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2B SPORTS FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016 | WEST HAWAII TODAY California tries to set aside distractions facing Hawaii RANI: HCC’s Dragon a thriller BIIF: Keaau gets lopsided win over Pahoa CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B just after race starter Joe Loschiavo counted “3-2-1-GO!” – Resor’s early prediction rang true: Popejoy was long gone and out of sight. The 30-year-old philosophy teacher at Coconino Community College in Flagstaff, didn’t seem fazed by the rising humidity and temperatures over the 6.2-mile course as he blazed through the finish line in a new race record of 32:13 — a blistering 5:11 pace per mile. “My wife and I are runners so we were just looking for local races and found this one and we also happen to love beer,” Popejoy said. “I was hoping to just feel it out to do a harder tempo effort as I just ran a marathon three weeks ago so this was my first hard effort since. I’m also not used to the humidity as we live up at altitude. So the altitude made it easier but the humidity made it harder.” Popejoy said his favorite races are on the trails, of either a half marathon or 20K distance. Yet running on pavement that looped through the Old Airport Park’s Makaeo jogging path, Old Industrial Area and finishing off with a cold Kona Brewing Company beer in hand made for a nice change. “I didn’t see the course beforehand so those few hills at Mile 4 were a bit of a surprise, and that last mile was really nice to roll down,” Popejoy said. Wisconsin’s Sam Keepman was next to cross the line in 36:11, with the always-consistent Alan Ryan of Laupahoehoe rounding out the men’s top three in 37:43. On the women’s side, I ran without pushing my son in a stroller for the first time in months to win with a time of 40:01. In second was Kealakehe Waverider Triathlon advisor, Kristin Old in 43:40, followed by Stella Gibbs in third at 44:00. SECOND ANNUAL DRAGON RACE Once again, Kiser Motorcycle and the Hawaii Cycling Club joined forces to gather 50 brave cyclists from around the island for Sunday’s second annual “The Dragon” hill climb bike race. The dragon slaying event featured nine of Keauhou’s most challenging hills with points awarded to those who reached the top first. Two heats separated the men and women’s fields with the overall winners taking home the title – Dragon Slayer. Nervous tension circulated throughout the men’s field that gathered at the bottom of the Kamehameha III hill. Among the favorites to win was Keauhou’s Penn Henderson, but it would be 17-year old Malik Mariano of Waikoloa who would strike first, sprinting ahead of Henderson on the initial climb. From then on, it was a head to head battle between the two, each taking turns on winning a hill climb — with several of the finishes culminating in an exciting crowd pleasing photo finish. In the end, Mariano would prevail, securing the highest combined points of 85 to earn the title, Dragon Slayer. “Wow, it feels good because I’ve been training longer and harder,” Mariano said of his win. “The competition was tough. It was always head to head with me and Penn as he is a strong cyclist. But I have to give him a lot of props because I know he hasn’t been training for awhile.” Mariano, who is a senior at Kealakehe High School and routinely rides his bike to and from school — for a round trip total of 60 miles — said that training over the last year with a cycling coach has helped to improve his speed and strength on the bike. “As far as training goes, my coach has increased everything for me,” Mariano said. “He’s got me riding three to six hours almost every day including an hour on my track bike to get some strength training. I feel like I’ve improved so much since he’s been coaching me, he knows everything, and I’m so grateful to have Alex Candalerio as my coach.” Henderson’s combined score of 83 points placed him second, with David Wild taking third with 65 points. “That was definitely a painful reality check of where my fitness is currently at,” Henderson said. “But Malik rode strong today and he’s only getting faster so I’m excited to see what the future holds for him.” For the women, Bree Wee couldn’t resist the temptation of riding Keauhou’s toughest and steepest hills — winning all nine hills with a perfect score of 90 points. Tawnie McDonald, winner of the first two HCC individual training time trials, claimed second place with her combined score of 81, and Jennifer Real securing the third spot with her score of 72. For Mariano, winning Sunday’s Dragon Race and the previous week’s Kua Bay Time Trial is only the beginning of a great cycling adventure that awaits