Sports

Molokai World Championship set for Sunday

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

By Glenna Wong

The 2010 Molokai World Championships open ocean race will take place on Sunday, May 16, 2010.  This race is recognized as the World Surfski Championship of long distance surfski racing, and is the title that the most elite watermen and water women covet the most.  

Track & Field Wraps Season with Victory

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Last weekend, the Farmer’s track and field team brought home a bag full of accomplishments, including a second place finish in the girl’s high jump, at the Maui Interscholastic League Championships on Maui.

Junior Kalei Adolpho earned second place in high jump, at 5’0,” automatically qualifying her to state. Adolpho also snagged fourth place in the 800 meter race, as did senior Candice Pauole in high jump with a height of 4’6.” The combined efforts of Adolpho and Pauole put the Lady Farmers at sixth place overall.

“Kalei is crazy – she never jumped once in competition before the MIL Champs,” said Coach Jesse Ford. “But she's got this competitiveness that allows her to make things happen at the last minute.”

Cowboy Up for a Cause

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Cowboy Up for a Cause

Kamakana Purdy’s favorite color is pink. While not what you would expect of a rodeo jock, Kamakana started wearing the color in support of his grandmother when she was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago.

While his grandmother is one of the survivors, around 40,000 women a year are not. To raise money and awareness to help fight the wicked disease, the Hawaii High School Rodeo Association – Molokai themed their last competition of the season ‘Tough Enough to Wear Pink’ last Sunday. The rodeo was an all-day event at the Molokai Ranch arena. 

Mahalo to all who helped make the last rodeo of our 2009-2010 season in which was donated to the Tough Enough To Wear Pink Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness possible.  Our girls and boys have raised over $2,000 in which will be donated to our very own Molokai Cancer Fund!  Mahalo Nui Loa! -- Meli Purdy

Wrestling Smack Down

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Wrestling Smack Down

A mass of vivacious fans packed The Barn last Saturday – some streaming in to see their tough keiki, others from off-island – as they cheered on about 230 competitors who faced off in Molokai’s wrestling invitational.

The Molokai Wrestling Club dominated its own tournament, beating out nine other Maui clubs with a total of 143 points – more than double the score of runner-up Central Maui Style with 67 points. It was the Friendly Isle’s first win of the Maui Style Wrestling season.

Molokai was the largest team represented with about 75 youth – ages 5 to 17 – competing. Sixteen of those youth went home champions, while another 22 were runner-ups.

Among the other clubs to contend were Upcountry Wrestling Club, Central Maui Style, Lahaina Roughnecks, Napili Surfriders, Kihei Maulers and Central Razorbacks, Punahou Pumas, Lanai Ka’ulula’au and Maui Makali’i.

has become bigger than Molokai,” he added. “It’s great to see our wrestlers be able to compete in front of their home crowd.”

The club has two final matches, one this weekend at Wailuku – where the team will bring over about 20 of its 80-something wrestlers – and the state tournament on May 15 at the Civic Center on Maui.

Advancing Farmers

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Advancing Farmers

With Larriley Rawlins’ contributing homers in each of last weekend’s games, Molokai High School managed to sweep St. Anthony and snag a spot in the upcoming state tournament.

The Lady Farmers rolled out another mercy rule win – which they accomplished last week against Seabury – on Friday night, defeating the Trojans 13-1, in the first of three games.

Molokai had a close repeat the following morning, outscoring St. Anthony 14-1 in only four innings, and won the second, 11-0, in five.

was crazy,” Coach Stacey Horner said. “I must have had four or five heart attacks.”

Another winner was Kaipoi Kondo, defeating Maui Prep’s Ray Vo 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 on Thursday in the first round of boys’ singles.

“We went in ranked fifth,” Horner said. “So I was very impressed with how they played.”

Montizor and Horner will be attending the State Championships May 5-6.

Volleyball
It was a split weekend for Molokai High School’s boys’ volleyball team, defeating Hana 3-2 on Friday, but then falling short, 3-2, on Saturday at The Barn.

