Posted on: Tuesday, November 9, 2004

NOTES
Punahou first baseman Ko to sign with Brigham Young

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Punahou School senior first baseman Kasey Ko said yesterday he will sign a letter of intent to play baseball at Brigham Young.

The early signing period for baseball starts tomorrow.

"I'm happy," Ko said. "This is a good opportunity for me to play."

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound switch hitter who throws right-handed was an Advertiser All-State second-team selection last season.

Ko took an official recruiting trip the weekend of Sept. 4 and 5. He said he attended the USC-BYU football game.

"Now I can just concentrate on high school baseball and winning," he said.

Other Hawai'i players at BYU are: pitcher and outfielder Alec Reichle, who graduated from Kaua'i High last spring, and catcher Apana Nakayama, the Advertiser's 2000 Player of the Year, from Moloka'i High.

FOOTBALL

Baldwin denied: Despite a plea for a playoff from Baldwin, the Maui Interscholastic League's football tiebreaking rules have been upheld with Lahainaluna still the league champion.

"We're not real happy with it," Baldwin athletic director Jon Garcia said. "We feel for the kids."

The Lunas clinched the MIL title and Division I state berth outright after Baldwin beat Maui Saturday night. The Bears and Lunas have 6-1-1 overall MIL records. They played to a 6-6 tie in the first round, but the Lunas beat the Bears in the second, 21-14, to win one tiebreaker.

The Lunas, Bears and King Kekaulike, which beat Lahainaluna Friday, all have 2-1 records in the second round. Lahainaluna beats Kekaulike because of its better overall record.

Garcia said it is likely the tiebreaking procedure will be discussed at the league football coaches evaluation meeting.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.