Moenoa fills in for injured center

By Ferd Lewis and Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writers

When center Derek Faavi was forced to leave the game with 4 minutes 57 seconds left in the fourth quarter after sustaining a severely sprained right foot, right guard Uriah Moenoa filled in, playing center for the first time in a game.

"He did a good job," Faavi said.

Moenoa said: "You gotta be ready when somebody goes down and it is something I've worked at in practice, but a game is something totally different. I just hope he (Faavi) comes back quickly."

• Extra rest could be beneficial: UH officials said linebackers Tanuvasa Moe and Ikaika Curnan suffered sprained elbows and Lui Fuga aggravated a previous knee injury.

Slotback Se'e Poumele was still bothered by a right hamstring and did not play.

As of last night, Hawai'i coach June Jones said he expects all of them to be available for the Warriors next game, Oct. 2 against Tulsa at Aloha Stadium.

"Usually I never like two (open dates) this early in the season," Jones said, "but we got beat up again. We got a lot of guys hurt, so maybe this will help."

• Aloha, Rice: Last night's game was the last scheduled meeting with Rice, which joins Conference USA July 1, 2005, and Jones said he won't miss the Owls.

"I'm glad we don't have to play them," Jones said. "I don't like the cutting (on below-the-waist blocks). The whacking, all that kind of stuff. I'm just not into that. That's their choice to play football that way. I would never do that."

Asked if any of his players were hurt by the blocks, Jones said: "Yes."

Jones said, "It is not illegal, it is not unethical, it is legal. It is just the way they play the game. And, hey, it is ... what it is."

Jones added, "Ken Hatfield is a helluva coach, he's doing a helluva job. He's got his team ready to play and they won the game and I got nothing against any of that. I just don't want to see that stuff."

• Waiting for June Jones: The Western Athletic Conference office said it "will be contacting" Jones about, "his lack of participation" in the conference's weekly telephone press conference.

Jones has been absent from the call the last two weeks and commissioner Karl Benson said he will, "remind Coach Jones of his obligations and responsibilities to the league."

Jones took issue saying, "I was there at my desk and nobody called me."

• Pro scouts watching: There were scouts from seven NFL teams at the game last night.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044; Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.