On Friday, Molokai gained a five-set win, defeating the Dragons 25-22, 15-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-13.

Kawaiola Kalipi recorded a total of 53 assists and two blocks for the Farmers, while Haaheo Falealii had 22 kills, followed by David Gomes and each adding nine kills.

Hana then rebounded the following day, winning 22-25, 23-25, 32-30, 25-19, 15-12.
Molokai’s Haaheeo Falealii had 17 kills and two blocks, while Claude Kapuni had 12 kills and four blocks and David Gomes and Julien Bumatay each added 10 kills.

Baseball Finishes Strong

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

Baseball Finishes Strong

Molokai High School’s baseball team wrapped up its season last weekend with two wins in its triple-game series against Seabury Hall at Duke Maliu Regional Park – awarding the team second place in the final Division II standings.

The Farmers beat out the Spartans Friday evening by one run, lost by one run the following day, 8-7, and then recaptured the lead in their second Saturday game, winning 18-11.

“It was well played by both teams,” said Coach Steve Trout, a former major league pitcher. “We have respect for what Seabury has done, and they have respect for us.”

In Molokai’s final blowout game on Saturday, the farmers took a 6-0 lead after only one inning, then fell behind 10-7 in the top of the third, only to regain victory shortly thereafter.

“That was a really exciting game,” added Trout. “We showed what we practiced.”

In the last game of the triple header, Molokai's Ehukai Rawlins scored twice and drove in three runs, while Jubilee Tabilangan gained three runs and a ‘runs batted in’, and Shaquille Rapanot scored twice and drove in one run.

is about the same,” Augustiro said. “I’m expecting to see about the same results.”

Conquering the Continent

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Conquering the Continent

By Ted Kanemitsu and Lisa Davis

It’s hard to believe that a whole year has passed since Lisa Davis and I embarked on our once in a lifetime journey across America. And let me tell you, what a journey it was.

Before I get started, let me take this opportunity to once again thank all of you who have so willingly given of your time, money, well wishes, encouragement, and of course prayers that made this event far surpass our wildest dreams. Also we would like to congratulate the non-profit organizations who have taken part in using this opportunity to raise funds for their various causes. We are honored to be of help to them as well.

Riding a bicycle might seem like a kid’s activity to most. And in a way, it is. It was their first real experience of freedom, sort of to speak. It broadened their horizon, and lessened their dependence on mom and dad to take them places. Yes, a bike was every kids dream. But as we grow older, we develop a taste for more exotic transportation. A motorcycle perhaps, or maybe even a car. The more expensive and louder, the better.

A bicycle on the other hand, is quite the opposite. It’s quiet, very cost efficient, and nobody really notices anybody riding a bike. But imagine if you would, being able to go as fast as you can without the cops chasing you, or irate neighbors giving you dirty looks. On a bike you can do just that. Going twenty, feels like you’re going a hundred. You get the sensation of speed like you could never get in a car unless you were actually going a hundred, and then you put everyone at risk. You could travel a hundred miles in a single day if you wanted to on a bike, and it wouldn’t cost you a penny in gas.

In this respect, a bicycle becomes more of a viable alternative to recreation, as well as travel. Cyclists are amongst the fittest people on the planet. They have lower body fat, more efficient hearts, and they recover within seconds of hard efforts that would leave the average person panting for the next half hour. But beside all that, riding a bike is just plain fun. You can not stop the aging process, but you can slow it down.

Years ago when I was in the military, I drove coast to coast and back, as well as boarder to boarder. It was all a blur except for the occasional reality check. In contrast, traveling by bicycle was a much different and more enjoyable experience. You get to see the land up close. You get to smell the country, and hear the sounds. You meet people in their own surroundings, and see for yourself what a wonderful place America really is.

Our travels took us through ten states traveling east to west from Yorktown, Virginia to Florence, Oregon. A total of 4,389.5 miles as we made our way through some of the most scenic parts of North America. We followed the historical “Trans America Bicycle Route” which was first ridden as part of our country’s 200th Anniversary in 1976. That year, over 5,000 people embarked on this journey. Although not everyone completed the entire route, they all shared a common desire: to see our great country up close, and to meet the individuals who make this the best place in the world to live. An experience none of them will ever forget.

