Jackson gets conference honors
By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer
Brigham Young junior center fielder Doug Jackson yesterday was named to the second-team All-Mountain West Conference baseball team.
Jackson, a 1999 Iolani graduate from Kailua, went 8-for-16 against New Mexico, with two doubles and two triples, last weekend to bring his average up to .339 entering the conference tournament today in Provo, Utah.
Jackson's speed has enabled him to steal 16 bases in 16 attempts, and hit 16 doubles. He has a .500 slugging percentage in 52 starts.
Jackson was first-team All-MWC last year.
MORE BASEBALL
• Pacific (Ore.)
Junior pitcher Derek Akimoto ('Aiea '99) was chosen first-team relief pitcher on the All-Northwest Conference team. Akimoto had a 7-1 record — the first Pacific pitcher to win seven games in 29 years — and a 4.99 earned run average in 15 games, including 10 relief appearances.
Senior center fielder Shaun Ebesutani (Mid-Pacific '97) of 'Aiea and senior pitcher Kyle Ishimitsu ('Aiea '98) won all-conference honorable mention.
Pacific won a school record 25 games (against 13 losses) and set a school record of 52 home runs, finishing third of nine teams in the NWC.
• Concordia (Calif.)
Senior Kenneth Yamaoka (Mid-Pacific '97, of Black Point) and freshman Lance Fujii (Baldwin '01) were busy pitchers. Yamaoka, who played previously at Hawai'i and New Mexico, went 0-3 with a 4.70 earned run average, pitching 59¡ innings in 25 games, all but four in relief. Fujii had a 3-5 record and 6.18 ERA in 59á innings. He started nine games and relieved in eight.
• Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)
Freshman catcher Richard Killen (Radford '01) was supposed to red-shirt this season, but he was activated about halfway through the conference season because of injuries to other catchers. Killen batted .273 in 15 games and Point Loma Nazarene went 33-18-1 and was eliminated in third round of the NAIA district playoffs.
• Saddleback (Calif.) Community College
Two sophomore left-handed pitchers from Kaua'i helped Saddleback of Mission Viejo reach the championship game of a California Community College regional tournament.
Kaleo Lopez (Kapa'a '00) finished 8-3 with a 4.03 ERA in 14 starts, second-most on the team. Lopez allowed 62 hits and struck out 71 in 80¡ innings. He pitched a complete game victory over sixth-ranked Cypress in a crucial game for Saddleback.
Neto Quiroz (Waimea) relieved in 14 games, but when Saddleback was battling to advance in the final two weeks of the season, he started twice against Riverside, the No. 1 ranked team in the state.
Quiroz beat Riverside with a seven-inning, seven-hit, seven-strikeout effort to get into the regional. He also started and had a no decision in the 10-inning, 8-6 loss to Riverside in the championship game.
Quiroz, who missed a total of 18 days with arm tenderness and illness, had a 5.70 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 36¡ innings. He was 1-0.
Saddleback finished 35-13, marking the seventh 30-win season for coach Jack Hodges (Kamehameha '65). He has taken the Gauchos to post-season nine of the last 10 years and has a 357-208-3 career record.
GOLF
• Pepperdine (Calif.)
It was a rough baptism into NCAA women's championship golf yesterday for freshman Rachel Kyono of Lawa'i, last year's state high school girls champion for Kaua'i High.
Kyono had six bogeys and a double bogey, and one birdie, in an opening round of 7-over-par 79.
Pepperdine, the West region co-champion, is tied for 13th in the 30-team tournament at Auburn, Wash.
Virada Nirapathpongporn of Duke led with a 4-under 68.
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
• Santa Barbara (Calif.) City College
A team with four players from Hawai'i making major contributions reached the final four in the California Community College championships.
Sophomore setter Kanani Leite-Ah Yo (St. Joseph '00) was chosen first-team all-conference. Freshman Clint Torres (Leilehua '01) "filled in wherever he was needed with his quickness," coach Melody Parker said.
Sophomore middle Tyson Takiue (Hilo '00) "overcame shoulder problems to hit very well," Parker said. Sophomore libero Dustin Chun's (Hilo '00) "excellent passing in the regionals enabled us to run a fast offense and make it to the final four," Parker said.
Santa Barbara, which had finished second in the South Coast Conference with a 12-7 record, lost to Orange Coast in the state semifinal.
ANNUAL AWARDS
• St. Andrews (N.C.)
Athletes from Hawai 'i won six major awards at the school's annual awards banquet.
As previously reported, senior Stacy Makahilahila (Kamehameha '98) of Kailua received the "Peanut" Doak award as the outstanding senior athlete. Makahilahila started in softball, where she was two-time all-conference, and volleyball.
Two freshmen from Mililani High's 2001 state championship team took the men's soccer awards. Center midfielder Jarrett Razon was chosen Most Valuable Player. Sweeper Tim Liu received the Knight award, which is presented to the person "who is the epitome of what represents a true St. Andrews athlete for that team. Some people refer to it as the coaches award," said Chris Mathes, St. Andrews sports information director.
Junior sweeper Nani Ah Sam (Mililani '99) won the Knight Award for women's soccer.
Makahilahila was chosen Most Valuable Player and sophomore pitcher Tina Gonsalves (Sacred Hearts '00, of Kailua) received the Knight award for softball.
