OIA football going back to school

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

First-round games in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association football tournament next season will be moved from Aloha Stadium to high school fields, executive secretary Dwight Toyama said yesterday.

"It's a financial decision," Toyama said. "Aloha Stadium has been very cooperative in helping to keep costs down, but last year our expenses at the stadium were a little over $14,000 for the first round. At two school sites our expenses would be about $2,000.

"Also, at school sites, the host school gets to keep the concession profits whereas we don't receive anything from concessions for the games played at Aloha, and people don't have to pay for parking at the schools.

Scheduling also played a factor.

"We will be able to play all first-round games on Friday nights, whereas at Aloha we need to use Thursday and Friday nights," Toyama said.

Toyama noted that Aloha Stadium had tried to reduce costs by closing the south end zone, but "the facility is so big (50,000 capacity), its costs are high anyway."

SAILING

Sails and whales: Crews in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu regatta last Thursday got a double treat about a half-mile off shore between the Hilton and Magic Island.

They were visited first by a giant turtle and then by a mother whale and her calf. The whales rose out of the crystal-clear water three or four times and crossed within 30 to 40 feet of the bow of the officials' boat and just behind the 17 racing boats, Punahou athletic director Tom Holden said.

"The image of sails and whales will be frozen in my memory forever," Holden said. "It was one of those gee-whiz moments."

TENNIS

National caliber: Punahou's boys tennis team finished third among 16 teams at the National Invitational All America High School Championships on March 19-23 at Santa Ana, Calif. Punahou lost 5-4 to the eventual champion, Corona del Mar.