ISLE FILE
Pahoa's Kim wins junior golf crown
Advertiser News Services
Playing in her first American Junior Golf Association, 12-year-old Kimberly Kim of Pahoa, Hawai'i, tied her own course record and won the Girls Division at the I.R.I. Golf Group Tri-Cities Junior Tournament in Pasco, Wash.
Kim opened the tournament with a Sun Willows Golf Course record 3-under-par 69, then finished with a 69 yesterday for a 54-hole total of 4-under 212.
Matthew Pierce Jr. of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., shot a final-round 66 for a 202 total and pulled away in the Boys Division for the title.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the I.R.I. Golf Group Tri-Cities Junior tournament featured 120 junior golfers, from 15 states and Canada, including 47 players from Washington.
Kim, who entered the day tied for the lead with Kristy Yun of University Place, Wash., once again took advantage of her consistent putting and rebounded from her second-round 74. She was able to birdie three of her first six holes and hold off Grace Woo of Burbank, Calif., who shot 70—214.
"My irons and chip shots were both much better today," said Kim, an eighth grader at Waiakea Intermediate School. "The greens were the perfect speed and although I missed a lot of 10-foot putts, I was able to make a couple of long ones."
Leilehua High junior Britney Choy shot 75—225 and finished in a four-way tie for 10th.
Kaua'i High senior Cory French fired a 1-under 71 for a 219 and ended tied with five others for 32nd place in the boys' division.
SURFING
Defending longboard champ gains quarters
Defending event champion Bonga Perkins of Hale'iwa was one of nine Hawai'i surfers advancing to the quarterfinals in the men's division of the Converse Hawaiian Open longboard surfing contest yesterday at Kuhio Beach, Waikiki.
The second day of the three-day contest was completed yesterday in 3-foot waves.
The other Hawai'i competitors advancing past the fourth round were Keegan Edwards, Noah Shimabukuro, Kekoa Auwae, Joey Valentin, Kai Sallas, Duane DeSoto, Ned Snow and Dino Miranda.
World champion Joel Tudor of California also advanced to the quarterfinals.
In the women's division, Hawai'i surfers Joy Magelssen, Pinoi Makalena, Amy Lawson and Desiree DeSoto advanced to the semifinals.
The final day of competition will run today at Kuhio Beach.
VOLLEYBALL
U.S. youth team rolls into zonal semifinals
Team USA's Boys' Youth National Team blasted its way into the semifinals of the NORCECA Zonal Championship yesterday at Mexico City, sweeping Guatemala (25-16, 25-21, 25-19) and Mexico (25-18, 25-20, 25-18) to advance as the unbeaten No. 1 seed.
A trio of Hawai'i high school juniors — hitter Spencer McLachlin (Punahou), libero Adam Tuifaga (Kamehameha) and setter Kawika Shoji (Iolani) — have helped the U.S. to its best-ever start in this tournament. University of Hawai'i men's assistant Tino Reyes is on the coaching staff.
McLachlin scored six points against Mexico and seven against Guatemala, in a match where every American played. Shoji and McLachlin each had two stuffs against Mexico, which led most of Game 2 but couldn't hold the U.S. off.
The U.S. team has been together since Aug. 1 and all three Hawai'i players start. Tuifaga has anchored a solid American passing game that is jump-starting the offense.
"The passing is excellent," Shoji said. "This was the most comfortable I've felt in the past three days. We got hitters 1-on-1 and they pounded the ball."
Tuifaga characterized the match against Guatemala as an ideal warmup for Mexico.
"It wasn't as fast-paced so we were able to relax more and work on our offense," Tuifaga said. "We got the ball control really steady this morning, ran the middle (offense) more and by the time Mexico came around we had the offense where we wanted."
usavolleyball.org contributed to this report
Rainbow Wahine tickets on sale Monday
Tickets for individual University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine volleyball matches go on sale Monday.
Hawai'i's season opens with the Hawaiian Airlines Classic, Sept. 2 to 5. The final regular-season match is Nov. 13 against Nevada.
The 'Bows, who lost seven seniors from last year's final-four team, are ranked 13th in the coaches' preseason poll.
Single-match tickets range in cost from $14 to $16 for general lower-level seats and $11 to $13 for upper level. Seniors are $8 or $9, students $6 and UH students $3. The difference in price is based on the opponent.
Tickets are available at the Stan Sheriff Center Box Office, Aloha Stadium Box Office, online (Hawaiiathletics.com), by phone (944-2697) and at the UH Campus Center, OCET at Windward Community College and Rainbowtique Ward Center.
Season tickets are still on sale at prices ranging from $50 (UH students) to $115 (adults). They are only available at the Stan Sheriff Center Box Office, online and by phone.
