Iolani Alumni

The Iolani Alumni Basketball League is right around the corner so for those of you haven’t touched a ball since last July, its time to start warming up… (a month and half should be enough right?… maybe not).

The 2008 summer league is set to begin on June 16 and run through the week of July 21 with games on Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Game times on weekdays will likely be at 7:00, 7:50 and 8:40 pm. On weekends, there will be four games starting at 5:00 pm.

Last year’s champions from the Classes of ‘94 and ‘95 (Tanaka) will be looking to defend their title again in 2008 (if they can field a team). Shown are Josh Obrey ‘94, Doug Lange ‘94, Kanoa Leahey ‘95, John Stepien ‘95, Micah Banton ‘95, Mark Ambler ‘95, Jerry Tanaka ‘95.

See the rest of the top teams »

The Boys Basketball team won 5 consecutive state titles (2002-06)… Wrestling won 7 straight (1988-94), but neither comes close to the most dominant team on campus… the Iolani Math team.

After winning their final match a few weeks ago, the Iolani Math team closed out an undefeated season and captured their 16th consecutive Oahu Math League Championship.

The team members include William Chambers ‘10, Richard Chang ‘11, Jerrald Chau ‘08, Aaron Fong ‘08, Scott Kaneshiro ‘08, Leslie Kim ‘08, Nick Moriwaki ‘08, Jessi Saylors ‘09, Robert Shimizu ‘08 and Jon Wong ‘09.

Held seven times per year, the Oahu Math League consists of six events lasting ten minutes each during which time competitors take three-question tests on subjects ranging from first-year algebra to trigonometry and analytic geometry.

[Photo: Iolani.org]

The Iolani Boys Volleyball team fell in straight sets to the #1-ranked Punahou Buffanblu at home on Friday afternoon despite an impressive comeback in Game 2 that nearly pushed the match to a third game. Trailing 23-13 late in the second game, the Raiders rallied for 10 of the next 11 points to close the margin to 24-23 before the Buffanblu combined on a block of Iolani-star Brad Lawson to end the match.

Lawson, who has already signed with Stanford, led the way for the Raiders with a match-high 15 kills.

Iolani is 10-2 in the ILH and in good position to secure one of the available berths to the 2008 Hawaii Volleyball State Tournament.

[Photo: Honolulu Advertiser]

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The Iolani Baseball team ended its season on Friday afternoon with a 2-0 loss to the Mid-Pacific Owls in the loser’s bracket of the ILH Baseball Tournament. Despite outhitting the Owls 9-4, the Raiders were held scoreless, going 0-6 with runners in scoring position.

Iolani finished with an overall ILH record of 9-8.

The Imua Iolani, Iolani School’s student newspaper, was presented with the 2008 Hawaii State High School Journalism Award for Best Newspaper at a ceremony held Wednesday at the Pagoda Hotel.

Nash Witten, photo editor, left, Keyana Stevens, editor in chief, and Karin Swanson, adviser [Star Bulletin]

The awards, now in their 38th year, were sponsored by the Hawaii Publishers Association, The Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star Bulletin. It was the first ever win for Iolani in the history of the awards.

The Imua Iolani also took home the awards for best editorial writing, best illustration and best single issue.

More from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin »

Event Date: Friday, April 25th, 2008

The top two boys volleyball teams in the state will meet once again when the #1-ranked and undefeated Punahou Buffanblu travel to Iolani to take on the #2 Raiders at 6:00pm Friday afternoon at the Lower Gym.

The game has been declared a “Black-Out” so Iolani fans are asked to where black in support of the team.

Special Note: Black “Iolani Volleyball” t-shirts are currently available on campus for $10 with 100% of the proceeds going to the Winchester family (Kanoe & Rena ‘89) to help their son Paliku in his fight against cancer. More about Paliku Winchester »

[Photo: Honolulu Advertiser]

Iolani School eighth-grader Kasie Kashimoto ‘12 was named the winner of the Japan Airlines 10th World Children’s Haiku Contest for her entry entitled “A Wandering Breeze”. Chosen from more than 2,000 regional entries, her piece will be published in “Haiku by World Children, Volume 10; Impressions of Wind.”

Kashimoto received the grand prize of two round-trip tickets to Tokyo via Japan Airlines.