Stay tuned – next week Ted wraps it up with the second and final part of the story.

A Young Hawaiian Surfer with an Old Spiritual Soul

Friday, April 9th, 2010

A Young Hawaiian Surfer with an Old Spiritual Soul

By Jodi Wilmott, Hawaii Surfing Association – Hard Rock Café Surf Series

With one foot in Hawaii's past and the other in surfing's future, 14-year-old Kaoli Kahokuloa has an opportunity to carry the ancient sport of he'e nalu forward in its true spirit and culture. Kaoli and his family embrace the blessing of his talents, but understand it is a privilege not to be taken for granted.

"We want to do it the old style way," says his soft-spoken father, Pulani. "Always stay humble, no matter what the result, and always come out smiling."

Kaoli has plenty of reasons to smile. He is turning heads around the world with his futuristic moves and a style that's as fluid as the ocean itself. At 14 he's doing well in state and national competition, and his gravity-defying aerials are gaining international recognition. He recently secured a grant from the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation to support his surfing progress.

This is a kid who killed his pet pig Houston, turning it into pork lau lau, to sell for the money to enter his first surfing competition. He was seven then, living on Molokai, and determined to enter an HSA (Hawaii Surfing Association) contest on Oahu. Seven years on, Kaoli is now a regular finalist in HSA's Hard Rock Cafe Surf Series. This weekend past he won his division at Sandy Beach.

Just a few weeks shy of his 15th birthday, Kaoli is about to hit the critical age of every young aspiring athlete. It's make it or break it time and the quiet boy with the old-world Hawaiian style and firm faith is going for it.

Kaoli is the oldest of eight children who range in age from nine months to 14 years. His father is from the "Forbidden Island" of Ni`ihau, a place where the English language is rarely, if ever spoken. His mother is from Molokai, still a world away from city lights and fast-paced living. The Kahokuloas reside on Oahu now, but have retained the simple life that they say is focused on God first, and family second.

The whole family supports Kaoli's budding career, but Kaoli has responsibilities to the family in turn.

"He's lucky if he gets to surf four hours a week and a lot of times the place we end up at isn't really great for him, it's great for them," says his mother Elea, nodding towards the little ones.

While he waits to compete in his HSA heat, Kaoli plays around with the rest of the kids under the shade of their pop-up tent. Three of them are Kaoli's full-blood siblings and four of them have been hanai-ed, or taken in by his parents as their own. There is no distinction. His parents ask nothing of the kids, yet they respond automatically to the needs of each other. It's a marvelous illustration of the Polynesian family tradition: respect, heart-felt responsibility, and love. 

In preparation for his next heat, Kaoli and his father discuss his approach, all in Hawaiian. Somehow it seems much more than a language. The words sound poetic, almost haunting, and bring a sense of ancient story to the situation. It's as if his father is giving him all the mana he needs to go and ride the waves. It feels like he has the edge on his rivals already.

Kaoli goes on to win the final then returns to life as usual with his family. For these Hawaiians, life isn't about surfing so much as surfing is an outlet to express and share their Hawaiian, spiritual and family values.

Like guiding lights through the generations, Hawaiians such as Duke Kahanamoku and Eddie Aikau have respectfully carried forth the sport of surfing with a reverence for its roots and a desire to share their culture with people around the world. It wasn't titles or fame that led the world to embrace Eddie and Duke, it was their spirit of humility and aloha, and their willingness to share it one-on-one with all whose paths they crossed.

The hope that the Kahokuloas hold for Kaoli's surfing career is that it provide him an opportunity to share his spirit and bring respect and understanding to his culture and values. If worldly success comes with that, too, it will simply be a bonus.

Ask Kaoli what he aspires to in surfing and you get a simple, satisfying answer:
"To enjoy surfing, everywhere around the world."

