ISLE FILE
Kalani football team returns to practice
Advertiser Staff
Kalani High's football team went back to practice yesterday and the Falcons hope to play their next game Friday against Nanakuli.
Nearly all of the 24 varsity players practiced yesterday after a meeting with the school principal during their last class period.
"Everything's cool," said senior quarterback Matt Runnels, one of the players who had boycotted practice last week to protest the full-time reassignment of popular defensive coordinator David Rita to the junior varsity.
"We talked it over and decided that the most important thing is that we just want to play," Runnels said. "This is our last year."
Kalani forfeited Saturday's scheduled game at Waialua because it did not have enough players. Even without the boycott, only 14 players were academically eligible, vice principal Larry Kaliloa said Friday.
An early grade check was to be done today to see which players were eligible, Runnels said. "We can try to help them all get eligible by Friday," he said.
The players have accepted that they will not have coach Rita on the varsity, Runnels said.
No school administrators or coaches offered comments last night.
VOLLEYBALL
Chaminade sweeps: Chaminade beat Pacific West Conference foe Western New Mexico, 35-33, 30-28, 30-16, last night to sweep the Mustangs in the two-match series at McCabe Gym.
Kahala Kabalis led Chaminade with 16 kills, 18 digs and five aces. Valasi Sepulona added 15 kills and Audrey Brady 11.
The Silverswords improved to 8-1 overall and 2-0 in the PacWest.
Western New Mexico fell to 8-4 and 0-2.
Hawai'i Pacific triumphs: Middle blocker Susy Garbelotti pounded 25 kills last night to help No. 24 Hawai'i Pacific beat Montana State-Billings, 30-19, 30-25, 24-30, 30-21, in a Pacific West Conference match at St. Andrew's Priory gym.
Garbelotti, a senior from Brazil, also had nine digs, six blocks, two assists and one service ace as HPU improved to 7-3 overall and 2-0 in the PacWest.
HPU setter Vera Lucia Oliveira had 43 assists, seven kills and nine digs. Sandra Brunke added 10 kills and eight digs.
Olivia Munro led Montana State (4-8, 0-3) with 19 kills and 12 digs.
GOLF
Wahine in last: The University of Hawai'i women's golf team got off to a rough start yesterday at the Oregon State Shanico Invitational in Corvallis, Ore.
The Wahine shot a two-round total of 638 — which is last in the 18-team field and 53 strokes off the lead.
California leads the tournament at 585, two strokes ahead of UCLA.
Junior Rene Krause led the Wahine with a 4-over 76 in the first round and a 74 in the second round. She is tied for 20th.
The final 18 holes will be played today.
King leads seniors: John King shot a 1-over-par 72 yesterday to take a three-stroke lead over Mervin Matsumoto in the O'ahu Country Club Senior Men's Invitational.
UH women's head basketball coach Vince Goo is tied with Paul Johnstone for third at 76.
Ron Coker and Williard Peahi are tied at 78 to lead the super senior flight.
The final round will be played today, starting at 7 a.m.
Lee far back: Regan Lee of Hawai'i shot a 3-over-par 74 yesterday in the first round of the Gateway Tour's Johnson Bank Invitational.
Lee is tied with 13 others for 123rd place.