“A Wandering Breeze”
Pushing from behind
Telling me where I should go
Showing me the way

Christian “CJ” Johnson ‘06, an outfielder at Central Arizona College, is currently batting .388 (2nd on the team) with 17 doubles (1st), 3 triples and 2 home runs to go along with 36 RBI (2nd). Johnson has already signed with UH for the 2009 season.

Claremont McKenna 2B Travis Nishioka ‘06 (transferred from the University of Washington) has started every game this season for the Stags and is batting .362 with 10 doubles, 4 triples and 3 home runs. He has driven in 31 runs, leads the team in runs scored (37) and is tied for second with 12 stolen bases.

Freshman SS Case Miyahira ‘07 (shown above, OxyAthletics.com) is batting .336 for the Occidental Tigers and currently leads the team in hits (40), walks (16) and runs scored (27). He is second in doubles (9) and stolen bases (10).

Puget Sound sophomore Jarvis Nohara ‘06 (shown right) has been a dual threat this season for the Loggers, batting .302 and compiling a 4.91 ERA and 3-3 record on the mound.

Senior 2B Galen Komo ‘04 has appeared in 43 games for the No.5-ranked Azusa Pacific Cougars (NAIA) and is batting .265 with 3 home runs and 13 RBI.

Eric Muraoka ‘04, a senior pitcher for Lewis & Clark, has struggled from the mound this season sporting an 0-2 record and 18.26 ERA.

San Jose State infielder Brett Hasegawa ‘06 is taking a medical redshirt for the 2008 season.

Kawika Shoji ‘06 of Stanford and Brent Asuka ‘05 of UC Irvine were honored by the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation as All-Conference selections for the 2008 season.

Shoji, who appeared in every match for the Cardinal, was named to the All-Conference Second Team after finishing first (on the team) in assists and total service aces and second in total digs. Asuka, the starting libero for the Anteaters, was an Honorable Mention after finishing third in the conference in digs at just under 3 per game (2.99).

Both Stanford and UC Irvine fell in the quarterfinal round of the MPSF tournament.

For one reason or another, you’ll need to know where your classmates are gonna be this weekend at the fair.

Hopefully its because you want to find them and catch on old times, and not because you’re supposed to be working and need to stay out of sight…

In either case, here’s where they’ll be on Friday and Saturday, April 18th and 19th from Noon to 10:30pm each day:

Friday, April 18
• BBQ Chicken & Soup: ‘61, ‘65
• BBQ Ribs: ‘75
• Corn & Turkey Legs: ‘69
• Fries: ‘94, ‘95
• Gourmet: ‘91
• Hamburger: ‘77
• Hawaiian Plate: ‘71
• Hot Dog & Chili: ‘82
• Huli Beef: ‘88
• Int’l Foods: ‘90, ‘89
• Korean Plate: ‘00, ‘01, ‘96
• Noodles: ‘79
• Pizza: ‘92
• Reefers: ‘64
• Shaved Ice: ‘64
• Smoothies & Desserts: ‘85

Saturday, April 19
• BBQ Chicken & Soup: ‘66, ‘67
• BBQ Ribs: ‘83, ‘74
• Corn & Turkey Legs: ‘68
• Fries: ‘97, ‘86
• Gourmet: —
• Hamburger: ‘76
• Hawaiian Plate: ‘84, ‘98
• Hot Dog & Chili: ‘99, ‘73
• Huli Beef: ‘87
• Int’l Foods: ‘70
• Korean Plate: ‘93
• Noodles: ‘79, ‘78
• Pizza: ‘60, ‘72
• Reefers: ‘81
• Shaved Ice: ‘03, ‘02
• Smoothies & Desserts: ‘80

Despite a 4th place finish in the regular season, the Iolani Baseball team (8-6), with a strong showing in the upcoming ILH tournament, still has an opportunity to earn one of the two remaining berths to the 2008 Hawaii Baseball State Tournament (St. Louis secured an automatic berth by winning the regular season).