Defeated Farmers Look Forward

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Defeated Farmers Look Forward

The Molokai High School boys’ volleyball team opened its season with three aggressive sets but fell short as a tough Seabury Hall took triple wins – 25-8, 25-13, 25-12 – in Friday night’s game.

Although the Farmers played their first game at home with a heap of cheering fans, Seabury’s relentless efforts showed no mercy on Molokai.

“Tonight showed our inexperience,” said Molokai coach Bill Dudoit. “We have a lot of youth on our team.”

Dudoit said Seabury was a polished team – the one to beat – but that the Farmers still hold promise for this season.

“It was out first game and a definite eye-opener,” Dudoit said. “We got to work on our overall game, serving and transitions, and know the importance of offense and defense.”

Dudoit expects a better game next week when the boys face off with Lanai on April 9 and 10 at The Barn.

walked for their win.”

During Thursday’s second game at Hana Ball Park, Molokai’s second basemen sprained her ankle, forcing the Lady Farmers to finish the game with only eight players.

Hana High School came out fierce again on Friday limiting Molokai to only three points. Dudoit-English and Larriley Rawlins each doubled for the Farmers. Rawlins finished 2 for 4 and scored a run.

Augustiro is expecting some good competition when Seabury comes to town April 16 and 17, and says the girls just need to do a little homework.

“They just need to play hard, play their best,” she said.

Tennis
The girls’ and boys’ tennis team played two teams this weekend in Maui, which yielded some mixed results.

On Friday, the boys were defeated by Lahainaluna 3-1 at the War Memorial Courts, while the girls also lost against Lahainaluna, 5-0, at the Lahaina Civic Center courts. Mason Horner fought hard for the boys (and earned them one point) but came up short to Wasseem Bel at No. 2 singles. Horner was defeated 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

On Saturday, the St. Anthony High School girls’ tennis team swept the Lady Farmers, 5-0, at the War Memorial Courts, while the Molokai boys succumbed to a 3-2 defeat.

St. Anthony’s Scott Dahlquist and Myles Gregory defeated Molokai’s Herbert Antolin and Kaipoi Kondo 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 doubles, and later St. Anthony’s Aaron Hirayama and Chris Redeker won by default at No. 2 doubles.

Although Coach Stacey Horner did not travel with the team this weekend, he said they still did fairly well.

“There were some challenging matches,” Horner said. “Mason Horner won his first match and said it was the longest one he ever played. He fought hard.”

Horner said his players felt the heat not only on the court, but in the air.

“It was really humid over there,” he said. “It was tough on them, very grueling.”

The tennis team will be competing in the East-West playoffs and team final on April 16 and 17.

Baseball Hits Two Out of the Park

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

Baseball Hits Two Out of the Park

It wasn’t over for Molokai High School’s baseball team when they fell short, 6-5, to Lanai at Lahaina Ball Park last Friday. In fact, it wasn’t over in the least bit.

The Farmers found some extra runs needed to close out their season-opener doubleheader, winning the first game 12-4 and the second 12-0 in five innings on Saturday.

Molokai, a Maui Interscholastic League’s (MIL) Division II team, is tied with St. Anthony High School at 2-1.

will go to state.”

Molokai girls placed sixth overall out of eight teams, earning a total of six points, while the boys placed eighth out of 10 teams with nine points.

Ford said the boys did exceptionally well, even though most other teams are 10 times the size of Molokai’s.
Senior sprinter Mahi Kan-Hai advanced to the finals in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.5 seconds – just one tenth of a second off of state consideration.

Freshman mid-distance runner Akona Adolpho improved from preliminaries to the finals in the 1500, while senior Kaili Levi also reached the finals in shot put and discus.

A highlight for the boys’ team was when Hunter-Pawn Kalilikane, Akoha Adolpho, Mahi Kan-Hai and Gaig Yap, whom had never run together before Saturday, earned the fourth-place slot in the 4x100 meter relay, awarding them each with medals.

The track & field team will take a break next week, but will return to face off with its competition at the second MIL Meet April 9 at War Memorial Stadium.