Northern Colorado's Hoopii gets swim honor
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Northern Colorado junior Saree Hoopii was named the Swimmer of the Year at the Midwest Classic Invitational last weekend after winning three races and swimming on four winning relay teams.
Hoopii, who attended Maui High before transferring to the Mainland, set a school record in the 100-yard backstroke in 56.62 seconds, and also won the 100 freestyle in 51.26 and the 50 freestyle in 23.63.
HOOPII
She earned three berths into the U.S. Open, which will be in December.
Hoopii also swam on winning relay teams in the 800 freestyle (7:47.27), 200 freestyle (1:38.23), 400 medley (3:56.58) and 400 freestyle (3:33.07).
Junior Sierra Binek (Waiakea '01 of Volcano) also helped the 800 freestyle relay team win.
• University of San Diego sophomore Ashley Swart (Kaiser '02 of Hawai'i Kai) placed second in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:19.26 and sophomore Ashley Rose (Kealakehe '02 of Kailua, Kona) placed second in the 200 backstroke in 2:05.94 in the Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference Swimming and Diving Championships in Long Beach, Calif., Feb. 13-15.
Swart's time of 4:17.06 in the 400 individual medley, which ranks 13th in the nation, was done earlier in the year. The wrong information was included in last week's Homegrown Report.
Women's Basketball
Homegrown Report chronicles feats of former Hawai'i high school athletes. If you know of any deserving of recognition, give us their names, high schools and graduation years, colleges and sports. E-mail us at: homegrown@honoluluadvertiser.com or contact Leila Wai at 535-2457. Homegrown Report appears every Wednesday in The Honolulu Advertiser.
Cal State Los Angeles junior point guard Monica Tokoro (Iolani '01 of 'Aiea) was named to the Verizon Academic All-District Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the second straight year she has earned the distinction.
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Tokoro ranks 21st nationally in scoring at 19.3 points per game.
The Academic All-America team will be announced March 5.
Men's Basketball
Pacific (Forest Grove, Ore.) sophomore guard Branden Kawazoe (Waiakea '02 of Hilo) was an honorable mention pick for Northwest Conference Player of the Week after leading the Boxers in scoring in all three games last week. He amassed 59 points on 20-of-41 shooting, including 12 3-pointers.
Kawazoe scored 16 in a win against Northwest Christian, 20 in a loss to Whitworth, and 23 in a win over Whitman. He also had 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals in the stretch.
Men's Wrestling
Dana College (Blair, Neb.) junior Brian Tsutsumi (Castle '01 of Kane'ohe) earned the Great Plains Athletic Conference Championship Outstanding Wrestler Award after leading the Vikings to their second straight championship Saturday.
Tsutsumi defeated Dave Pogge of Briar Cliff University, 6-4, to win the 133-pound title. He went 2-0 in the tournament with one fall.
Softball
Pacific (Forest Grove, Ore.) senior second baseman Erin Sakai (University High of Honolulu) and freshman outfielder Jimo Fujimoto (Iolani of Mililani) both had an RBI in a 6-0 win over Concordia on Saturday.
Freshman second baseman Kami Shigematsu (Honoka'a) and junior outfielder Kimi Hee (Mid-Pacific of Honolulu) are also on the team.
Baseball
Saddleback Community College (Mission Viejo, Calif.) freshman third baseman Joseph Kala (Maui of Kahului) hit a two-run double in the Gauchos' 4-3 win over San Diego Mesa Feb. 17.
Sophomore pitcher Morgan Kruger-Burgess (Kealakehe '02 of Holualoa) and sophomore first baseman Keahi Kapana (Campbell '02 of 'Ewa Beach) are also on the team.
Saddleback is coached by Jack Hodges (Kamehameha '65)
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
