NOTES

KIF hoping for compromise

It’s not the Kauai Interscholastic Federation going to bat, so to speak, for getting football back to Friday nights.

It’s U.S. Senator Brian Schatz doing the legwork. But Waimea Athletic Director Jon Kobayashi is appreciative, nonetheless. The entire league is.

The matter is about the endangered Newell’s Shearwater. It’s also about the KIF’s lost revenue since 2010, when federal law mandated that all outside sports facilities on the island go lights-out between September and December, when the bird has its fledgling season.

Kobayashi, formerly a longtime football coach for the Menehune, said the move to Saturday afternoons has been a major hit to athletic budgets in the league.

"For us, the gate (revenue) average used to be around $10,000 (per game). For a day game, we’re lucky if we break $2,000," he said.

With nine game dates, that’s a difference of $72,000 per season. Then there’s revenue from concession stand sales.

"We used to get $5,000 a night after expenses," Kobayashi noted. "If we were allowed, we would go back to Friday night. That’s been the tradition. It’s worth it not just for the high schools, but for the community, as well."

Sen. Schatz is seeking a three-hour window on Friday nights to permit football games at Vidinha Stadium.

"No matter what, we will go on," Kobayashi said. "We’re here for the kids, so we’ll try our best to keep the football games on."

North Shore football team at Pylon tourney

While Drew Kobayashi of Saint Louis was among the local athletes competing in the Pylon Elite 7v7 Tournament in Las Vegas, a team from the North Shore made its second venture there in as many years.

The Hukilau Cafe team, which reached the second round of the playoffs, was comprised of Soli Afalava, Kesi Ah-Hoy, Manaia Atuaia, Stokes Botelho, John Farley, Hirkley Latu, Malcolm Macatiag, Tuli Wily-Matagi, Keala Santiago, Salanoa Wily, Royce Pao and Drew Williams.

"The kids did well," team organizer and coach Darren Johnson said. "Tuli (Wily-Matagi) threw the ball darn good."

TOP PERFORMERS

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

NICHELLE CHANG
Sacred Hearts softball

The junior hit a home run and drove in three runs in a loss to Kamehameha, then hit three home runs with four RBIs in a win over St. Francis to give the Lancers their first win of the season.

BASEBALL

» Bryce Nagata, Mid-Pacific: Had three hits, including a double in a tie with Kamehameha, then had three more hits in a win over Punahou.
» Tanner Tokunaga, Pearl City: Went 3-for-3 with two triples and five RBIs in a win over Leilehua.

SOFTBALL

» Chris Hipa, Kamehameha: Knocked out three hits, including a home run in a win over St. Francis. She hit a home run a day earlier against Sacred Hearts and closed out her week with nine strikeouts from the circle in a win over Mid-Pacific.
» Grace Kapesi, McKinley: Had three hits, including a home run, in a win over Radford. She went 2-for-3 in the second game of the doubleheader.

WATER POLO

» Taylor Ganeko, Pearl City: Matched teammate Kylie Hong with eight goals in an 18-16 win over Moanalua.

GOLF

» John Oda, Moanalua: Shot a 68 to win an OIA event at Olomana.

TRACK AND FIELD

» Sammy Marumoto, Punahou: Reached 12 feet in the pole vault, meeting a national silver standard.

TOP 10 POLLS
Voted on by coaches and media from around the state. First-place votes in parentheses. Ten points for first place, nine for second, eight for third, etc.

BASEBALL

SOFTBALL