ISLE FILE
Lajola reaches semifinals
Advertiser Staff
'Aiea's Dennis Lajola defeated No. 6 seed Wesley Burrows of Costa Mesa, Calif., 6-2, 6-3, to advance to the boys semifinals of the USTA National Junior Open at Central O'ahu Regional Park yesterday.
Lajola, 15, is unseeded and the only Hawai'i player remaining in the main draw.
Lajola plays No. 2 seed Tye Myers, of Naples, Fla., who defeated No. 8 seed Jarrod Epkey, 6-4, 6-3.
Hawai'i's Adriann Gin and Erin Katayama, Jessica Broadfoot and Gia Nafarrete, and Kalei Gora and Cheyenne Reveche advanced to the quarterfinals in girls doubles.
Semifinal matches start at 9 a.m. today. Finals are at noon tomorrow. Admission is free.
AWARDS
Willoughby, Irons honored: Former University of Hawai'i volleyball player Kim Willoughby and world champion surfer Andy Irons were named outstanding female and male sports persons of 2003 by the Honolulu Quarterback Club at its annual Banquet of Champions.
The event was last night at the Pacific Beach Hotel.
Willoughby helped lead the UH women's team to the final four. The 6-foot senior was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association national player of the year.
Kaua'i's Irons became the first male surfer from Hawai'i to win back-to-back world championships, surpassing Kelly Slater in the final meet of the year, the Pipeline Masters.
The winners:
- Michelle Wie, U.S. Women's Public Links champion — prep female athlete of the year.
- Derrick Low, Iolani basketball — prep male athlete of the year.
- Kim Willoughby, UH volleyball standout — adult female athlete of the year.
- Andy Irons, world surfing champion — adult male athlete of the year.
- Lurline Fujii, national senior tennis gold medalist — senior female athlete of the year.
- Sai Ching, winner of U.S. Masters 400 meters — senior male athlete of the year.
- Kim Willoughby — Hawai'i's outstanding female sports person of 2003.
- Andy Irons — Hawai'i's outstanding male sports person of 2003.
- John Almadova, coordinator of Mustang Division of PAL — Scotty Schuman Award.
- Brian Derby, organizer football offensive-line clinics — Neal Shaw Blaisdell Award.
- Milan Chun, for donating lei for Club weekly meetings — Joe Reynolds Award.
- Siuaki Livai, Kahuku football coach — George Archer Coach of the Year Award.
FOOTBALL
Titans' Gesser arrested: Tennessee Titans quarterback Jason Gesser was arrested Sunday morning in Honolulu on suspicion of a misdemeanor offense of driving under the influence of an intoxicant.
Gesser, who played for Saint Louis School and Washington State University, posted $500 bail and will be arraigned at District Court on March 14.
Gesser led Saint Louis to two Prep Bowl titles in the late 1990s, and was a three-year starter for Washington State, leading the Cougars to the Rose Bowl his senior season.
Gesser, 24, was undrafted and signed with the Titans as a free agent. He was the team's third-string quarterback.
SURFING
Pro contest begins: The Hansen's Energy Pro surfing contest is scheduled to begin today at the Banzai Pipeline.
More than 130 surfers from around the world are expected to participate.
The event is part of surfing's World Qualifying Series.
The contest will run on the three best days between today and March 1. For daily status of the event, call 596-7873.
BASKETBALL
BYUH's Chrisman honored: Jake Chrisman, a Brigham Young-Hawai'i forward, yesterday was named Pacific West Conference Player of the Week for the fourth time this season.
Chrisman, a junior from Provo, Utah, scored 90 points in three games last week, including 38 points and a career-high 42 points in games against Montana State-Billings.
