bob Hogue could well be the first active state senator to be a head coach in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.
Academy of the Pacific athletic director Brad Kitsu announced that Hogue is the school's new boys varsity basketball coach.
Hogue, an active play-by-play broadcaster who also writes a weekly sports column for MidWeek, has long coached youth basketball. Hogue's daughter, Becky, was an all-state hoopster at Punahou.
Hogue's assistant will be Jayson Kaneakala. Kitsu also said that Maika'i Otsuka-Spencer is the new Intermediate coach. Otsuka-Spencer is a younger brother of longtime Leilehua boys basketball coach Keith Spencer.
All-star game on TV: If you build it, as we learned from the timeless baseball flick, "Field of Dreams," they will come.
In this case, the Hawaii Union Builders Foundation's annual goodwill football all-star exhibition game has attracted OC-16. The game will be televised for the first time in its 13-year existence.
Tau Harrington, the foundation's director of marketing and promotions, is excited about the event's future. "Last year, I noticed that there were a fair number of volunteers and others donating time and services on what was a labor of love," the former Punahou player said.
The game will be played Dec. 10 at Aloha Stadium, one week after the state tournament finals.
Farrington's Randall Okimoto and Damien co-head coaches Dean Nakagawa and Rudy Alejo will guide the two squads.
In addition, 80 percent of the ticket sales raised by individual schools will be donated to the schools by the HUB Foundation, Harrington said. Tickets are available through athletic departments.
About the Warriors' losses: Officially, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu recognizes Kamehameha's football overall record with two defeats, though the Warriors have just one loss in league play.
Kamehameha and Saint Louis met several weeks ago in a game that featured reserve players. The intent was to give these deserving players playing time in a game that would not count except as a "non-league" game, according to the ILH. So, when you see Kamehameha's overall mark at 7-2-1, it's a reflection of the league's official count, not ours.
Bottom line? Kamehameha leads the Division I standings with a 5-1 mark, and that's all that really matters to long-suffering Warrior fans.
Red Raiders 'sandbag' it: When torrential rains hit the North Shore last week, the Kahuku track turned into a moat around a playable football field.
Because the athletic facilities are down slope from the rest of the campus, the heavy rains made quick headway toward Thomas Walker Gym. By Wednesday afternoon, the situation was serious. Faculty, staff and folks from the community received a delivery of 50 sandbags from the state Department of Accounting and General Services and began loading them around the gym, particularly at the mauka door.
Their timing was perfect. By spending several hours to save the recently refurbished gym floor, the Oahu Interscholastic Association boys volleyball tournament was able to proceed as scheduled in the gym Thursday night.
Come Thursday, classes were canceled due to the flooded conditions. Weary-eyed, but smiling athletic director Joe Whitford rested just for a moment as the first of two quarterfinal matches began at 6 p.m.
By 6:25, however, another crisis arose. Before Game 2 of the Nanakuli-Radford match, all power to the gym was lost, and Whitford was back in emergency mode. Nearly an hour later, with fans singing happy birthday and players busy with campfire games, officials in the pitch-black gym were ready to reschedule the matches to Radford for Friday night.
Fortunately, power was restored. After 59 minutes in the dark, and another 14 minutes to allow players to warm up again, the match resumed. The home team won the later match, a three-set comeback win over Leilehua. There were no heroes' applause for the helping hands who saved the gym floor, but it is just another example of the strength of a united community.
Running against the wind: When Hawaii Prep dropped its two non-league football games by lopsided scores, the outlook wasn't promising for Big Island Interscholastic Federation play. Though Ka Makani's program is storied and proud, the team is always at the mercy of injuries.
Once running back Mike Kopra and quarterback Billy Case returned, however, everything began to click. Hawaii Prep finished the regular season undefeated with a 24-14 triumph over Hilo, which had been unbeaten and ranked No. 10 in the Star-Bulletin top 10 poll.
Hawaii Prep's win meant little in the standings. HPA had already clinched the top seed for the league's Division II playoffs and a first-round bye. Hilo was already in the same scenario for the Division I playoffs.
However, in the eyes of fans, a perfect run through the regular season is akin to a league title for HPA.
Kopra, who is probably going to give Hilo running back Royden Nabarro a run for offensive player of the year honors, was more than just a workhorse, according to longtime West Hawaii Today contributing columnist Sean Pagett.
"Michael Kopra had been ill for several days and was throwing up on the sideline in-between plays in the first half. He played with as much heart as I've seen anyone have," Pagett said of Kopra, who rushed for 165 yards on 25 carries.
"Their entire team and coaching staff have been incredible all season."
Coach Tom Goodspeed's squad, now 9-0 in BIIF play, cracked the Star-Bulletin poll at No. 10 on Monday.
