Posted on: Saturday, June 4, 2005
ISLE FILE
Mililani basketball coach will not return
Advertiser Staff
Mike Coito, who guided Mililani High School's boys basketball program to the league playoffs in each of his five years as head coach, did not have his contract renewed for next season.
Mililani athletic director Glenn Nitta yesterday cited "philosophical differences" for the decision not to bring Coito back.
"It was a tough thing to do; these things always are," Nitta said. "The program was real successful and his won-loss record was excellent. Mike has mellowed in a lot of ways, but there were still some ongoing things, some things behind closed doors that weren't done the way we wanted it. We felt we needed to make a change."
Under Coito, the Trojans went 53-24 in regular and postseason games. They qualified for the past five O'ahu Interscholastic Association playoffs, reaching the league championship game three times and the state tournament four times. In 2002 and 2004, Mililani advanced to the state semifinals.
Coito was named OIA Western Division Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2004. His program also produced one NCAA Division I player, Rashaun Broadus, who has signed to play for Brigham Young next season.
Nitta said he expects to name a new coach by the end of the month.
Milton Loo of Moloka'i was an honorable mention selection for the NJCAA Division I Baseball All-America team, according to the National Junior College Athletic Association Web site.
The 2004 graduate of Moloka'i High played for Yavapai College in Prescott, Ariz. He batted .404 with 45 runs and 21 stolen bases in his first season with the JC. He was a first-team pick for the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference as an infielder.
Loo, a shortstop all his life while on Moloka'i, primarily played third base this past season. Another player from Hawai'i, Baldwin graduate Gered Mochizuki, was the starting shortstop. Yavapai coach Sky Smeltzer said Mochizuki will be transferring to Central Missouri State.
Loo was drafted in the 17th round by the Cincinnati Reds in last year's major league draft and is expected to be picked within the first five rounds Tuesday, the first of two days of the draft.
Sarah Weisskopf, of Punahou School, has been named the Gatorade State Softball Player of the Year. Weisskopf, who graduates from Punahou tonight, will attend the University of Hawai'i at Hilo in the fall.
As a senior, Weisskopf went 12-0 with a 0.37 ERA. Punahou captured its first ILH title in 31 years with a 15-1 record.
The University of Hawai'i women's water polo team ended the 2005 season ranked fourth in the National Collegiate Women's Top 20 Poll.
The Rainbow Wahine finished the season 21-11 overall and 9-3 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
UCLA finished No. 1, followed by Stanford and UCLA.
Third-year head coach Michel Roy led UH to its first NCAA Championship appearance in Ann Arbor, Mich., last month where the Rainbows placed fourth behind UCLA, Stanford, and USC.
Moloka'i's Loo feted
Weisskopf honored
UH ends ranked 4th
