Oregon soccer star Garbin out for season
By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer
Sophomore Nicole Garbin of Maui, the go-to striker of the University of Oregon's women's soccer team, will undergo surgery this week for a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
She will be out the remainder of the year and will apply for a medical redshirt season, Oregon coach Bill Steffan said yesterday. "She tore 90 percent of her left ACL," he said.
Garbin was chosen Hawai'i high school Player of the Year in 2000 and 2001, when she led Baldwin High to successive state championships.
She was hurt during a practice on a "spongy field" in Bradenton, Fla., during a road trip last week. "She went one way and her leg went the other," said her brother, A.J. She had played one game this season.
"She has borne this very well," Steffan said.
In her freshman season last year, Garbin set an Oregon school record of four game-winning goals.
Her loss will put added pressure on freshman striker Mele French of Mililani, especially when Oregon plays 16-time NCAA champion North Carolina in Eugene Sept. 29.
MORE SOCCER
• Southern Methodist
Four games into his collegiate soccer career, Duke Hashimoto is the principal shot-taker for one of the top teams in the nation.
Hashimoto leads the team in shots (11) and shots on goal (7) and is the second-leading scorer (1 goal, 2 assists, 4 points).
Hashimoto was Hawai'i high school boys Player of the Year last season for Iolani, scoring 13 goals. He is from Kapolei.
SMU fell from No. 7 to No. 17 in national rankings after losing at No. 1 Stanford, 3-2, Friday night. But veteran Stanford sports information director Bob Vasquez said Hashimoto left a strong impression with his speed and skill.
He is one of two freshmen starting for SMU, which went 21-1 last year and was ranked No. 1 in the nation most of the season.
• Brigham Young
With a big recruiting class that includes two high school All-Americans and was ranked 17th best in the nation by Soccer Buzz magazine, it would have been easy to overlook Charlene Lui (Punahou '02 of Wai'alae Iki).
But Lui, the first player from Hawai'i signed by BYU in its eight-year soccer history, earned a start at defender by opening day and was "very solid" in a 2-1 upset of then No. 2-ranked Portland, coach Jennifer Rockwood said.
Lui "has played majority of her minutes at stopper, but could be an outside marking back or center midfield defender," Rockwood said. "Charlene is doing an outstanding job for us. I couldn't be more pleased."
She is playing in the same backfield as Team USA member Aleisha Cramer, whom national coach April Heinrich has called "the most impactful player in women's college soccer today."
BYU, the three-time defending Mountain West Conference champion, has played a steady diet of Top 20 teams.
"Charlene's a neat young lady with a positive attitude and work rate ... a good example," Rockwood said.
FOOTBALL
• Wisconsin
Donovan Raiola, a first-team all-state offensive lineman for Kamehameha in 2000, saw his first collegiate action Saturday. Raiola entered the game at left guard in the second quarter when Wisconsin's starter was injured and on the next play the Badgers scored on a 4-yard run to his side, team spokesman Brian Lucas said.
"He played probably half the game, at center and both guard spots," Lucas said. Wisconsin (3-0) defeated West Virginia, 34-17.
Raiola's brother Dominic (St. Louis '97, Nebraska) started at center for the Detroit Lions Sunday.
R.J. Morse (Iolani '01) of Waipahu is Wisconsin's punter. He averaged 41.6 yards last year before a pulled hamstring cut his season in half. His average this year is only 36.9, but he put three punts inside the 20 Saturday and none were returned, Lucas said.
"I'm really impressed with how (Morse) has improved his technique," coach Barry Alvarez said. "His get-off time is right around two seconds. He's really worked on his hands. He's always had a strong leg. He's put a lot of work in and it doesn't surprise me that he's been able to put the ball where he wants it and pull the string a little bit when necessary."
Lyle Maiava, a first-team all-state defensive lineman for St. Louis in 2000, is No. 3 at defensive tackle and has not played for Wisconsin yet.
• Colorado
Lafaele "Vaka" Manupuna (St. Louis '01 of Kane'ohe) has recovered from a torn posterior cruciate ligament in spring practice and is No. 2 at one of the Buffaloes' two defensive tackle spots.
"Vaka's a tough, hard-nosed Polynesian who's a pretty intense player, and one who prides himself in how he plays," said Colorado assistant Brian Cabral, a St. Louis, Colorado and Chicago Bears alumnus. "I'd guess he'll see at least 20 plays a game at the start."
Manupuna was a first-team all-state defensive lineman in 1999 and 2000.
• Stanford
It's not certain yet, but freshman linebacker Taualai Fonoti (St. Louis '02 of Pawa'a ) "probably will redshirt," team spokesman Gary Migdol said.
"The philosophy remains that 'the best players will play, regardless of class,' .... it's likely that he will redshirt, however," Migdol said.
BASEBALL
• Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
Ikaika Lester, two-time all-state player at Moloka'i and one of the backbones of the Farmers' state championship teams in 1999-2000, is at fall practice with the 12-time NAIA champions.
Lester, who made all-state as a pitcher and as an outfielder, is projected to pitch and play first base for coach Ed Cheff.