him. “I’m actually using this race as training for the San Dimas Stage Race in California from April 1st to 3rd, then I’m doing the Sea Otter Classic as well on April 14-17. So I felt pretty good today because I’ve been training hard and I felt that it really paid off. I’m looking forward to spring break because I will be doing some motor pacing and altitude training.” SPOKANE, Wash. — When California believed the off-court distractions were finished, an on-court problem with more immediate consequences arrived. It hasn’t been the easiest week for the fourth-seeded Golden Bears. “It’s been a rough week for the team and everything,” Cal’s Jabari Bird said. “But we have had up and downs throughout the whole entire year, so it’s nothing new for us.” After the Bears saw an assistant coach get dismissed amid sexual harassment allegations and then lost their leading scorer for the season because of an injury, California (23-10) tries to get back to basketball on Friday when it faces 13th-seeded Hawaii in their NCAA Tournament opener. California’s week started with the dismissal of assistant Yann Hufnagel, followed by questions about whether head coach Cuonzo Martin handled the allegations properly. Just when the Bears believed they could get back to basketball, senior standout Tyrone Wallace broke a bone in his right hand during Wednesday’s practice and will miss the rest of the season. Individually, they are issues that could derail any team. Collectively, and all happening within less than a week, they’re the kind of distractions that could ruin what’s been a special season for the Bears. Even with Wallace out, this remains a California roster filled with NBA talent, led by Bird, Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb, that won 9 of 11 to close the season and was a matter of seconds from playing in the Pac-12 Tournament title game. “I just think the difficulty is on the surface. But in our program it’s (an) everyday lifestyle,” Martin said. “And we’ll be talking about with our players, things happen in life, whether it’s basketball, in the classroom, family members. It’s a part of — a bump in the road, you keep moving forward.” Hawaii (27-5) understands being engulfed by uncertainty. Hawaii was sanctioned for infractions committed under former coach Gib Arnold. Its penalties include a 2016- 17 postseason ban, scholarship reductions, and players being allowed to transfer without having to sit out a year. Instead of crumbling under the sanctions that were handed down early in the season, the Warriors renewed their focus. A team that beat Northern Iowa and took Oklahoma down to the wire became determined to see if it could make a run knowing the Warriors would be stuck at home a year from now. “I think we earned it,” Hawaii star Stefan Jankovic said. “We have been through a lot as a team, obviously, and the core group of guys, especially, all the different coaches, all the adversity. So we’re just excited.” COLLEGE BASKETBALL BY TIM BOOTH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NCAA TOURNAMENT | FIRST ROUND West Region YALE 79, BAYLOR 75 PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Makai Mason had a career-high 31 points, including six of Yale’s final nine points, and the No. 12 seed Bulldogs held on to upset fifth seed Baylor on Thursday. Yale (23-6) earned its first NCAA Tournament victory. It comes in its first appearance since 1962. Justin Sears added 18 points. Brandon Sherrod finished with 10. The Bulldogs led by as many as 13 points in the second half before having its lead cut to 1 point. But a late turnover by the Bears helped Yale secure the victory. Taurean Prince led Baylor (22-12) with 28 points. Johnathan Motley finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. DUKE 93, UNC WILMINGTON 85 PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Marshall Plumlee ditched the mask guarding his broken nose and responded by scoring a career-high 23 points to lead defending national champion Duke past UNC Wilmington. Plumlee had 10 of his points and two blocks as the Blue Devils stepped up the defensive pressure early in the second half to build a lead after trailing at the break. Duke (24-10), seeded fourth in the West, will next play Yale. UNCW (25-8), seeded 13th, was in it until the closing moments after Plumlee and Matt Jones fouled out. Midwest Region LITTLE ROCK 85, PURDUE 83, 2OT DENVER — Little Rock is advancing thanks to an out-of-nowhere comeback that led to a victory over Purdue. Josh Hagins sent the game into overtime with a shot from the edge of the midcourt logo, and then into double OT with an arcing shot off glass over an outstretched defender. The 6-foot-1 senior finished with 31 