Players from Waiakea, 'Aiea verbally commit to Rainbows

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Three Hawai'i players, including one from Hilo's Little League Senior Division World Series championship team, have verbally committed to play for the University of Hawai'i.

Pitchers Myles Ioane and Ronnie Loeffler, seniors at Waiakea High, as well as senior catcher Aaron Asher of 'Aiea High, said they will accept scholarship offers to play for the Rainbows, bringing UH's verbal commitments to six for the 2005 season.

Last month, Mid-Pacific Institute pitcher Harrison Kuroda said he will sign with UH. Also, a pair of California prep players verbally committed to UH: outfielder Greg Burns, of Walnut High, and shortstop Joe Spiers, of Arrowhead Christian Academy in Redlands.

Burns is ranked 92nd and Spiers is ranked 158th in Perfect Game USA's top 400 list of high school seniors nationally. Asher, an all-OIA West selection, is ranked 174th.

Asher, a military dependent, said he came to Hawai'i in 1997 from Montana and has since followed the Rainbows.

"Since then, I've always wanted to play for them," Asher said. "I like the coaches. I think they've done a good job with the players. I've been to their camps and I've always felt comfortable with them."

Asher is known for being a strong defensive catcher, said 'Aiea coach Ryan Kato, who played for UH from 1987-1988.

"(Asher) has an arm that you don't see very often," said Kato. "He has the ability and the desire to play."

Asher will be reunited with MPI's Kuroda, as they were members of the 2000 'Aiea Little League Juniors (13-14-year-olds) World Series championship team.

Ioane is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound left-hander and a member of the Hilo Little League Seniors All-Star team that won the World Series in Bangor, Maine, earlier this month. He was a quarterback on the football team last year, but decided to stay off the gridiron this season to concentrate on baseball.

"When I talked to coach (Mike) Trapasso, he said by the time I get there, we will play teams like Arizona State," Ioane said. "I kind of got very excited."

Ronnie Loeffler, a 6-1, 175-pound right-hander, said he at attended UH camps and has been a staunch Rainbows supporter.

"I like the program and when I was little, I used to watch their games and dreamed of playing there," he said.

Loeffler had some national exposure, playing for a Hilo team that played in the Major League Baseball-sponsored RBI program tournament in Anaheim, Calif.

Loeffler and Ioane helped lead Waiakea to the state tournament semifinals in May. Ioane faced Asher when their teams met in the quarterfinals. Ioane pitched a complete game that went eight innings, leading his Warriors to a 2-1 win. Ioane allowed three hits — including a single by Asher — while striking out eight. The run allowed was unearned.

The early signing period for baseball is in November. NCAA rules prohibit Trapasso from commenting on recruits.