Posted on: Wednesday, December 17, 2008
HOMEGROWN REPORT
Bowls brimming with talent from Isles
By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer
For the college football fan, Christmas time means bowl season and there will be no shortage of local players filling up TVs across the nation.
It all starts Saturday when senior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (Kapolei '04) leads Navy (8-4), which is coached by Radford and University of Hawai'i alum Ken Niumatalolo, against Wake Forest in the inaugural EagleBank Bowl at RFK Stadium in the nation's capital. Kaheaku-Enhada played in just five games this season due to a hamstring injury, but will start his second straight game against the Demon Deacons (7-5). Kickoff is set for 6 a.m. Hawai'i time on ESPN.
Later in the day, Brigham Young takes on Arizona in the Las Vegas Bowl. Junior defensive lineman Ian Dulan (Kamehameha-Hawai'i '06) has 19 tackles, including four for losses, three sacks this season for the Cougars. Freshman defensive back Shiloah Te'o (Kahuku '08) has five tackles and one fumble recovery. Senior C.J. Santiago (Saint Louis '04) is averaging 42.1 yards per punt, including 16 downed inside the 20-yard line.
Arizona sophomore defensive tackle Kaniela Tuipulotu (Kahuku '06) has registered 11 tackles (one for a loss), one pass breakup and one forced fumble in 10 games, including seven starts this season.
Kickoff between the Cougars (10-2) and Wildcats (7-5) is at 3 p.m.
California (8-4) meets Miami (7-5) in the Emerald Bowl on Dec. 27 in San Francisco. Junior defensive lineman Tyson Alualu (Saint Louis '05) has 59 tackles, 10 1/2 for losses, including six sacks, and five quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups for the Golden Bears. Senior defensive lineman Mika Kane (Kamehameha '05) has 12 tackles.
Two games involving players with local ties take place on Dec. 30 when Nevada (7-5) meets Maryland (7-5) in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho and Oregon (9-3) plays Oklahoma State (9-3) in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.
More players with Hawai'i ties can be seen the following day Oregon State (8-4) meets Pittsburgh (9-3) in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas and on New Year's Day, Southern California (11-1) plays Penn State (11-1) in the Rose Bowl.
Finally, Kentucky (6-6) meets East Carolina (9-4) on Jan. 2 in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. and Utah (12-0) plays Alabama (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans with others from Hawai'i competing.
MORE FOOTBALL
Mt. San Antonio (Calif.) freshman defensive back Manoa Latu (Saint Louis '08) had four tackles, including three solo stops, in a 17-9 loss to Butte in the California Community College Athletic Association state championship game Saturday. Sophomore defensive lineman Justin Hunt ('Aiea '07) added two tackles. The Mounties ended their season with a 12-2 record and No. 3 national ranking.
Saddleback (Calif.) sophomore running back Micah Abreu-Laybon (Leilehua '07 of Wahiawa) was named to the All-Southern Conference National Division Team last week. Abreu-Laybon rushed for 679 yards and six touchdowns, averaging just under 85 yards per game. He also caught 18 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns for the Gauchos, who finished 7-4.
SWIMMING & DIVING
UC Irvine senior Randall Tom (Seabury Hall '05 of Wailuku) finished first in the 200-yard butterfly (1:47.91), 200 individual medley (1:54.31) and was on the winning 200 medley relay team (1:31.65) in Saturday's dual meet against UNLV.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Colorado School of Mines senior guard Kyle Pape ('Iolani '05 of Ho-nolulu) scored a game-high 18 points with five rebounds and five assists in a 72-69 loss to Mesa State Friday. Pape went for 19 points, two boards, two assists and three steals in Saturday's 71-62 loss to Western State.
Holy Names (Calif.) senior guard Aaron Kanno (Mililani '04) had three points, four assists and a steal in Friday's 92-70 loss to Cal State East Bay. In a 76-62 loss to Menlo Saturday, freshman guard Obie Woods ('Aiea '08 of 'Ewa Beach) scored 11 points and Kanno added three points and five assists.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
UNLV freshman Jamie Smith ('Iolani '08 of Kailua) scored 13 points with four rebounds, two blocks and one steal in a 91-54 loss at Oregon State Monday.
Pepperdine senior forward Taylor Smith (Kalaheo '05 of Kailua) had two points, four rebounds, one block and an assist in Friday's 58-40 win over Cal State Fullerton. Smith scored a game-high 19 points in Sunday's 76-57 rout of UC Santa Barbara. She also had five rebounds, one assist, one steal and a block.
Concordia (Calif.) sophomore guard Nicole Fu (Maryknoll '07 of Honolulu) scored a game-high 21 points in a 68-65 win over Cal State Los Angeles last Wednesday. She also had three rebounds, one steal and one assist.
Washington University (Mo.) senior guard Shanna-Lei Dacanay (Punahou '05 of Honolulu) had two points, two rebounds, two assists and three steals in an 81-28 win over Fontbonne Saturday.
Holy Names (Calif.) freshman Britni Ronolo (Moanalua '08 of Honolulu) scored 18 points with 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals in a 95-83 win over Cal State East Bay Friday. Sophomore Jamie-Leigh Ronolo (Moanalua '07 of Ho-nolulu) added 11 points for the Oaks. Junior guard Larissa Nakasone (Roosevelt '05 of Honolulu) had 16 points in Saturday's 80-64 win over Menlo. Britni Ronolo added 13 points and nine rebounds. Menlo senior guard Kelci Fushikoshi (Lahainaluna '05) had 16 points in the game. Earlier in the week, she scored a career-high 33 points in a 75-67 win over William Jessup.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Texas freshman libero Sydney Yogi (Punahou '08 of Honolulu) appeared in one set in Friday's four-set win over UCLA. Yogi had two digs in Saturday's four-set regional final win over Iowa State. The third-ranked Longhorns (29-3) meet No. 2 Stanford (30-2) in the first of two national semifinals tomorrow at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. The match will be televised live at 2 p.m. on ESPNU. Top-ranked Penn State (36-0) plays No. 4 Nebraska (31-2) at 4 p.m.
Washington junior libero Tamari Miyashiro (Kalani '05 of Kane'ohe) had a match-high 14 digs and three assists in Friday's sweep of Utah. Miyashiro's 26 digs Saturday was also a match-high, but the Huskies lost in five sets to Nebraska in the regional final. She also had three assists in the match.
COMMITMENT
Sacred Hearts senior Kylee Maneja has signed a national letter of intent to play volleyball at Hofstra. Maneja, an outside hitter, helped the Lancers to the 2006 Division II state title. Roosevelt graduate Shellane Ogoshi is an assistant coach at Hofstra.
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2404.
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.
