It’s official: Lahainaluna
to represent MIL in
state football tournament
Though Baldwin principal Stephen Yamada and coach Chad Kauha'aha'a made their plea to the league, the MIL stood by its previous ruling about the tiebreaker system.
That means Lahainaluna is, as expected, the league champion and Division I representative at the state tournament.
It was a rather complicated situation in which three teams finished the second round with identical records atop the D-I standings: Baldwin, King Kekaulike and Lahainaluna.
Because there was no provision in the MIL handbook regarding three-way ties, it was subject to interpretation.
The line of reasoning that ultimately left Lahainaluna with the title rested on the Lunas' second-round win over Baldwin.
Though the Lunas and Bears tied in their first meeting and shared the first-round title, the league title was left to the results of the second round--if the winner of that round was Baldwin or Lahainaluna.
Lahainaluna's 27-7 loss to King Kekaulike on Saturday threw a wrench in the engine. The Bears took their argument to the league on Sunday, citing equal overall records (6-1-1) and a need for a rematch to determine the MIL champion.
The league went on head-to-head results, and Lahainaluna's 21-14 win over Baldwin last month was the only measuring stick the league relied on.
The format didn't allow for a first-round tiebreaker game even though a bye week was available during the annual Maui County Fair.
Lee will be missed: If there's one constant to life, it is change.
The constant turnover of high school head coaches never seemed to faze Curtis Lee, who stepped down recently after 21 years at the helm of Maui High School football.
Lee's teams went 129-66-7 under his leadership.
Not only did Lee guide the Sabers to 10 MIL championships, he was the kind of coach who led by example. Until recent years, Lee pumped iron in the weight room with the rest of the team. He was also easy to talk with for media, gracious in victory and defeat equally.
There's no question the veteran coach still has plenty to offer as a football guru and community leader. For now, though, Lee has certainly earned a break. In the meantime, fans and reporters alike will miss one of the gentlemen of the sport.
Over hill, over dale: Kamehameha cross-country champion Jeremy Kamakaala isn't the tallest of the state's top competitors, but that matters little in a sport based on time rather than size. In fact, Kamakaala has no reservations about the daunting course at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, where the state championships will be held Friday morning.
First, the campus is in Waiaka, a few miles outside of Waimea, in an area that is several thousand feet above sea level.
In addition, the course covers flat terrain on grass, with a steep descent on a school road. If there is a morning drizzle, as is rather common on the slopes of the Kohala Mountain Range, any runner coming down too quickly on the hill could get a face full of asphalt.
"The hills are what I like," Kamakaala said after winning the Interscholastic League of Honolulu boys championship Saturday. "That's what I train on."
The hills of Kapalama Heights certainly help runners prepare for HPA's course. "The taller guys have a harder time coming down hills, but I like it," said Kamakaala, a junior who won last year's state championship.
Historically, the course at HPA ends on a flat, grass surface. That doesn't necessarily mean the taller runners will catch Kamakaala from behind. When he pulled away from the pack at the ILH championship, eventual runner-up Morgan Stephenson said he was just hoping to finish ahead of the rest of the pack.
Kingpins of the ILH: A three-team stalemate atop the standings was settled when Hawaii Baptist and Saint Francis posted wins over Mid-Pacific.
It was the first three-way tie for first in the league's girls bowling battles, according to ILH bowling coordinator Jared Kaufmann. The tiebreakers were necessary because only two teams qualify for the state championships.
Kauai's Lihue Lanes is host to the state tournament tomorrow and Friday.
Hawaii Baptist and Maryknoll finished first and second in the boys competition. The two teams averaged more than 900 pins each, a first in league history.
Each of the top five bowlers for HBA and Maryknoll averaged more than 190, another first.
Maryknoll's Vaseem Anwar led the ILH with a 205 regular-season average. HBA's Eric Tsukamoto won the tournament singles title with a 706 series. Ann Cavaco of Kamehameha won the singles title with a 547 series.
Athletes of the Week
» Jayson Rego, Kamehameha football: Rushed 34 times for 190 yards in rain-drenched conditions as the Warriors defeated Pac-Five 21-0 to clinch their first Interscholastic League of Honolulu title in 25 years.» Keri Ogden, Lucy Pollard, Tanya Lewis and Sascha Larsen-Helbing, Hawaii Prep girls cross country: The runners took the first four places to dominate the Big Island Interscholastic championships.
Honor Roll
AIR RIFLERY
» Steven Nozaki, Waiakea: Scores 538 to win the boys air riflery state championship.» Heather Horn, Punahou: Total score of 535 to win the girls air riflery state championship.
» Deana Sin, Sacred Hearts: Finished with a 535, losing on a tiebreaker, to finish second at the girls air riflery state championship.
CROSS COUNTRY
» Emmett Weatherford, Hawaii Prep: Won the BIIF boys championship with a 3-mile time of 17:34.» Keri Ogden, Hawaii Prep: Won the BIIF girls championship with a 2-mile time of 13:25.
» Lauren Ho, Hawaii Baptist: Set a 2-mile course record of 11:57 to win the ILH girls championship at Central Oahu Regional Park.
» Jeremy Kamakaala, Kamehameha: Set a 3-mile course record of 16:31 to win the ILH boys championship at Central Oahu Regional Park.
» Annzen Salvador, Campbell: Won the OIA girls championship with a 2-mile time of 12:52 at Waialua.
» Kaleikini Barrares, Mililani: Took the OIA boys championship with a 3-mile time of 16:29 at Waialua.
FOOTBALL
» Kamuela Alisa, Kahuku: Rushed 16 times for 126 yards in an OIA semifinal win over Leilehua.» Brett Kan, Punahou: Completed 15 of 25 attempts for 224 yards in a win over arch-rival Iolani. The win prevented Iolani from an opportunity to play for the ILH crown.
» Andrew Shriver, Saint Louis: Rushed for 86 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown run, on just seven carries in a win over Damien.
» Kevin Sullivan, Saint Louis: Ran for 86 yards on 11 carries, including an 18-yard touchdown run, against Damien.
KAYAKING
» Eric Abbott, Punahou: Won the boys 2,000-meter ILH race No. 5 with a time of 9:09.15.» Haili Van Lier Ribbink, Punahou: Placed first in the girls 2,000-meter ILH race No. 5 with a time of 10:47.19.
» Cole Scott, Punahou: Posted the fastest boys time in the ILH 250-meter sprint (56.21 seconds).
» Mele Carr, Punahou: Fastest girls time in the ILH 250-meter sprint (1:07.76).
VOLLEYBALL
» Aneli Cubi-Otineru, Punahou: Twenty kills in an ILH tournament final win over Kamehameha.» Larissa Nordyke, Punahou: Eighteen kills against Iolani; 15 kills against Kamehameha.
» Kaui Robello, Punahou: nine kills, 17 digs against Iolani.
» Elizabeth Kaaihue, Punahou: Twenty digs in the win over Kamehameha.
» Pohai Nuuhiwa, Punahou: Twenty digs against Kamehameha.
» Rayna Kitaguchi, Hawaii Baptist: 10 kills in a playoff loss at Kamehameha.
» Kimberly Mow, Hawaii Baptist: Nine kills vs. Kamehameha.
» Elias David, Kalaheo: Eight kills to lead Kalaheo over Kahuku for the OIA boys championship.
» Okosene Ale Jr., Kahuku: Eight kills in a loss to Kalaheo.
» Camilla Ah-Hoy, Kahuku: Ten kills in the OIA girls volleyball championship win over Moanalua.
» Lily Latu, Kahuku: Six kills, seven digs and three blocks in the win over Moanalua.
