Big Island briefs, Jan. 29

Honokaa High seeks football coaches

Honokaa High will be accepting applications for varsity head football coach and assistants. Applications are available at the main office from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the deadline is Friday, Feb. 19.

Applications may be turned in to the main office or the athletic director’s office, located in the gym.

For more information, contact Honokaa athletic director Keith Tolentino at 775-8000 or 313-7090.

Kawamoto pool closed today for repairs

The Sparky Kawamoto Swim Stadium will be closed on Friday, Jan. 29 for repairs. The pool will reopen on Saturday, Jan. 30.

For more information, call Jason Armstrong, county public information officer, at 345-9105.

Rainbow baseball picked to finish seventh

The University of Hawaii baseball team was voted to finish seventh in the preseason Big West Conference coaches poll.

Defending champion Cal State Fullerton was picked to win the league with four first-place votes and a 71-point total after reaching the College World Series last year.

UH received 27 points, listed ahead of UC Riverside and UC Davis in eighth and ninth.

Head Coach Mike Trapasso enters his 15th season leading the Rainbow Warriors, who enter their fourth season in the Big West and are coming off the best conference record (12-12) since joining the league, finishing fifth in 2015.

UH returns seven position starters from last season, including sophomore catcher Chayce Ka‘aua, a 2013 Hilo graduate, who batted .260 with a team second-best .351 on-base percentage.

Also on UH’s roster are 2013 Konawaena graduate and fellow redshirt sophomore JJ Kitaoka, who batted .200 in 37 games, and freshman Kobi Candaroma, a 2015 Kamehameha graduate.

The Warriors open their season away with a two-game set against UH-Hilo on Feb. 13-14 at Wong stadium.

Vul softball picked to place third

The UHH softball team was voted to finish third in the preseason Pacific West Conference coaches poll.

The Vuls host the alumnae at noon Saturday at their field.