County P&R Director to be inducted to Sports Hall of Fame

Robert Fitzgerald

Robert Fitzgerald to be inducted to Sports Hall of Fame

Country Park and Recreation Director, Robert Fitzgerald, will be inducted into the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame on August 21.

Fitzgerald has spent numerous years coaching a variety of sports teams.

From 1978 to ’79 Fitzgerald coached P&R baseball before becoming an assistant football coach at Konawaena.

While working with the Wildcat program the team won four league titles and played in the Mac Nut Bow, Ellison Onizuka Memorial Game, and the Neighbor Island Championships.

From 2003 to 2005 Fitzgerald was an assistant football coach at Hawaii Preparatory Academy and in 2009 he became the Director of County Parks and Recreation.

For his tireless work with youngsters, Fitzgerald has been selected as one of the seven people chosen to be inducted to the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

The BISHF will have a ceremony at the Wall of Fame at the Prince Kuhio Mall on August 21 at 10:30 am.

Fitzgerald along with the six other inductees will be honored with their photos being unveiled at the Mall.

Following the Wall dedication the ceremony will move to a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon were a formal ceremony will take place.

For those interested in attending the luncheon the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children 10 and under.  Seating is limited.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Ellsworth Fontes at 935-5519.

 

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BIIF Football all on sportzviz.com by Thane Milhoan

If you enjoy BIIF football you might want to visit Coach Thane Milhoan web site at sportzviz.com.

The web site is dedicated to covering all aspects of BIIF football and will help both parents and players to find college football opportunities.

According to Milhoan he has helped http://sportzviz.com/  clients, Kamaka Lewis (Hilo), Scotty Wong (Hilo), Tyrone Kahooihala (Keaau, and Solomon Thomas (Waiakea) find opportunities and Ventura College.

Stacen Deponte (Waiakea) is off to Snow College.   Milhoan has prepared a highlight video that Psalm Wooching (Kealakehe) used when he was being recruited by UCLA which currently has over 3400 views, according to Milhoan.

Big Island Pop Warner Football – Post Season Results

Playoff football – Pop Warner

                                                       M & M Bowl

Host – Westside Eagles – Old A’s on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010

PW  Westside Eagles 33 & Waiakea Nakoa 16

MG  Waiakea Nakoa 28 & Westside Eagles 26

PW  Wailoa Razorbacks 12 & Kailua Raiders 0

MM  Panaewa Alii 39 & Kona Marlins 8

MM  Puna Panthers 13 & Kailua Raiders 6

MM   Westside Eagles 13  &   Wailoa Razorbacks 6                                              

    SAIKI BOWL

Host – Keaukaha Warriors – Hualani Park, Nov. 20, 2010

PW  Hamakua Cougars 23 & Panaewa Alii 13

MM  Hamakua Cougars 18 & Keaukaha Warriors 14

PW  Hawaii Kai Dolphins 13 & Keaukaha Warriors 0

MG  Kohala Chargers 33 & Keaukaha Warriors 0

West Teams Dominate Pop Warner Semi’s at Wong Stadium

Puna Panthers in Green held scoreless in playoff game

WONG STADIUM – Not many people can brag about having a football field in their front yard, but Brad Kaono, coach of the Hamakua Cougars can do just that.

Kaono is in his sixth year of coaching the West Hamakua Cougars Pee Wee football team and on Sunday they took to the field playing in the Big Island Pop Warner Football Conference Semi Finals Championship.

“I like coaching and I do it for the kids,” Kaono said.  “Most of the kids grew up around me and have played football in my front yard as I have a full sized, 120 yard field.”

Brad Kaono

The Cougars went undefeated during the regular season and on Sunday beat the Wailoa Razorback 14-0, the second seed from East Hawaii, with the winner gaining the opportunity to play for the island championships.

“We did great today and it’s hard for me to acknowledge just one kid as football is a team sport,” Kaono said.  “Nobody can do their job without the rest of the team.”

The Cougars scored both of their touchdowns on end around sweeps and they allowed their defense to do the rest in shutting out the Razorbacks.

The Pee Wee division feature kids between the ages of 9 and 12 with a weight limitation of 120 pounds at the beginning of the 10 week season and 130 pounds for the championships.

In the second Pee Wee game it was the Puna Panthers, winners of the East Division, matched against the Westside Eagles the number two seed from the West.

Puna, in their first year of competition under Coach Keven Lee, could not get their offensive moving and were shut out by the Eagles, 16 to 0.

