ISLE FILE
Australia anglers take lead in Kona
Advertiser Staff
With one big catch, the Game Fishing Club of South Australia vaulted into the lead of the 45th Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament yesterday in waters off Kailua, Kona.
Brad Bobbermien landed a 605à-pound blue marlin following a 3-hour, 51-minute struggle aboard the Foxy Lady.
"It was a good fight," said Bobbermien, noting that it was his biggest catch on 50-pound test line. "She went down and came up just once. I thought it was a 400-pounder."
The lighter line helped Bobbermien gain a one-third bonus plus 100 points for the largest weighed catch of the day (and the only one in the tournament). He got another 100 points for reeling in a fish weighing more than 500 pounds.
Bobbermien scored 1,007 points for his team, which has a good lead entering the final two days of fishing.
Team Wasasa of the Bahamas and Malindi Sea Fishing Club of Kenya share second place with 600 points, followed by Old South Marlin Club No. 1 and No. 2, both from North Carolina, with 550 points each.
Ron Bishop's 151-pound catch put the Malibu Martin Club of California into the lead in the ahi division.
CHEERLEADING
HPU cheer teams shine at nationals
The Hawai'i Pacific cheerleading squad won eight awards at the National Cheerleading Association College Camp, July 27 to 30 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Working with new head coach Matt Parkey, the HPU cheerleaders took home eight of the top 10 awards, including the prestigious NCA Spirit Award. HPU was unanimously voted to receive the top honor by all teams at the camp.
Also, HPU's all-girl and co-ed teams took the top prize in the Most Collegiate Squad and Game Day competitions, and won for their spirit routines.
Thirteen HPU cheerleaders earned All-America honors, while HPU's "Sharky the Sea Warrior" mascot was voted Most Collegiate.
In April, HPU placed first in its division at the National Cheerleaders Association Chick-fil-A Collegiate Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla. HPU also won in 2003.
YOUTH BASEBALL
Pearl City Juniors reach World Series
Kamuela Perry-Chong pitched a four-hitter with seven strikeouts as Pearl City defeated Phoenix, 5-1, yesterday to win the Little League Junior (ages 13-14) Western Regional in Forest Grove, Ore.
Pearl City broke open a close game with a three-run seventh.
Ryno Acosta batted 2 for 3 and drove in a run for Pearl City, which advances to the World Series in Taylor, Mich., starting Sunday.
Mililani Pony team heads to World Series
Darby Ventura sparked a three-run fifth inning with a two-run single as Mililani defeated Los Alamitos, Calif., 5-4, yesterday to win the Pony League Pony Division (ages 13-14) West Zone Regional at Fullerton, Calif.
Winning pitcher Dustin Antolin drove in the other run in the fifth with a fielder's choice grounder.
T.J. Esclito had the only other hit — an RBI single — for Mililani, which advances to the World Series in Washington, Pa., starting Saturday.
Hawai'i 14s advance to Ruth World Series
Josh Bninski had two hits, including a home run, and drove in three runs as Hawai'i defeated Phoenix, 7-4, yesterday to win the Babe Ruth (ages 14-under) Southwest Regional in Murray, Utah.
Zachary Kometani batted 4 for 4 with three RBIs to help Hawai'i beat Phoenix, 12-6, earlier in the day to force a winner-take-all final.
Hawai'i advances to the World Series in Wilson, N.C., starting Sunday.
SURFING
DeSoto, Perkins share third in longboard
Hawai'i's Duane DeSoto and Bonga Perkins tied for third in the Oxbow Soul and Style Master longboard contest Tuesday at Puerto Escondido, Mexico.
The final day of the week-long event was held in near-perfect waves of 6 to 10 feet.
DeSoto and Perkins were both eliminated in the semifinals. Brazil's Phil Rajzman defeated California's Joel Tudor in the final.
