Even though he was in the midst of a breakout senior season over 4,000 miles away, Jon Takamura took the time to keep up with 'Iolani football.

The former Raiders standout and current Harvard linebacker just completed his finest season for the Crimson football team, which finished with a 7-3 record, 6-1 in the Ivy League.

Takamura, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound middle linebacker, made 47 tackles (third most on the team), with six for losses, including four sacks and a team-high four interceptions.

"It was great to finish the season by beating Yale, but it would have been nice to win our third Ivy League title in a row (Penn won this season)," Takamura said. "This season was kind of bittersweet, but it was pretty amazing for me because I wasn't expecting to get those sacks or interceptions."

Without a doubt, Takamura's proudest moment came over the weekend.

In the 126th meeting between Harvard and Yale in The Game Saturday, the Crimson went ahead 14-10 with 1:32 left on a 32-yard touchdown pass. Yale moved the ball to its 9-yard line when Takamura intercepted a first-down pass to give Harvard the ball back with 41 seconds to play. The Bulldogs got the ball back with 25 seconds remaining, but could not get past their 22-yard line.

"We were in a man coverage and I was free to roam the middle of the field," Takamura said. "One of our defensive linemen put great pressure on the quarterback and I was just in the right place at the right time. I couldn't believe the ball was coming right at me, I was just hoping that I held on."

Takamura said the pageantry surrounding The Game is like no other for the Crimson.

"The Game sells out every year and especially at the Yale Bowl, it's 50,000 people, whereas in our other games, we don't even see 10,000 people," Takamura said. "The tradition overwhelms you when you learn about it."

Because the Ivy League does not allow its football teams to participate in any postseason bowls, Takamura said his team "basically approached it as our bowl game."

A familiar face was on the opposing sideline for Yale in sophomore center Gabriel Fernandez (Mid-Pacific '08 of Honolulu).

"I played with his older brother Frank one year at Harvard," Takamura said. "I knew the parents and the family so it was nice seeing them again."

Takamura said the rigorous academic schedule has helped him mature.

"I've found that being a student-athlete at Harvard, it helps you in life, to build character and just knowing when you need to sit down and get your work done," Takamura said.

Takamura, who had offers elsewhere to play football, said it was a no-brainer once he was accepted at Harvard.

"I hate when people say it, but it's Harvard, you know?" he said. "It was a great opportunity and it's arguably the best college in the world, so to be able to get a great education and play football — the sport I love — at a high level, it was just the icing on the cake."

Takamura, who returned home yesterday afternoon for the Thanksgiving holiday, will graduate in the spring with a degree in economics with a minor in sociology.

He'll be at the Division II state football semifinal between 'Aiea and 'Iolani on Friday.

MORE FOOTBALL

• Oregon junior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (Saint Louis '06) scored the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run in the second overtime of the Ducks' 44-41 win at Arizona Saturday. Masoli rushed for 61 yards and three scores while passing for 284 yards and three more TDs. Oregon (9-2, 7-1 Pac-10) meets rival Oregon State (8-3, 6-2) for the Pac-10 title Saturday in Eugene.

• Notre Dame freshman outside linebacker Manti Te'o (Punahou '09 of Lä'ie) made eight tackles, including seven solo stops, in the Fighting Irish's 33-30, double-overtime loss to Connecticut Saturday.

• Weber State junior quarterback Cameron Higgins completed 23 of 33 pass attempts for 364 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 47-14 win over Cal Poly on Saturday. Freshman defensive tackle Maiah Fa'atoafe ('Aiea '09 of Honolulu) had three tackles, including one sack, and freshman nose guard Adam Sagapolutele-White (Saint Louis '09 of Waipahu) added two tackles and one sack for the Wildcats.

• California senior defensive lineman Tyson Alualu (Saint Louis '05 of Honolulu) had four tackles in Saturday's 34-28 win over Stanford. Stanford sophomore defensive lineman Matt Masifilo (Campbell '07 of 'Ewa Beach) had two tackles for Stanford.

• Oregon State sophomore linebacker David Pa'aluhi (Wai'anae '07) was in on a team-high seven tackles in the Beavers' 42-10 win over Washington Saturday. Pa'aluhi also forced — and recovered — a fumble while sophomore cornerback Brandon Hardin (Kamehameha '07 of Honolulu) made two tackles.

• Colorado junior inside linebacker Michael Sipili (Damien '06 of Honolulu) had three tackles and forced a fumble in a 31-28 loss at Oklahoma State Thursday.

• Linfield freshman kicker Maika Kunioka (Leilehua '09) made a 38-yard field goal and all four of his PAT attempts in a 38-17 win over Cal Lutheran Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

• Washington senior libero Tamari Miyashiro (Kalani '05 of Käne'ohe) recorded a match-high 16 digs in a sweep of Washington State Saturday. The fourth-ranked Huskies (22-4, 12-4 Pac-10) finish the regular season with home matches against Oregon State tonight and Oregon Friday.

• Saint Mary's (Calif.) sophomore outside hitter Chanteal Satele (Word of Life '08 of Mililani) put away 13 kills and hit .522 in a sweep of Portland Saturday. Junior setter Kapua Kamana'o ('Iolani '07 of Honolulu) had 20 assists with five digs and senior middle blocker Megan Burton ('Iolani '06 of Kapolei) added five kills for the Gaels. Burton was named to her second consecutive All-West Coast Conference first team. Satele and Kamana'o were honorable mention.

