Posted on: Wednesday, May 28, 2003

ISLE FILE
UH's Sopoaga on Outland list

Advertiser Staff

University of Hawai'i defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga has been named to the 2003 Outland Trophy watch list.

He is one of 30 offensive and defensive linemen on the list compiled by the Football Writers Association of America. The trophy, which has been awarded since 1946, honors the top interior lineman — on offense or defense — in the country. The winner will be announced Dec. 11 on ESPN.

Sopoaga, a 6-foot-2, 310-pound senior, was a second-team All-Western Athletic Conference selection in 2002.

He is among four WAC players on the Outland list. The others are tackle Logan Mankins (Fresno State), center Ben Stephens (Rice) and guard Joseph Hayes (San Jose State).

Sopoaga is also on the watch list of candidates for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the nation's top defense player.

FUND-RAISER

• Pearl City steak-out: The Pearl City High School athletic department is hosting a steak dinner fund-raiser, 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the school's cafeteria, athletic director Roy Ichinose announced.

Cost is $12 pre-sale and $15 at the door.

There will be entertainment and door prizes.

For pre-sale tickets, call the athletic department at 453-6519.

ULTIMATE FIGHTING

• Vitale debut: Honolulu's Falaniko Vitale will make his Ultimate Fighting Challenge debut in an undercard fight for UFC 43: Meltdown, June 6 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Vitale's opponent is Matt Lindland, a UFC veteran and a middleweight top contender.

Lindland (8-1-0), from Portland, Ore., won a silver medal in wrestling for the United States at the 2002 Sydney Olympics.

Vitale (13-2-0), a former University of Hawai'i and arena football player, is trained and managed by former Super Brawl champion Egan Inoue of Hawai'i.

Also scheduled to fight on the Las Vegas card is Wai'anae's Kimo Leopoldo (7-3-1), who will meet Tank Abbott (8-8-0) of Huntington Beach, Calif.

PADDLING

• Dragon boat races: Paddling teams are being sought for the eighth annual AT&T Hawai'i Dragon Boat Festival, scheduled for Aug. 9 to 10 at Ala Moana Beach Park.

Teams must have at least 18 paddlers. Boats, paddles and steersmen will be provided, along with three practice sessions.

The colorful boat race is one of three major Chinese holidays, along with Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival.

Entry fee is $200 per team received by June 30. After that, entry fee will be $425 per team.

Registration forms are available online at www.idealhawaii.com or by calling Gifford Chang at 951-0350.