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Kai named preseason All-WAC

University of Hawaii forward Natasha Kai and midfielder Jessica Domingo were named yesterday to the preseason All-Western Athletic Conference team.

Kai, a two-time WAC Player of the Year, is a preseason pick to attain the honor again. Last season, she led Hawaii with 29 points on 12 goals and five assists. She ranks third on the WAC's all-time list for goals with 57, 10 short of second.

Kai will be a senior this fall. Domingo is a sophomore.

Iolani reaches Western quarterfinals

Iolani made two strong showings at national girls basketball regionals recently.

The Lady Raiders, who finished the 2005 season ranked No. 5 in the Star-Bulletin Top 10, reached the final of the MidSummer Night's Madness Pacific Coast Championship tournament. Iolani fell to the WCBC Portland Bluez 65-57 in the final of the All-Star Division. The tourney was held at the University of California on July 21-24.

Less than a week later, Iolani made it to the quarterfinals of the All-Star Division of the MSNM Western Championships at Alliant University in San Diego. Iolani lost to Race Express of California 67-63. The field was comprised of 42 teams from Washington, Oregon, California, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, Wisconsin, Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Canada.

Junior 'Bow wins junior national title

University High senior wrestler Desiree Memea won the 175-pound class at the Girls Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D., on Saturday.

Memea, who also plays volleyball for the Junior Rainbows, edged Toni Copeland of New York 8-7 in the finals.

In all, five of Hawaii's 12 entrants placed among the top eight in their respective divisions.

Krystal Kiyuna of Aiea placed third in the 138 weight class. Kara Kakasaki of Punahou took fifth in the 128 division. Joleen Oshiro of Iolani earned fifth place in the 105 class. Her teammate from Iolani, Carla Watase, took seventh in the 105 division.

As a group, the team placed third nationally in the inaugural Girls National Duals.

Honolulu keiki places third

Kacie Komoto of Honolulu finished in a third-place tie at the sixth annual U.S. Kids Golf World Championship held July 28-30 in Williamsburg, Va.

Komoto shot 39, 37 and 39 to finish at 115. Younger age groups played nine-hole, par-36 courses.

HIBT kicks off

The Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is under way off the Kona Coast.

The event, which began in 1959, has a field of anglers from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Philippines, Africa, France, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Tahiti, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Canada and the United States.

Based in Kailua-Kona, the tournament began yesterday and will conclude Friday.

Mililani falls in Pony World Series final

Raymond Sugihara struck out nine and allowed just three hits, but his Mililani squad lost to Puerto Rico 3-1 in the final of the Pony 13 World Series at Chino Hills, Calif.

Kacey Miyasato went 2-for-3 to lead Mililani's six-hit attack. Brett Kakugawa, Keanu Carmichael and Jeremy Sugitan each doubled. Carmichael earned the tournament batting-average title, hitting .571. Mililani's Kainoa Inafuku earned lowest-ERA honors with an average of 0.88.

Former Olympian Macdonald to run

Duncan Macdonald will join fellow former Olympians at the USA Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday at Cooke Field.

Macdonald, 56, was the first runner to break Steve Prefontaine's American 5,000-meter record in 1976. The Kailua graduate and current Punahou coach is a longtime anesthesiologist in Honolulu. He will run in Thursday's 5,000-meter run. The event begins at 7:30 a.m.

Other former Olympians entered in the four-day event include Trish Porter, Val Barnwell and Anna Wlodarcyzk.