University of Hawai'i men's volleyball coach Mike Wilton has been invited to assist the USA men's volleyball team during the NORCECA Championship in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Sept. 11 to 16.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to be a part of USA Volleyball," Wilton said. "I'll help out anyway I can."

Ron Larsen, retired Brigham Young coach Carl McGown and Wilton, who is entering his 14th season as UH head coach, will serve as assistants to USA head coach Hugh McCutcheon.

"We will be using Mike's expertise in game planning and scouting," McCutcheon said. "We'll also utilize his in-game experience."

NORCECA is the acronym for the North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation that represents 35 member countries.

YOUTH BASEBALL

PEARL CITY IN TITLE GAME

Nainoa Tampos batted 2 for 4 with four RBIs and Jeffrey Domingo went 2 for 3 with three RBIs as Pearl City routed Arizona, 14-4, yesterday in the Little League Senior (ages 15-16) Western Regional at Beaverton, Ore.

Jason Rasa pitched a complete game for Pearl City, which will play Southern California today in the championship game.

The winner advances to the World Series at Bangor, Maine.

PEARL CITY IN SEMIS

Arizona scored seven runs in the third inning to beat Pearl City, 9-6, yesterday in the Little League Junior (ages 13-14) Western Regional at Forest Grove, Ore.

Kaohu McCabe and Kala Neal each had two hits and two RBIs for Pearl City.

Despite the loss, Pearl City (4-1) earned the top seed in its pool and advances to a semifinal game today against Washington.

HILO WINS AT RIPKEN

Kean Wong batted 3 for 4 and Randall Iha went 2 for 3 as Hilo beat Lexington, Ky., 11-4, in the Cal Ripken (ages 10-under) World Series at Russellville, Ark.

Hilo, which improved to 3-1 in the tournament, broke open a scoreless game with six runs in the second inning.

Hilo will play West Palm Beach, Fla., today.

GOLF

SASADA TOPS PRO FIELD

Maui's Brian Sasada won a three-way playoff to capture the Aloha Section PGA Club Professional Championship yesterday at Puakea Golf Course in Lihu'e.

Sasada, out of Makena Golf Club, will represent the Aloha Section along with Kevin Hayashi (Mauna Kea) and Paul Ito (Puakea) at the 39th PGA Club Professional Championship. The $500,000 event will be next June at Turning Stone Casino Resort in Verona, N.Y. The top 20 finishers there earn berths in the 88th PGA Championship next August at Medinah Country Club in Illinois.

All three finished the two-day tournament at 1-over-par 145, Sasada closing with a 71 — the tournament's only sub-par round — and Hayashi and Ito 72. Sasada, who played with a broken rib, parred the third playoff hole to earn medalist honors and the $2,000 first prize.

Oahu Country Club's Andrew Feldmann is first alternate at 73-147. Michael Castillo (74-148), who recently moved to Princeville, is second alternate after winning a playoff with Ko Olina's Kevin Carll (73-148).

CHUN OPENS WITH 71

Mari Chun, who won the Jennie K. Invitational in May at Mid-Pacific Country Club, picked up where she left off yesterday at the Lanikai course.

Chun opened the Hawai'i State Women's Golf Association Stroke Play Championship with a 1-under-par 71 to take a six-shot advantage into today's second round. Chun, who will be a freshman at Stanford this fall, played the front nine in 2-under.

Marcie Rudich, the 2003 state senior champion, is tied for second with Nicole Sakamoto. Cyd Okino, who won this year's HSWGA Match Play Championship at age 11, is tied with Hawai'i Golf Hall of Famer Bev Kim for fourth at 79.

YOUTH TENNIS

LAJOLA ADVANCES

'Aiea's Dennis Lajola advanced to the final 32 at the U.S. Tennis Association National Junior Championships yesterday in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Lajola, who now trains in Florida and plays for the U.S. High Performance team, is seeded first in the Boys 16's. Hawai'i's Colin Fujishige reached the round of 64, but fell to Arsenio Culver, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 7-6 (7-3). Fujishige upset the 14th seed earlier in the tournament.

Hawai'i's Holden Ching reached the round of 64 in Boys 18's, but lost to 16th-seeded Gary Sacks, 6-3, 6-4.

Lajola won his first match yesterday, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1, over Daniel Nguyen. He beat Nick Plum, 6-2, 6-1, in the round of 64. Lajola also swept his doubles match to advance to the final 32.