Kaiser alum Swart sets swimming record

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Ashley Swart became a collegiate swimming record holder and a high school All-American in the same week.

Earlier last week, Swart was notified by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association that she had earned All-America status in two events during 2002. She was honored for her state championship meet-record time of 2:03.80 in the 200 individual medley and for her 4:56.76 clocking in the 500 freestyle.

She also attained Scholastic All-America status from USA Swimming.

Swart's breaststroke on Saturday was 11/100ths of a second off her lifetime best and comes in the first month of the season, when swimmers seldom approach their best times.

"We are expecting great things from her," San Diego coach Mike Keeler said.

VOLLEYBALL

• Rochester (N.Y.)

Freshman right-side hitter Blair Nonaka (Iolani '02 of Hawai'i Kai) was chosen Rookie of the Week in the 36-team New York State Women's Association

Nonaka had 42 kills (4.07 per game) with a .275 hitting percentage, eight aces (0.57 per game), 15 blocks (1.07 pg) and 26 digs (1.86 pg) in three matches.

SOCCER

• York (Nebraska)

Three starters from Hawai'i could play pivotal roles as York (12-4-2) enters the Midland Conference tournament Friday as the No. 2 seed.

"We run our three from Hawai'i right up the middle," coach Chris Luther said, "forward, midfield and defender."

Junior Keoni Ariola (Campbell '99) is York's captain and a three-year starter. "He's phenomenal," Luther said. "He controls the midfield, is very vocal and has one of the sweeter touches. He was a cornerback in high school football and his defensive stance, the way he breaks down, is outstanding."

Twins Randy and Bobby Shinn (Pearl City '01) transferred from Missouri Valley this fall "and won starting spots right off the bat," Luther said.

"They both are very fast, very intense and very good in the air. It's fun to watch them," Luther said.

Randy has played sweeper most of the season, but missed nine games with a torn right meniscus ligament. "Randy knows where and how to push 'em," Luther said, "and he wins every ball in the air."

Bobby has started every game at forward and leads York in scoring with 10 goals and 10 assists for 30 points.

"He's scored on breakaways, a couple out of the air — one on a cross where he basically laid out horizontally and put his head on it. That was one of the best-looking goals I've ever seen," Luther said.

His biggest goal came against Park, Mo., currently ranked No. 5 in the NAIA and seeded first in the conference tournament The game ended in a 1-1 two-overtime tie.)

• Washington

Senior Kyle Fukuchi (Mililani '99 of Hale'iwa) has been nominated for the University Division Verizon Academic All-America team from District 8.

Fukuchi, a back-up midfielder and business major, has a 3.66 grade-point average. He was the state boys Player of the Year in 1999.

• Western Oregon

On the field and in the classroom, sophomore Erin Ota (Maryknoll '01 of Kane'ohe) is a winner.

She made a spectacular 50-yard dribble drive to score the winning goal Sunday in a 2-1 victory over Humboldt State (Calif.) that guaranteed the Wolves a second-place finish in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

In the 77th minute, Ota picked up the ball near midfield and made her way around, through and over at least three defenders — leaping over one — before kicking the ball past Humboldt State (Calif.) goalkeeper Mariah Talbott, reported Russ Blunck, Western Oregon sports information director. "It was a thing of beauty," Blunck said.

Ota is the only player from Hawai'i included on the All-Great Northwest Soccer Academic Team to be announced today. She is a business major with a 3.66 grade-point average — 11th highest among 42 women honored.

Western Oregon finished 8-3-1 in the conference.

CROSS COUNTRY

This is how Hawai'i high-school graduates at Mainland colleges fared in conference championship races last weekend:

• Pac 10: Oregon junior Alicia Snyder-Carlson (St. Anthony '99 of Kihei) tripped in the first 150 meters and received a six-stitch gash at the top of her forearm when she was spiked by another runner. She didn't finish but is back at practice this week.

Oregon junior Eri Macdonald (Punahou '99 of Kailua) was 44th in 22:36 on the 6-kilometer course in Pasadena, Calif.

• Big Sky: Portland State sophomore Annie Kawasaki (St. Francis '01 of Makiki) was 29th in 20:28.6 (5K). "It was under 26 degrees and snowing in Pocatello (Idaho)," she said. "We had to rub olive oil on ourselves to keep us warm. It was quite an experience."

• Mountain West: San Diego State freshman Christal Cuadra (Maryknoll '02 of Manoa), last year's girls state high school champion, was 56th in 24:45.30 (6K).

• West Coast: Gonzaga senior Mark Bridenstine (Mililani '99) finished 50th in 29:50 (8K).

• Great Northwest: Seattle Pacific sophomore Aaron Libadisos (Kealakehe) was 67th in 27:35.45 (8K). The race was Oct. 26. Libadisos, a computer science major, did better Monday when the all-conference academic team was announced. His 3.23 grade-point average placed him 36th among male runners honored.

• Big Ten: Michigan freshman Todd Iacovelli (Punahou '02 of Kailua), a two-time boys state high school champion, is red-shirting. He ran 3,200 meters indoors in 9:14.8 in an intrasquad race last week. "We red-shirted him to give him another year of seasoning and time to adjust to everything, but he might be ready for the indoor season," which starts next month, assistant coach Fred LaPlante said.

• Big West: San Jose State junior Robbie Phillip (Mililani '00) sprained an ankle practice running in the Bay Area foothills and has been out for several weeks.

Next up for the runners whose teams qualified is the NCAA Western Regional Championships. Division I will be held Nov. 16 on Stanford Golf Course.

Earlier in the season, Kawasaki finished 53rd and Cuadra 71st among 234 finishers at the Stanford Invitational.

Julian Tsukano (University High) of San Diego's Alliant International was 169th of 230 men at Stanford. He'll run in an NAIA regional Saturday.