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DOE is Scrooge!

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

By Megan Stephenson

The Molokai High School girls’ paddling team came in second at the second regatta of the season, at Hanakao`o Beach Park in Lahaina. Molokai paddled in at 4:41.78.

“The conditions were a little bit different at first, a lot of rain, a lot of wind coming on shore,” said coach Tania Kaholoa`a. “At times when girls went on their first run, numbers one and two couldn’t reach the water.”

The Lady Farmers were seeded fourth in the final race. Rival team Seabury Hall barely snatched first from the Lady Farmers, beating Molokai by three seconds.

Boys

The boys paddling team did not fare as well, placing seventh in the first heat, therefore not qualifying for the second race.

However,

coach Dave Gilliland said their training still showed.

“We dropped a place…but we looked good doing it,” he said.

The team came within five seconds of Baldwin and Hana’s qualifying times, but Gilliland said the team’s goal is to beat Maui High.

“We’ll continue to work hard,” he said. “It’s a motivated group of kids.”

The boys and girls paddling teams race again at Ka Lae Pohaku next weekend, Jan. 15.

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Wrestlers Keep Up Momentum

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

The Lady Farmers basketball team continues to defeat all their opponents. Over their winter break, they traveled to Lanai and Maui for matchups – both proving successful.

They topped Lanai 58-15 on Dec. 28, with Kalei Adolpho scoring 27 points. The Lady Lanai scored 13 percent of their shots in the second half, with only four points.

The next day they beat Lanai with a score of 51-18. Adolpho had 32 points, and Molokai’s defense let Lanai score 11 percent of their shots.

“It was a great team effort. In order for Adolpho to get the ball, the guards have to make a really nice pass,” said Kevan Dudoit, volunteer coach.

Molokai played Kamehameha Maui on Dec. 30, defeating Kamehameha 48-14.

“They put a lot of time and work into practice. And it shows. They play with their hearts and souls,” Dudoit said.

Senior Day

More recently, the Lady Farmers basketball team had their first and only home games last weekend against the Seabury Hall Spartans. The seniors, Kaira Kaulia-Makaiwi, Kyli Joe Mawae, and Kalei Adolpho led their team to an emotional win.

The game got off to a slow start last Friday night. The girls were plagued by fouls, missed shots and turnovers in the first half, scoring 20 points and allowing 12. Kalei Vaivai went down a badly sprained knee towards the end of the first half. She was out for the game after that.

Seabury’s Trina Valencia proved to be a threat. She was having her way with Farmer’s defense at first and scoring layup after layup.

Molokai came out much stronger on both sides of the ball in the second half of the game.

They scored 31 points in the second half and only allowed 15 from Seabury – final score 51-27. Adolpho and Mawae had 20 points each.

“We just tried to do too much in the first half,” said assistant coach Mike Hooper. “But they found a way to run the ball up and down the court. They also did a great job of putting pressure on the defense.”

They played a much cleaner and faster game on Saturday. The offense got off to a great start, but Seabury Hall was able to hold on slightly with the help of their versatile point guard, Valencia. She ended the game with 22 points.

The Lady Farmers had a string of jump shots and steals in the second quarter which resulted in a 24-16 lead at halftime.

The Farmers proved to be too much for the Spartans. Adolpho made it difficult for the Spartans to defend. She was often double or triple-teamed, which opened up other opportunities on offense for the Lady Farmers. Molokai won 57-34.

The Lady Farmers improve to 5-0 this season.

The team will travel to Maui this weekend to face-off against St. Anthony.

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Remembering Rizal

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Molokai is awash with cultural and ethnic diversity – and one of the largest communities on Molokai celebrated their national hero late last month.

Dr. Jose Rizal is widely celebrated as a martyr in the Philippines. He was executed by the Spanish Army on Dec. 30, 1896 after being allegedly to a national secret society.

Although Rizal never had connections with secret society, he had published books educating the general public of the Spanish colonial authorities in power at the time. Two books in particular angered the Spanish elite, “Noli me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo.”

The Molokai Filipino Community Council brought a great sense of remembrance to Home Pumehana on Dec. 26, 2010 – in honor of Jose Rizal Day.

Filipinos who now make Molokai home filled Home Pumehana and participated in traditional dances and performed songs and poems in Rizal’s memory. A special guest speaker was also in attendance – Leoncio Cardenas, the Philippines Consul General.

“I am honored to be on Molokai,” Cardenas said. “This is my first time on the island, and when I was invited, I didn’t hesitate. People are so welcoming and friendly here.” Cardneas, originally from Badoc, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, has worked at consulates around the globe.

“We celebrate this day because of Rizal’s efforts,” said Yolanda Reyes, a member of the Molokai Filipino community. “He was a very smart and courageous man. Even when he traveled, he didn’t forget where he came from. He had a lot of Filipino pride.”

Reyes was inaugurated as the new president of the Molokai Filipino Community Council and sworn in by Cardenas at the event.

Rizal was executed by the Spanish Army on Dec. 30, 1896 by gunfire after being accused of conspiring with a national secret society.

These writings were targeted at the core of Filipino liberalism and individuality and ultimately led to his prosecution. But his legacy lives on; in Manila parks, statues and streets adorn his image. He spoke 22 languages, practiced medicine, and was an architect, a farmer, an educator, and a linguist. He wrote a famous poem titled, “Mi Ultimo Adios,” on the eve of his execution.

“We become strong when we go abroad to places like America,” Cardneas said. “As the second largest ethic group in Hawaii, Filipinos have made a lot of contributions to this state. I encourage your kids to take pride in what they are doing.”