points, including six in the second overtime. The 12th-seeded Trojans (30-4), trailed 65-52 with 3:33 to go in regulation, and then went on a 12-0 run to make it a game. Trailing by three on the final possession, Hagins tried to find space, then stepped back and launched from 30 feet to tie it. Little Rock will face Iowa State on Saturday in the second round. Vince Edwards led Purdue (26-9) with 24 points. GONZAGA 68, SETON HALL 52 DENVER — Gonzaga is moving on in the NCAA Tournament after pulling away from Seton Hall behind 21 points and 16 rebounds from Domantas Sabonis. Kyle Wiltjer added 13 for the Bulldogs (27-7), who will play Utah on Saturday for a trip to the Sweet 16. Gonzaga came in as an 11 seed -- a team that struggled at times this season and was no sure bet to make its 18th straight trip into March Madness until it won its conference tournament. But against sixth-seeded Seton Hall (25-9), this didn’t feel like an upset. VIRGINIA 81, HAMPTON 45 RALEIGH, N.C. — Anthony Gill scored 19 points and Virginia beat Hampton 81-45. London Perrantes had 12 points and Malcolm Brogdon finished with 11 for the top-seeded Cavaliers (28-6). They shot 55 percent, hit 12 3-pointers and put this one well out of reach with a 20-3 run late in the first half before coach Tony Bennett collapsed and was taken to the locker room a few seconds early. IOWA STATE 94, IONA 81 DENVER — Monte Morris showed no lingering effects of his right shoulder injury, scoring 20 points and dishing out eight assists in Iowa State’s win over Iona. Georges Niang’s 28 points led the No. 3 seed Cyclones (22-11), who saw all five of their starters score in double figures. They will play either Purdue or Arkansas-Little Rock on Saturday at the Pepsi Center. Less than 24 hours after declaring he’d never felt better, Morris went out and proved it. Abdel Nader added 19 points, Matt Thomas had 14 and Jameel McKay 11 for the Cyclones. BUTLER 71, TEXAS TECH 61 RALEIGH, N.C. — Kelan Martin scored all 11 of his points in the final 8 1/2 minutes, including consecutive 3-pointers to break a tie game, to help Butler beat Texas Tech. Kellen Dunham scored 23 points to lead the Bulldogs (22-10), including a critical 3 of his own with 2:26 left as the Midwest Region’s No. 9 seed finally pulled away in the final minutes. Butler shot 52 percent after halftime, using some NCAA Tournament experience to rally from an early eight-point deficit and finally push ahead midway through the second half. UTAH 80, FRESNO STATE 69 DENVER — Sophomore 7-footer Jakob Poeltl scored 16 points and pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds to help Utah hold off feisty Fresno State. Utah, the third seed in the Midwest, used a blistering 20-2 run down the stretch to regain control after falling behind for the first time all night with 10:32 remaining. South Region WICHITA STATE 65, ARIZONA 55 PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker combined for 29 points and Wichita State’s swarming defense did the rest as the Shockers beat Arizona. Wichita State (26-8) will play Miami (26-7), the third seed in the South Region, on Saturday. Arizona coach Sean Miller called a timeout 53 seconds into the game after VanVleet and Baker pounced on a loose ball in the Wildcats end. It was evident from the outset that Wichita State’s in-your-face defense was going to be the decisive factor against Arizona (25-9). The Shockers forced 19 turnovers they converted into 22 points and snared nine steals. KANSAS 105, AUSTIN PEAY 79 DES MOINES, Iowa — Svi Mykhailiuk scored a career-high 23 points, Perry Ellis added 21 and top-seeded Kansas throttled Austin Peay. Landen Lucas scored 16 points for the Jayhawks (31-4), who will face Connecticut on Saturday with a chance to return to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013. Kansas, the No. 1 seed in the South Region, jumped ahead by 20 by halftime and cruised to its 10th straight win in an NCAA Tournament opener. CONNECTICUT 74, COLORADO 67 DES MOINES, Iowa — Rodney Purvis, Daniel Hamilton and a stifling defense carried Connecticut back from an 11-point first-half deficit, giving the Huskies enough for a victory over Colorado that kept coach Kevin Ollie unbeaten in the NCAA Tournament. Purvis scored 15 of his 19 points after halftime, Daniel Hamilton had 17 points and 10 rebounds and the No. 9 seed Huskies (25-10) advanced to the second round of the South Region. Josh Scott had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the No. 8 Buffaloes (22-12), finishing 0-3 in the NCAA Tournament in his career. He had five of Colorado’s 11 misses in 30 free-throw attempts, aiding UConn’s comeback. MIAMI 79, BUFFALO 72 PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Angel