Sports

Farmers Finish Scoreless

Monday, December 14th, 2009

The Molokai High girls’ soccer team failed to find the back of the net in a pair of games this weekend against Maui’s Kamehameha School. Kamehameha improved its record to 2-2 with a 7-0 Friday afternoon and a 5-0 win the following morning. Molokai dropped to 0-4 on the young season.

The Big Stage

Monday, December 14th, 2009

Tough green Astroturf, thousands of fans, a slew of opposing defenders and one league record were all left in the dust as Molokai running back Noah Caparida sped down the sideline at Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium last Sunday. Caparida weaved and juked his way to a 95-yard touchdown run – the longest in Island Youth Football League history – as the Farmers ran away with a convincing 32-6 win in their end-of-the-year bowl game.

“We ran a sweep to the outside and I just juked all of them out,” Caparida said. “It’s a good feeling [to set a record], it’s exciting.”

“It was a lot of fun I got to run over a couple of guys,” he said. “Every time we were getting close to the end zone I was running it up the middle.”

Traxler-Ortiz went out of his way to run over a few extra defenders on his first touchdown, a 15-yarder right up the middle.

“Overall, today they were the team that we were always looking to find throughout the season,” Kiaha said. “They played with heart and soul and passion for the game. Everybody had a great game.”

The Farmers finished their season with a 3-6 record, but turned some heads with their strong performance in the stadium this weekend. The trip, their second in as many years, was funded by generous donations from several local businesses and residents. The team went door-to-door on their furlough days to raise the money.

Helm, Adolpho Nab Top MIL Honor

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

The Molokai girls’ volleyball team may have fallen one game short of winning a state championship trophy, but they certainly won’t leave the season empty-handed. Farmers head coach Matt Helm was named Div. II Coach of the Year and seven Molokai players received all-conference honors.

Leading the way for the players was junior Kalei Adolpho, who was named the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) Player of the Year in Div. II.  The 6-foot-1 middle blocker won the award based on votes from the league’s coaches.

“She’s probably also the most intimidating player in the league,” Helm said. “Because of her offensive presence, a lot of the other teams really recognized her as being dominant out there.”

Adolpho’s authoritative kills left little doubt of her skill, but Helm said it was her competitive spirit that really set her apart. He said that her attitude was a constant morale booster throughout the year.

''It feels great, but I'm a little surprised,'' Adolpho told the Maui News after learning about the award last week. ''It feels good and I'm really honored.''

Plenty of Weapons
Adolpho was a big part of the Farmers perfect regular season record and MIL championship, but she was far form the only weapon in Helm’s arsenal this year. Six of her teammates made the all-conference squad, including three on the first team.

Senior Danna-Lynn Hooper-Juario, junior Kailana Ritte-Camara and sophomore Kalei Vaivai picked up the first team honors. Hooper-Juario and Ritte-Camara have been consistent forces at outside hitter for multiple years now and Vaivai – who transferred from Baldwin this year – added an element of power to the Farmers lineup this year.

“We had a lot of balance this year and a lot of talent,” Helm said. “I feel that if any of our players played any other team in the MIL they would all be standout players.”

Molokai picked up four of the seven spots on the first team with the other three going to players from the second-place Seabury Hall team.

Molokai’s powerful hitters would be nowhere without junior setter Kawena Puhi who quarterbacked the Farmers offensive attack all season. Puhi was named to the MIL second team for her work.

Senior libero Wailani Hernandez and sophomore middle blocker Natalia Levi rounded out the trophy case full of awards for Molokai by being named Honorable Mention. Levi picked up an award despite competing all season long with Adolpho for time on the court.

Having all six starters and a back-up receive awards is a strong statement about Molokai’s depth and the respect they get from the rest of the league.

“It has always been the goal for Molokai since I took over to produce good athletes and good players,” Helm said. “It says a lot for the program.”

Helm wrapped up his sixth season as the Molokai coach this year with his second Coach of the Year award. He also won the award three years ago.

“He tries not to just teach volleyball, but the whole life lessons,'' Adolpho told the Maui News. ''Volleyball-wise, he is really great. He sees all the little things some people don't see, he explains things well, and he understands what he wants us to do.''

Helm and the players will be honored on Molokai on Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. at the high school’s Fall Athletics Banquet.

 

Tough Start for Farmers

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Junior captain Chelsea Sakamoto winds up for a kick during Molokai’s 6-0 loss to Na Ali`i of King Kekaulike last Saturday. The two teams played a doubleheader last weekend in Kaunakakai to kick off the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) regular season.

The Farmers got off to a great start when Sharali Dudoit-Enis scored less than a minute into Friday af

ternoon’s game. However, Na Ali`i settled in and didn’t give up another goal all weekend. They rallied for an 8-1 win Friday and followed that with a 6-0 shutout the next morning. King Kekaulike striker Maya Palaroan led the way with four goals in the two games.

Molokai will try to get back on track this weekend with a pair of games against Kamehameha at the Kaunakakai Ball Park. Friday’s game starts at 3:30 and Saturday’s will kick off at 11 a.m.