“Our kids came to play today,” Eagles head coach Bo Waite said.  “They worked hard on both sides of the ball and played well.”

Bo Waite

Waite noted the key play of several of his youngsters as being instrumental to their success. 

“Palama Lewis is our workhouse and played both sides of the ball,” Waite said.  “Riggs Kurashige also played both offense and defense and is considered our go to guy.”

Waite also had high praise for Hiilawe Manoi who he considers a stud on defense. 

“Hiilawe played great at linebacker, but I guess I should be calling her a studette,” Waite said with a wide grin.

Waite also had high praise for the Puna Panthers saying, “they’re a really good team that held us back from scoring.  Hats off to them.”

Ten Pee Wee teams from around the island began the season with the top two Westside and top two Eastside teams advancing to the Play Off Semi Final Championships.

“I’ve been doing this for 24 years,” Charles Nahale, Big Island Pop Warner Football President said from the Wong Stadium Press Box.

“Throughout the day we are expecting between 1,500 and 2,000 spectators watching the four games,” Nahale said.

Nahale believes that the biggest challenges he faces each year comes from dealing with the adults.

“I enjoy the kids and the ability to provide a structured program for them to enjoy the sport of football,” he said.  “These teams that are playing against each other today did not play each other during the regular season.  We’re seeing the best on the Big Island.”

The second half of the day featured games in the Midget Division with the Waiakea Nakoa, winners of the Eastside, going against the number two Westside team, the Kohala Chargers.

Kohala, under coach Clyde Igarashi, came out from the start and poured on the offense on way to defeating Waiakea 34 to 14.

Despite the humid conditions Igarashi’s Chargers were able to mount a full throttled offense in making it to the Midget championship finals.

“We just had to get the feel for the game and once that happened our quarterback, Makani Kualii did the rest,” Igarashi said.  “We’re basically a running team and we let our QB call most of the plays himself and our two running backs, Israel Victorino and Willie “Boy” Perez did the rest.”

In the final game of the day it was the Westside top seed, Kailua Raiders, bucking heads against the Eastside second seed in the Wailoa Razorbacks.

Raider’s eighth year head coach, Bryan Ellis, made it a clean sweep for the Westside teams as they rolled over the Razorbacks 22 to 6.

“We scored two touchdowns on deep post pattern plays over the middle,” Ellis said.  “The same receiver caught both touchdown passes, Makana Ibanes, and our quarterback, Koa Ellis, ran it in for the other score.”

Pop Warner rules provide two points for the kick after touchdown and two points for a pass after touchdown.  Only one point is awarded for a run following touchdown, according to Rules Official, Malia Lewis.

“It’s difficult at this age to kick an a point after touchdown, so we give them two points to encourage special teams to try kicking,” Lewis said.

The Big Island Pop Warner Football Championships will be held on Sunday, Nov. 14, at the Kealakehe High School starting with the Pee Wee Consolation game at 9 am., followed by the Pee Wee Championship Game between the West Hamakua Cougars and the Westside Eagles.

At 1 pm the Midget Consolation game will be held followed by the Midget Championship Game between the Kohala Chargers and the Kailua Raiders.

  Gate fee is $3 for those 16 years and older and free to 15 and below.

Big Island Pop Warner Football Championships Schedule

Championship action begins today at Wong Stadium

BIG ISLAND POP WARNER FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
2010 EAST WEST PLAY OFF AND CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
PLAY OFF GAMES – WONG STADIUM
Sunday, November 7, 2010
9:00	PW		2nd East – Wailoa Razorbacks		vs.	1st West Hamakua  Cougars
11:00	PW		1st  East – Puna Panthers		vs.	2nd West – Westside Eagles
1:00	MG		1st East – Waiakea Nakoa		vs.	2nd West – Kohala Chargers
3:00	MG		2nd East – Wailoa Razorbacks		vs.	1st West – Kailua Raiders
NOTE:	Gate Fee   —  $3.00
	16 years and above – 15 and below no charge
CHAMPIONSHIPS – KEALAKEHE HIGH SCHOOL
Sunday, November 14, 2010
9:00	PW		Consolation Not Winner Game 1		vs.	Consolation Not Winner Game 2
11:00	PW		Winner Game 1		vs.	Winner Game 2
1:00	MG		Consolation Not Winner Game 1		vs.	Consolation Not Winner Game 2
3:00	MG		Winner Game 1		vs.	Winner Game 2