Rodriguez had 24 points and seven rebounds as third-seeded Miami held on to defeat No. 14 seed Buffalo. Sheldon McClellan added 20 points and five rebounds. It is Miami’s first tournament win since it went to the Sweet 16 in 2013. The Hurricanes advance to play the winner of Arizona and Wichita State in the second round of the South Region on Saturday. Miami (26-7) kept the Bulls at bay for most of the second half, leading by as many as 12. The Bulls (20-15) finally got some traction, closing within 72-68 on a jumper by Lamonte Bearden with less than two minutes to play. But Miami hit enough free throws down the stretch to put the game away. East Region NORTH CAROLINA 83, FLORIDA GULF COAST 67 RALEIGH, N.C. — Brice Johnson scored 18 points and No. 1 seed North Carolina needed an overwhelming second-half start to put away 16th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast. Isaiah Hicks added 12 points off the bench for the Tar Heels (29-6), who led by just a point after a frustration-filled opening 20 minutes in which the Eagles stayed right with the East Region’s top seed. But UNC dominated the opening 10 minutes of the second half, running off a 20-3 burst by controlling the boards and locking down defensively to build a 20-point lead. INDIANA 99, CHATTANOOGA 74 DES MOINES, Iowa — Yogi Ferrell had 20 points and a season-high 10 assists, O.G. Anunoby pitched in 14 points and No. 5 seed Indiana took charge of its NCAA Tournament opener against Chattanooga. Thomas Bryant had 13 points and Troy Williams added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Hoosiers (26-7), who had their high-powered offense in prime form. They shot 37 for 57 from the floor for 64.9 percent. Anunoby, the long-armed freshman forward, was 6 for 7 with a highlight reel array of 3-pointers and dunks. KENTUCKY 85, STONY BROOK 57 DES MOINES, Iowa — Jamal Murray led five players in double figures with 19 points and fourth-seeded Kentucky routed Stony Brook, setting up a showdown with rival Indiana in the second round. Isaiah Briscoe scored 13 with 11 rebounds for the Wildcats (27-8), who haven’t faced the Hoosiers since beating them in the Sweet 16 in 2012. Kentucky opened the second half on a 20-6 run that put it ahead 53-25 with 14 minutes to go. The Wildcats hit 13 of their first 16 shots after the break, helping validate coach John Calipari’s cries that they were under-seeded. PROVIDENCE 70, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 69 RALEIGH, N.C. — Rodney Bullock hit a layup with 1.5 seconds left and Providence beat Southern California. Ben Bentil scored 19 points and Bullock finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds to help the ninth-seeded Friars (24-10) earn their first win in the tournament since 1997. They will face top-seeded North Carolina (29-6) on Saturday in the second round of the East Regional. Jordan McLaughlin had 15 points for eighth-seeded Southern California (21-13), which missed the front ends of two one-and-ones in the final minute. hits apiece. Uenmura was 2-for- 2 with three runs and two RBIs. Manzano had two doubles, two runs and three RBIs. Transfiguracion had a double, three runs scored and one RBI. Bates scored once and knocked in two. Uemura picked up the win inside the circle. She threw the compete game and allowed no earned runs and three hits. Uemura struck out four and walked one. Emily Fong took the loss for Hawaii Prep. She struggled in the first inning and exited after only one out, having allowed nine runs, eight earned, off four hits and four walks. Lindsey threw the final 2-1/3 innings. She allowed 12 runs off 12 hits, while striking out one and walking four. Hawaii Prep 200 0–2 3 1 Konawaena 10 1 10 x– 21 16 4 Baseball KEAAU 10, PAHOA 0 The bats exploded for Keaau in the fourth inning for six runs as the Cougars defeated the Daggers on Thursday. Keaau spread out 10 hits to nine different batters. Keian Kanetani led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and one RBI. Anson Kauwe went 1-for-1 with a double, two runs and two RBIs. Julian Biemler, Jacob Krakuaer and Lava Benn picked up a hit each for Pahoa. Keaau’s Kauwe earned the win from the mound, allowing three hits and no runs, while striking out eight. Benn started for the Daggers and allowed one earned run off three walks before exiting without recording an out. Zackary Knoll threw the next 3-2/3 innings. He allowed seven runs, six earned, off five hits, while walking six and striking out three. Kelton Conortan threw the final innings, allowing two unearned runs and no hits. He struck out three. Pahoa 000 000–0 3 3 Keaau 101 602–10 5 0


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