Support for small-school football playoff growing
By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Home Team likes small-school football.
John Fink, general manager of News 8 (KHNL) and K-5 (KFVE), said yesterday that his stations would donate $20,000 in air time next fall to help promote the proposed small-school state football tournament if it is approved next month by the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association.
"We are prepared to do that to help draw attention to the tournament and get people to come out to the games," Fink said. "We are all for helping out the kids and getting some of the smaller schools some of the recognition that they have a hard time getting."
Fink made his offer after reading in Sunday's Advertiser that Keith Amemiya, executive director of the HHSAA, and his wife, Bonny, had pledged to donate $20,000 plus make up any deficit the tournament might incur if the four-team tournament is approved.
"Keith Amemiya has something here and he is going to put his own personal money into it. I have worked with him before and I know he has a lot of integrity," Fink said.
Fink said his stations' production team would work with the HHSAA in producing the commercials. He said the number of commercials to be aired would depend upon several factors, including the time of day they are shown.
An anonymous donor involved in high school sports also pledged $2,000 to the HHSAA for the tournament. And downtown businessman Jack Sullivan said he would assist with fund-raising.
An eight-team state championship tournament that began in 1999 has been dominated by larger and established football powers.
MORE FOOTBALL
Combine for underclassmen: A "pro style combine" testing center for high school non-senior athletes will be held by the HSN Athletic Prep Academy on Saturday, May 17, at the Saint Louis School football field.
Members of the classes of 2004 and 2005 must bring official transcripts and SAT scores. Preregistration is free; same-day registration is $25 for 2004-05 graduates and $15 for 2006-07 grads.
Testing will include 40-yard dashes, agility drills, standing long jumps, vertical jumps, bench press in the morning session. Following free lunches, a clinic on fundamentals by position will be presented.
Among coaches at the clinic will be former University of Hawai'i and NFL players Darrick Branch, Leo Goeas and Al Noga; Hawaiian Islanders quarterback Darnell Arceneaux; former Pac-10 standouts Petro Kesi, Nian Taylor and Josh White; Kaiser High coach David Maeva; former star Utah linebacker Taulia Lave; and college coaches Kevin McGarry of San Diego, Rich Miano of Hawai'i and Steve Greatwood of Oregon, and others.
For additional information, call Doris Sullivan, student services director of HAPA, at 528-0221, ext. 21, or Arceneaux at 330-6115.
From the combine, files are compiled on the athletes that are available to college recruiters.
BASKETBALL
HBA beats UHS: Kara Morita had 24 points, five assists and five steals as Hawai'i Baptist beat University High, 53-44, last night in the opening round of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Third-Place Tournament at McCabe Gym.
The tournament winner earns the ILH's third state berth.
Morita scored 10 points in the first quarter when HBA took a 21-8 lead it would not relinquish.
Diane Okubo and Kamaile Durrett scored 13 apiece for UHS.
Hawaii Baptist 21 3 13 16—53
University High 8 9 14 13—44
Hawai'i Baptist Academy—Jodi Kamemoto 7, Sasha Taniguchi 0, Rayna Kitaguchi 2, Kara Morita 24, Wendy Chu 0, Cara Hiyakumoto 6, Jessica Ho 5, Chelsea Yasuda 9, Kelli Furumoto 0, Tiffany Chang 0, Angie Lee 0. Totals 15 20-32 53.
University High—Iwalani Yamaguchi 4, Shannon Kim 2, Diane Okubo 13, Kamaile Durrett 13, Leahi Frias 9, Marisa Oshiro 0, Samantha Stupplebeen 2, Kristen Bukes 1, Marissa Kanemura 0. Totals 19 3-16 44.
3-point goals—Hawaii Baptist 3 (Yasuda 2, Kamemoto 1). University High 3 (Okubo 3).
WRESTLING
Spiker No. 9: Saint Louis School's Jonathan Spiker was ranked No. 9 at 152 pounds in the final Intermat.com rankings of high school seniors.
Spiker is the second boy in Hawai'i history to win four state high school wrestling championships. He is headed for Harvard next fall.
COACHING POSITIONS
Campbell: Head varsity boys basketball, girls soccer and boys volleyball. Mail or fax references to athletic director Duane Izumi at Campbell High School, 91-980 North Road, 'Ewa Beach, 96706. Fax number is 689-1289. Deadline is Friday.
Iolani: Head girls soccer coach. Send resumes to Judith Hiramoto, athletic director, Iolani School Athletic Department, 563 Kamoku St., Honolulu 96826. Deadline Monday.
Maryknoll: Boys and girls volleyball coaches for varsity, junior varsity and intermediate teams; varsity softball coach/coordinator. Send resumes to Pattie Heatherly, athletic director, Maryknoll Schools, 1526 Alexander St., Honolulu 96822. Fax 952 7371 or email to or athletics@maryknollschool.org. The deadline is May 26.