Big Games on Big Island

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

It came down to the wire again. Molokai girls’ basketball played a rematch of last year’s state championship against Kamehameha – Big Island last Saturday. And once again, Molokai won in the final seconds.

Senior guard Danna-Lynn Hooper hit a pair of free throws with only eight seconds left on the clock to give the Farmers a 42-40 win. It was the second win of the weekend for Molokai, who played four games against some of the state’s top teams.

In last March’s matchup, Molokai came from behind to capture the state title. This time around it was Kamehameha’s turn to put together a fourth quarter comeback. The Farmers led by as many as 17 points in the third quarter, but saw that lead quickly evaporate thanks to clutch three-point shooting from Kamehameha.

“They really got us with three-pointers. We ran into foul trouble so we had to stop playing our man-to-man [defense],” Molokai coach Michael Hooper said.

The Farmers switched to a zone defense in the final quarter, giving Kamehameha open looks from beyond the arc. They took advantage and tied the game at 40-40 in the final minute before Danna-Lynn Hooper iced the win with her clutch shooting from the charity stripe.

“I don’t think the score really shows how dominant we were against them,” Coach Hooper said. “We don’t really play many Div. II schools that can battle us right now. We’re looking forward to a pretty exciting season.”

The Farmers played three other games during the weekend, all against Div. I schools. They started the tournament with a dominant 45-21 victory of the Kealakehe Waveriders from the Big Island. Molokai went on a 20-1 run in the opening quarter and never looked back. Hooper and head coach Doug Furlong opened up the bench after the first quarter and let their young players get some valuable experience.

Molokai then dropped back-to-back games against defending Div. I champs and tournament host Konawaena and `Iolani from Oahu. Hooper said the girls missed some open looks against Konawaena that would have made things a little closer, but ultimately the home team had too much talent and came away with a 45-35 win.

The following night against Iolani was a neck-and-neck contest from start to finish. Neither team lead by more than four points throughout and, like Saturday’s game, it came down to the final minute.

The Farmers pulled within one point with under a minute to go, but Iolani was able to hit enough foul shots to hold on for the 33-29 victory. Molokai’s preseason record to this point is now 3-3 with six games left before the start of the regular conference schedule.

“That was a game we could have won,” Hooper said. “We have a long way to go, but all of our problems are fixable things that we can work on.”  

Hooper said the team will spend a short week of practice working on conditioning and staying in control. This weekend they will be on the road again for an eight-team tournament at Moanalua. Their first game will be Thursday night against Kamehameha – Kapalana.

The Good Kind of Bully

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

When Tiare Hubbard decided to partake in a new hobby, she wanted to take all of Molokai with her. And she’s always had a soft spot for puppies – specifically pit bulls.

Last year Hubbard started Sucken Mean Kennels, the only bully kennel and breeder on Molokai. A ‘bully’ canine is the collective term for pitbull-related breeds not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC): American Pit Bull Terrier (also know simply as the pit bull), American bulldog, English bulldog, ‘Short’ bull (mini American bulldog) and ‘Staffy’ bull (mini Staffordshire pit bull terrier).

This year, she decided to bring the bully scene, which is thriving on other Hawaiian islands, to Molokai by hosting a bully show. To help raise funds, she organized a benefit concert at Paddlers Inn last Saturday night.

Hubbard hopes to have the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) Bully Bash dog show in September, and with the help of Hawaii’s Strongest Dog Kennel in Oahu, several other bully kennels off-island, and lots of attendees, was able to make a dent in her costs.

The concert featured three bands and a lot of donations for not only Sucken Mean, but the Molokai Humane Society as well.

“It went better than we thought for a last minute thing,” she said.

Hubbard also asked the fundraiser’s guests for donations to the Molokai Humane Society to help keep a permanent veterinarian on island – “because to have a kennel you need a vet” – and Toys for Tots. Those who donated were entered to win one of two bully puppies, donated by Hope Kennels in Honolulu and Hubbard herself.

Hubbard is also raising money for an ABKC bully pulling competition, set for April.

Pit bulls were originally bred for fighting and guarding, said Hubbard, but are primarily pets now. Because of their strong stature, however, a new sport of pulling is becoming more popular. The bully is harnessed to 3,000 lbs or greater, sometimes a pickup truck, and has to pull 16 feet under 60 seconds. The largest weight class can pull more than 6,000 lbs, according to Pat Augustus, of Hawaii’s Strongest Dogs.

About the breed
Bully breeds are not recognized by the standard for dog breeds, the AKC, partly because their similarity to the American Staffordshire Terrier, which is recognized by the AKC, and partly due to its long history of aggressive behavior.

But Hubbard is working against this stereotype.
“My mission is to change the reputation that pit bulls have. To let people know the owners are the problem, not the pit bull,” she said.

Hubbard started with two pit bull puppies, and now has eight of all colors and bloodlines. She also started farming out her dogs, to others interested and qualified to own a bully. She sells a bully at half price, teaches the new owners how to breed the dog, and receives a puppy from the first litter to replace the original.

