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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Wednesday, October 13, 2004

HOMEGROWN REPORT
Suzuki voted national baseball player of year

 •  Punahou graduate battles through injury, illness

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Maui's Kurt Suzuki, an All-America catcher who helped Cal State Fullerton win the College World Series, was named recipient of the inaugural Brooks Wallace National Player of the Year Award by the newly formed College Baseball Foundation, the organization announced.

KURT SUZUKI

"It's an honor," Suzuki said in a telephone interview from Phoenix, where he is playing in the Arizona Instructional League. "I never thought I'd be national player of the year."

Suzuki said he will receive the award in a ceremony in Texas next month.

Suzuki, a 2001 graduate of Baldwin High, where he was an all-state selection, was a second-round pick of the Athletics in June. He played at short-season Class A Vancouver (B.C.) during the summer. He batted .297 with 31 RBIs in 45 games.

"I thought I did OK," he said of his first professional experience. "I learned a lot of things."

According to the foundation's press release, the award replaces the Smith Award. Brooks Wallace, a former Texas Tech player and assistant coach, died in 1985 of cancer. The selection panel consists of coaches, sports information directors, past Smith Award winners and college baseball beat writers.

Besides All-America honors, Suzuki won the Johnny Bench Award, which is given to the nation's top college catcher, and was named Big West Player of the Year.



MEN'S SOCCER

• Southern Methodist junior midfielder Duke Hashimoto was enjoying his most successful season as a Mustang when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Hashimoto, a 2002 graduate of Iolani from Kapolei, had just earned Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week honors on Sept. 27, when he injured his knee in a game against Creighton Oct. 1.

"Actually I think he's doing OK considering," his mother Juanita said in an e-mail. "He gets rather emotional and not being able to play is hard for him."

Hashimoto, who scored five goals and had three assists halfway through the season, will undergo surgery Friday. His 13 points matched last season's total (four goals, five assists) and were close to the totals of his freshman year (six goals, five assists, 17 points).

Juanita is flying to Dallas today to be with her son.

Also in the game, Creighton goalkeeper Andrew Brown suffered a severe groin pull, and hasn't played or practiced since, according to Creighton soccer media director Robb Simms.

Brown, a 2000 Mililani grad, already used his medical redshirt year when he injured his knee in his junior season.



Football

• Colorado freshman linebacker Jordon Dizon (Waimea '04) had two solo tackles and three assists in a loss to Oklahoma State.

Dizon leads the team with 40 tackles and is on pace to set the freshman tackles record of 67 set two years ago.

Junior defensive tackle Vaka Manapuna (Saint Louis '01 of Kane'ohe) had two solo tackles and one assist.

Oklahoma State punter Cole Farden, whose family is from Hawai'i, was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.

• Washington junior inside linebacker Joe Lobendahn (Saint Louis '01 of Honolulu) had four solo tackles and five assists as the Huskies picked up their first win of the season, a 21-6 victory over San Jose State.

• Tennessee junior defensive tackle Jesse Mahelona (Kealakehe '00 of Kailua, Kona) had three solo tackles, including two sacks, in the Volunteers' 19-14 upset over Georgia Saturday.

• Texas Tech junior tight end Bristol Olomua (Kahuku '99 of La'ie) caught six passes for 41 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown reception in a 70-10 victory over Nebraska.



Air Riflery

• Akron (Ohio) freshman Shannon Kohatsu (Waiakea '04 of Hilo) took top honors in the air rifle competition, her first at the collegiate level, with a score of 573 at the VMI Invitational Oct. 3.



Men's Tennis

• Loyola Marymount sophomore Michael Chan (Kealakehe of Kailua, Kona) and partner Ashton Politanoff lost in the semifinals of doubles play Sunday at the Santa Clara Bronco Classic.

In singles play, LMU junior Mike Wojnarowicz (Saint Louis of Kane'ohe) scored a 6-3, 6-4 win over UNLV's Romain Massaro, and went 3-1 over the weekend overall. Chan went 2-1 in singles play.



Women's Volleyball

• Hofstra (New York) freshman setter Shellane Ogoshi (Roosevelt '04 of Honolulu) earned her first Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Week honor after compiling 107 assists and 27 digs.

• UC Irvine junior middle blocker Amanda Vazquez (Moanalua '02 of Honolulu) ranks in the top 10 in hitting and blocking in the Big West Conference.

Vazquez is sixth in hitting percentage with a .355 average and is tied for eighth at 1.17 blocks per game.

• Fresno State freshman outside hitter Mounia Nihipali (Kamehameha '04 of Honolulu) led the Bulldogs defensively with 32 digs while picking up 12 kills and three blocks in losses to Nevada and Cal State Northridge over the weekend.

Sophomore outside hitter Tuli Peters (Kahuku '03 of La'ie) had 24 kills, 25 digs and six blocks.

• Santa Barbara City College sophomore libero Kalei Lau (Hilo '02) had a match-high 35 digs in a five-game loss to L.A. Pierce College Oct. 5.



Women's Soccer

• Idaho State sophomore Jennifer Loo (Mililani '03) assisted on the Bengals' lone goal in a 1-1 tie against Weber State Oct. 7.



Men's Water Polo

• Santa Clara senior driver Mark Oda (Iolani of Honolulu) scored a goal in a 12-8 win over Pomona Saturday.



Men's Golf

• Pacific Lutheran (Tacoma, Wash.) junior Kurt Inouye (Kaua'i of Kapa'a) tied for third at the Whitworth Invitational held Sunday and Monday. He shot 77-76—153.

Pacific (Ore.) junior Zac Nadamoto (Iolani of Honolulu) shot 82-82—164 and Puget Sound's Lenn Akamine (Punahou of Kane'ohe) shot 86-82—168.

• Loyola Marymount junior Chaz Inouye (St. Anthony '02) tied for 32nd at the Missouri Bluffs Challenge in St. Charles, Mo. He shot 74-75-72—221.

Advertiser staff writer Stacy Kaneshiro contributed to this report.