• George Mason (Va.) freshman libero Koala Matsuoka (Kamehameha '09 of Honolulu) had 17 digs in Monday's five-set win over Delaware in the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Conference Tournament. In yesterday's championship match, Matsuoka had a team-high 20 digs to lift the Patriots to a five-set win and their eighth CAA championship. Matsuoka was named to the CAA's All-Freshman Team.

• Long Beach State sophomore defensive specialist Lauren Minkel ('Iolani '08 of Honolulu) had 16 digs in a sweep of UC Riverside Friday and a match-high 27 digs in a five-set win over UC Irvine Saturday.

• Boston College sophomore libero Brennan Clark (University High '08 of Mililani) recorded 15 digs in a three-set loss at Miami Sunday.

• Fairfield (Conn.) sophomore outside hitter Haililani Pokipala (Sacred Hearts '08 of Honolulu) had seven kills, seven digs and three aces in a five-set loss to Marist Sunday in the semifinals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament.

• Siena (N.Y.) senior setter Kau'i Robello (Punahou '06 of Honolulu) had 49 assists and 10 digs in a five-set loss to Niagara in the semifinals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament Sunday. Freshman defensive specialist Lesli Akeo (Kamehameha '09 of Kapolei) added 13 digs for the Saints. Robello made the All-Tournament Team.

• Nevada junior outside hitter Kylie Harrington (St. Francis '07 of Honolulu) had 18 kills with seven digs, freshman outside hitter Elissa Ji (Maryknoll '09 of Honolulu) put away six kills with four blocks and freshman defensive specialist Kelly Chang (Hawai'i Baptist '09 of Honolulu) added 10 digs in a five-set loss to Fresno State Monday in the first round of the WAC Tournament.

• Adelphi (N.Y.) junior setter Heather Mau (Maryknoll '07 of Honolulu) had 44 assists, 11 digs, six kills, five blocks and three aces in a five-set loss to Bentley Wednesday in the Northeast Regional of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

• Washington University (Mo.) freshman libero Kelly Pang ('Iolani '09 of Honolulu) had a match-high 30 digs to help the Bears win their second NCAA Division III national championship in three years with a four-set win over Juniata Saturday. Junior outside hitter Marya Kaminski ('Iolani '07 of Kailua) hit .588 with 12 kills and five digs with two aces for Washington. Pang was named National Freshman of the Year and AVCA first-team All-American.

• Western Nebraska Community College sophomore outside hitter Kalei Kabalis (Moanalua '08 of Hilo) had 11 kills and 10 digs to help the Cougars win the third-place match with a four-set win over Salt Lake Community College in the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament Saturday.

SWIMMING & DIVING

• UCLA junior Brittany Beauchan (Punahou '07 of Honolulu) was third (2:14.17) in the 200-meter breaststroke final at the Toshiba Classic in Long Beach, Calif. She also placed second (1:02.21) in the 100 breaststroke.

• Fairfield (Conn.) sophomore Michelle Yoshida (Punahou '08 of Käne'ohe) was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week yesterday. She won four events in meets against Bryant and NJIT, setting records in three of them. Yoshida won the 50-meter freestyle, the 100 backstroke and helped the 200 medley relay team finish first against Bryant. She also won the 400 freestyle against NJIT.

• Lindenwood (Mo.) sophomore Sarah Billiamosa (Pearl City '08) was part of the runner-up (3:45.30) 400-yard freestyle relay team at the Washington University Thanksgiving Invitational in St. Louis, Mo. last weekend.

• Vassar (N.Y.) sophomore Jack Smart (Punahou '07 of Honolulu) won the 100-yard breaststroke (1:04.54) and the 200 breaststroke (2:16.77) in a meet against Pace Friday night. Against SUNY New Paltz Saturday, Smart won the 400 individual medley (4:24.31) and the 100 breaststroke (1:01.73).

MEN'S SOCCER

• Gonzaga senior forward Tye Perdido (Seabury Hall '06 of Kula) was named to the All-West Coast Conference first team for the second straight season last week. Perdido completed his Bulldogs' career with 21 goals (fifth all-time) and 13 assists (sixth all-time).

• Swarthmore (Pa.) junior forward Morgan Langley ('Iolani '07 of Honolulu) assisted on a goal in the 85th minute of a 2-1 loss to Transylvania Friday in the third round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The teams were tied 1-1 after two overtimes, but Transylvania won 4-1 in penalty kicks.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

• Occidental (Calif.) senior defender Marci Kang ('Iolani '06 of Honolulu) was named to the All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first team. Her teammate, freshman forward Jessica Leina'ala Song (Kamehameha '09) was named to the second team, along with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps sophomore midfielder Julia Nishioka ('Iolani '08 of Honolulu).

MEN'S WATER POLO

• Loyola Marymount junior utility Andrew Aki (Punahou '06 of Hawai'I Kai) was named to the Western Water Polo Association first team last week. Aki finished with career highs in goals (32), assists (22), steals (63) and field blocks (42).