Possible scenarios for Iolani to secure a berth to the state tournament:

• Scenario #1: Iolani wins the ILH Tournament - The Raiders will receive an automatic berth to the state tournament and playoff with regular season champion St. Louis for the overall ILH title.
• Scenario #2: Iolani finishes 2nd (to St. Louis or MPI) - The Raiders will receive an automatic berth.
• Scenario #3: Iolani finishes 2nd (to anyone other than St. Louis or MPI) - The Raiders will playoff with MPI (regular season 2nd) for the third and final berth.
• Scenario #4: Iolani finishes 3rd (to St. Louis and MPI) - The Raiders will playoff with Punahou (regular season 3rd), for the third and final berth. (Finishing 3rd to anyone other than St. Louis and MPI would knock Iolani out of contention.)

The ILH tournament begins on Saturday (double-elimination). Iolani opens play against #5 Kamehameha at 9:00am at Ala Wai field.

[Photo: Honolulu Advertiser]

The Iolani Roboraiders, a team made up of students in fifth through eighth grade, between the ages of 9 and 14, will compete in the FIRST LEGO League Power Puzzle World Championships this weekend at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. As the only team from Hawaii competing in this year’s FIRST LEGO League Championships, they will go up against 84 teams from 27 countries including the United States, Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Turkey.

The Roboraiders advanced to the World Championships by out-performing 63 other teams in the Hawaii state competition. The team members include team leader Cameron Dye ‘11, Michael Dang ‘12, Timothy Ho ‘12, Jason Loui ‘13, Blake Tsuzaki ‘13 and Alex Young ‘15. They were coached by Vivian Flores, Winston Dang, Margo Davis, Debbie Wakahiro and faculty adviser Mark Lindsay.

The LEGO challenge requires students to understand the elements of energy use, including energy-efficiency through conservation and alternative energy.

[Photo: Iolani.org]

Features 5-11 standout Kanoe Winchester ‘89 (00:29 seconds, blue shirt). Fairfax’s Chris Mills (University of Arizona; Cleveland Cavaliers) won the title.

The Iolani Classic was televised back then. You can actually hear Jim Leahey’s voice on the intro. (Thanks, Brandon)

Kila Ka’aihue ‘02, a first baseman with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA), is a on a tear to open the 2008 season. Coming fresh off of a 2 HR, 4 RBI performance yesterday evening, he has gone 6-14 (.429) in his last five games with 5 home runs and 13 RBI.

On the season, Ka’aihue has hit safely in 9 of 10 games and is batting .294 (10-34) with 16 total RBI.

The Naturals are in their inaugural season as the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They are currently 4-6 and in a tie for 1st in the Texas League - North Division.

[Photo: Northwest Arkansas]

The Portsmouth Invitational is an invitation-only tournament for college seniors to showcase their talent for professional scouts in the US and overseas. Games are held at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Virginia and feature eight 8-player teams in a tournament-style format spread over four days.

Senior guard, Derrick Low ‘04 is on the CHERRY, BEKAERT & HOLLAND team along with NCAA standouts Brian Butch of Wisconsin, Patrick Ewing Jr. of Georgetown, Jajuan Smith of Tennessee and Joe Crawford of Kentucky.

Game 1 - April 10: Low got off to a rough start scoring just 4 points on 1-9 shooting (0-3 3pt, 2-2 FT) to go along with 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 0 turnovers in 25 minutes of play. His team lost 101-88 and will now play in the consolation bracket.

Game 2 - April 11: Low scored 6 points on 2-8 shooting (0-2 3pt, 2-2 FT) with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 0 turnovers in 32 minutes. His team lost 89-88.

Game 3 - April 12: Low finished with 12 points on 6-11 shooting (0-2 3pt, 0-0 FT) with 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 0 turnovers in 37 minutes. His team won 94-80.

The Iolani Family Fair is nearly a week away and the anticipation is building…

Every year I look forward to the unhealthy juiciness of the Huli Beef and deep-fried goodness of the Malasadas, but this year, I have my taste buds prepped for the one item that has never before graced the food booths of the Family Fair… The Spam Dog!

A unique mixture of Spam and ground pork served with kim chee and a Thousand Island-like “secret” sauce, the Spam Dog is the brainchild of Hank Adaniya, food scientist and owner of Hank’s Haute Dogs in Kakaako. Revealed a week ago at his shop, the specialty dog is not on the regular menu, but will make an appearance next Friday, April 18 at the fair.

Iolani alumnus and entertainment writer Jason Genegabus ‘95 reviewed the Spam Dog last week from his offices at the Star-Bulletin. Read the review »

[Photo: Star-Bulletin]