“We breed for temperament, we breed for color, [and] we breed for physique – in that order,” she said

With the help of these “co-owners,” as well as smaller bully kennels that have started in her wake, Hubbard has started a bully community on Molokai, which she hopes to expand to monthly barbeques in the future.

Another endeavor that came with Hubbard’s new business was a clothing line. She explained that kennels have their own logo designs. It becomes a competition to see who has the best design, she said.

Overall, Hubbard gets a lot of help from the other kennels.

“I’m an equal on Hawaii, but heading the effort on [Molokai],” she said. “This is about a group coming together to better the breed.”

Molokai Scoreboard

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

Last Week’s Scores

Girls’ Soccer
12/4  King Kekaulike 8, Molokai 1
12/5  King Kekaulike 6, Molokai 0

Girls’ Basketball
12/2 Molokai 45, Kealakehe 21
12/3 Konawaena 45, Molokai 35
12/4 Iolani 33, Molokai 29
12/5 Molokai 42, Kamehameha-Hawaii 40

Coming up…

Girls’ Soccer
12/11 Molokai v. Kamehameha-Maui @ 3:30 p.m. (Kaunakakai Ball Park)
12/12 Molokai v. Kamehemeha-Maui @ 10 a.m. (Kaunakakai Ball Park)

Girls’ Basketball
12/10 Molokai v. Kamehameha-Kapalana (Moanalua Tournament)

Youth Football
12/11 Molokai Peewees vs. Kapolei @ 12 noon (Kapolei)
12/12 Molokai Peewees combined scrimmage (Aloha Stadium)

Awards

Girls’ Volleyball
Kalei Adolpho – MIL Div. II Player of the Year
Danna-Lynn Hooper – MIL All-Conference First Team
Kailana Ritte-Camara – MIL All-Conference First Team
Kalei Vaivai – MIL All-Conference First Team
Kawena Puhi – MIL All-Conference Second Team
Wailani Hernandez – MIL All-Conference Honorable Mention
Natalia Levi – MIL All-Conference Honorable Mention

Catching Up

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Since the ancient days of the first Makahiki games, Molokai has had a proud athletic tradition. Today, the island continues to produce an unproportionally high amount of sports stars. From high school to college and the pros, our athletes have represented the Friendly Isle well on the national stage. Many have gone on to play sports for colleges throughout Hawaii and on the mainland. A few of Molokai’s now-professional athletes are listed below. If you have information about any of these athletes, or how to get in contact with them, let us know! The Dispatch wants to help share their stories with the island and inspire a whole new generation of great Molokai athletes.


Jarrin Akana -- Basketball

Joe Kupaka – Volleyball

Keith Luuloa –Baseball

Miles Luuloa –Baseball

Mike McCutcheon –Baseball

Kaipo Naki – Basketball

Kimo “Scooby” Von Oelhoffen – Football

Split Decision

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Farmers win season opener, fall in rematch the next day

The Molokai girls’ basketball team tipped off their season at The Barn last weekend with a win and a loss against visiting King Kekaulike from Maui. The Farmers came from behind Friday night to pick up a 37-30 win before dropping the rematch 40-37 the next morning.

“Both these games had a similar hard fought style,” said Molokai coach Michael Hooper. “The girls need to learn how to play these types of games if we want to repeat for a state championship.”

Friday night’s game was also the debut of The Barn’s brand new gym floor. The bright new parquet with a fierce-looking farmer at mid-court was designed by William Kaole Place with help from one of the school’s art classes.

“The new floor was nice. It was a little slippery at first, but after that it was great,” said senior guard Danna-Lynn Hooper.

played really well,” Michael Hooper said.  “I think we’re going to have a pretty good team.”

Round Two
The following morning, Molokai and King Kekaulike were back in The Barn for a rematch. This time the Farmers’ comeback fell just short.

Once again it was three-pointers from King Kekaulike’s Carillo and junior Tori Kawahara that put the Farmers behind in the first half.

Molokai kept things close until Na Ali`i sophomore Jennifer Treu scored seven straight to give her team a 29-22 edge with time running out in the third quarter.

Jolenta Duvauchelle had a pair of clutch hoops to keep the Farmers close late in the game, but King Kekaulike was able to control the ball and take away too much time in the final quarter.

“We need to work a little more on ball control, sticking with the defense and our mental preparation,” Danna-Lynn Hooper said.

Coach Hooper said with only 10 practice days before their first game, he wasn’t surprised the girls weren’t completely mentally prepared.

“It was kind of expected,” he said. “But this is what we’ll be facing all preseason – big, quick and aggressive.”

King Kekaulike is one of the several Div. I teams Molokai has slated for their 12 game preseason schedule. Coach Hooper said the tough line-up was necessary to have the team ready for the postseason.

The Farmers get back on the court this weekend for four games in four days on the Big Island. All four of their opponents are Div. I teams including last year’s champions, Konawaena.