The Hawai'i High School Athletic Association's "SOS" (Save Our Sports) campaign to assist public high school athletic departments hit with recent budget cuts has received a late-season boost in the form of a $20,000 contribution.

LION Coffee, which conducted a promotion through Long Drugs in February and March donating 25 cents from every bag sold toward SOS, raised $19,587 with 78,000 bags sold by March 25.

Randy Cavaco, LION Coffee's retail sales manager, said the company will round that figure up to $20,000 and make the contribution toward SOS.

"It worked out well for both sides," Cavaco said. "It's a good cause, and it gave us an opportunity to sell more coffee."

Since its kickoff on July 28, the SOS Fund has raised $1,463,443 through contributions from businesses, foundations, unions, individuals and events/promotions throughout the community.

The money will go toward helping Hawai'i's 45 public high school athletic departments that saw their budgets get cut by more than 36 percent compared to the 2008-2009 school year. Former HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya, who is still overseeing the project, released $600,000 from the SOS Fund in late January, adding an average of $13,000 to each school's athletic budget.

Amemiya said the SOS project will continue since donations — including those from individuals — are still coming in and the public schools could face even more budget cuts in 2010-2011.

To contribute to the SOS Fund, make a check payable to "HHSAA SOS Account" and send it to HHSAA, P.O. Box 62029, Honolulu, HI 96839, or visit www.sportshigh.com

PUNAHOU'S PATTERSON SIGNS TO PLAY AT UTEP

Punahou School senior Malia Patterson, an Advertiser Girls Volleyball All-State first-team setter this past season, signed a national letter of intent yesterday morning to play for the University of Texas at El Paso.

Patterson, who helped the Buffanblu win the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship and finish second in the state, chose UTEP over Nevada, Bucknell, Memphis and Austin Peay.

Her teammate, middle blocker Carina Thompson, accepted an offer from Fordham. A third Punahou senior, outside hitter Juliana Behrens, signed with Cincinnati during the early signing period in November.

Yesterday was the first day of the spring signing period.

Kamehameha coach Chris Blake said Taylor Akana, the Warriors' All-State senior outside hitter, was weighing a scholarship offer from Siena. He added that 'Iolani setter Malie Yoon, an All-State first-team selection in 2006, will walk on at Pittsburgh.

TRIO TIED ATOP OIA BOYS GOLF AFTER FIRST ROUND

Campbell's Rudy Cabalar, 'Aiea's Ryan Kuroiwa and Moanalua's Tyler Ota each shot an even-par 72 and are tied atop the O'ahu Interscholastic Association boys golf championship leaderboard after Monday's first round at Leilehua Golf Course.

Ota is the defending champ.

They will have a three-stroke lead over McKinley's Oliver Lam and Moanalua's David Saka entering Monday's second and final round at Navy-Marine.

Mililani's Maryssa Shigesato leads the girls competition by two strokes after shooting a 3-over 75.

Moanalua's Eimi Koga and Kapolei's Sydney Maluenda are tied for second place.

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com