Valente gets kendo a promotion
Hilo’s ‘Aiponokamoku Valente was bestowed the rank of 1-Dan from the Hawaii Kendo Foundation. The 15-year-old trains at Hilo Hongwanji Kendo Club under sensei Owen Nishioka.
The Hilo Hongwanji Kendo Club closed its doors at the end of June and Nishioka retired.
Uchida misses cut at U.S. Junior girls
Hilo’s Lacey Uchida shot a 77 on Wednesday, finished at 21-over and missed the cut at the U.S. Girls Junior golf championships.
The cut was 9-over to advance to 64-player match play field at Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach, Calif.
The Waiakea sophomore faced some of the best young talent in the world, including Lucy Li, 15, who had an 11-under 62-69—131 total to lead in stroke play.
Li, from Stanford, Calif., is the youngest qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Women’s Open.
• Kamehameha senior Pono Yanagi carded a 1-over 71 to finish tied for sixth in the 15-18 age division at the FCG Callaway World Championship at Monterey Country Club in Palm Desert, Calif. He had a 5-over 73-75-71—219 total.
• Waiakea sophomore Kailey Oki fired a 5-over 75 in the 13-14 division to finish tied for 15th place. She had an 11-over 75-74-75—224 total.
• Waiakea junior Aiden Oki had an 8-over 80 to tie for 17th place in the 15-18 division at the IJGA World Stars of Junior Golf Championships In Las Vegas. He sits at 17-over with a 81-80—161 total.
• Waiakea Intermediate eighth grader Dysen Park (16-over 80-80) was tied for 23rd in boys 13-14.
• Hilo sophomore Chanelle Hwang (26-over 82-88) is tied for 15th in girls 13-14.
Ahuna on 16U USA national baseball team
Maui Ahuna, a Hilo junior shortstop, was named to the inaugural 16U national team development program, which will be held Aug. 3-7 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
The program offers selected players to connect with USA Baseball staff to better prepare for future national team experience.
The program includes skills development sessions, off-field education seminars, and intrasquad games.
Summer collegiate baseball BIIF players
• Cal State Bakersfield pitcher Edgar Barclay (St. Joseph) is 1-1 with a 1.23 ERA in 17 innings and 25 strikeouts with the Edmonton Prospects in the Western Major Baseball League.
• UH-Manoa infielder Daylen Calicdan (Kamehameha) is batting .356 with two homers and 20 RBIs in 104 at-bats and 27 games for the Edmonton Prospects.
• Mississippi Valley State Kanaikai Gaughen (Hawaii Prep) is batting .278 with one homer and 19 RBIs in 108 at-bats and 32 games for the Casper Horseheads in the Expedition League.
• UH-Hilo infielders Trayden Tamiya (Waiakea) is playing for the Topeka Golden Giants and Casey Yamauchi (Waiakea) is in Japan with the Island Movers.
Keauhou volleyball jam
The Keauhou Volleyball Association will host its Summer Jam Beach Tournament from Aug. 2-5 at Keauhou Bay and Coconut Grove.
The divisions are men’s and women’s novice doubles, men’s and women’s open doubles, mixed doubles, and open quads. There are $4,000 in cash and prizes.
For more information, call August at 319-7841 or Shakti at 938-6670.
Andrews coed hoops
A coed basketball league, for ages 5-6 and 7-8 (age cutoff date is Dec. 31), will start in August at Andrews Gym.
A meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on July 30 at Andrews Gym. All interested teams are required to send a representative to obtain league information.
For more information, call 938-2014.