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2005 Presidents' Team Chess tourney set

The 2005 Presidents' 4x4 Team Scholastic Chess Tournament is set for Monday at the Aliamanu Intermediate Cafeteria.

There will be Elementary, Intermediate and High School divisions, under United States Chess Federation rules. Teams will be made up of four players from the same school.

For information e-mail gpontai@hawaii.rr.com or go to www.hawaiichess.org or www.mililanichess.org.

Vulcans, Seasiders ranked in regional poll

The Hawaii-Hilo men's basketball team remained No. 1 in this week's NCAA West Region poll this week.

The Vulcans (23-3), who were 2-1 last week, may now have the inside track on hosting the NCAA West Regional. The top eight teams in the final poll receive invitations to the NCAA Tournament with the top-ranked team in each of the eight regions hosting the first rounds.

Hawaii-Hilo is idle this week and has just two games remaining, both against Hawaii Pacific next week.

BYU-Hawaii (12-7) held at No. 9, where the Seasiders have sat for three weeks. MSU-Billings plays at BYU-Hawaii today and Saturday in two games that now have tournament implications for both teams.

Na Kani Koa to face USAF All-Stars

Local squad Na Kani Koa will face the United States American Football All-Stars -- featuring former Hawaiian Islanders Mike Tillis, Nate Jackson and Morrie Roe -- Saturday night at Kaiser High School in adult football action.

The USAF All-Stars are a charitable organization founded by former NFL player Joe Thomas as a traveling team to teach American football to other countries.

Proceeds from the game will go to the MYF Christian youth camp headed by former Hawaii defensive back Chris Shinnick.

Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.

Na joins SBS field, Chun and Kono can qualify

Seventeen-year-old Na Yeon Choi has been granted a sponsor's exemption to the field of next week's $1,000,000 LPGA SBS Open at Turtle Bay.

Na won the ADT CAPS Invitational, the Korean LPGA's final event, and turned pro immediately afterward. The SBS Open, Feb. 21-26, will be her first American LPGA event.

She joins Hawaii's 15-year-old Michelle Wie as a sponsor's exemption.

Two more Hawaii teens, Kamehameha senior Mari Chun and 15-year-old Punahou student Stephanie Kono, have been granted special exemptions to Monday's qualifying tournament. Spots in the qualifier are normally reserved for pro players.

Alaska vs. Hawaii race shootout this weekend

Fourteen Alaska drivers and 12 local drivers will compete tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday in the Horizon Lines' Alaska Versus Hawaii Shootout at Hawaii Raceway Park in the Campbell Industrial Park.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. tomorrow, 4 p.m. Saturday and drag racing will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday and run all day.

Broncos beat Rainbow Wahine indoors

Bad weather moved the matches indoors and Santa Clara beat Hawaii 4-2 in women's tennis action yesterday at Fremont, Calif.

Rainbow Wahine No. 1 Lauren Fitzgerald beat SCU's Janalle Kaloi, a Kamehameha Schools graduate, 6-2, 6-0 and Hawaii's No. 6 Kana Aikawa beat Jessie Strunk 6-3, 6-3. But the Broncos swept the four remaining singles matches.

Hawaii continues its five-match road trip today at Western Athletic Conference foe San Jose State.