Posted on: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
HOMEGROWN REPORT
Creighton's Tanimoto up to speed
By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer
When Kari Tanimoto arrived at the Creighton campus in the fall of 2004, Bluejays cross country coach John Wissler described her as "timid."
Now Wissler calls her "a poster-child for us as far as improvement."
Tanimoto, a 2004 Pearl City graduate from Waipahu, has steadily improved in her four years at the Omaha, Neb., campus.
"She was timid, afraid of running any kind of mileage, but she's progressed over the past four years and now she's able to handle the mileage and she really developed a competitive demeanor," said Wissler.
Tanimoto stayed on campus this summer, training and preparing for the Medical College Admissions Test. She is majoring in exercise science with a minor in biology.
This season she showed enough improvement to become the Bluejays' No. 2 runner, according to Wissler.
Tanimoto placed no higher than 22nd in six races as a freshman. This season, she has already finished fifth (20 minutes, 43 seconds) in the Dean White 5K Invitational and eighth (20:35) in the Creighton/Nebraska-Omaha 5K Invitational.
Wissler says he will sorely miss the attitude Tanimoto brings, in addition to her talent.
"I love her to death. She's got a great caring personality," said Wissler. "I'm sure it was a cultural shock for her coming here. It's different weather, philosophies, lifestyles and it was probably a transition for her, but she met it head-on. She's done an outstanding job for us and I'm hoping that there's more kids from Hawai'i that want to come to Creighton."
Tanimoto was 20th (19:13) at Saturday's Evansville Invitational to help Creighton finished second as a team.
The Bluejays next compete at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships on Oct. 27 before the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 10.
MORE CROSS COUNTRY
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Ore.) senior Caitlyn Tateishi (Waiakea '03 of Pahoa) finished 27th at the 6K Lewis & Clark Pioneer Open Saturday in Estacada, Ore. Tateishi's time of 24:03 was 12 seconds shy of her season best at the distance.
The Boxers next compete Oct. 27 at the Northwest Conference Championships.
FOOTBALL
Oregon State's 31-28 upset of then-No. 2 California Saturday featured local players on both sidelines.
The Beavers started junior Al Afalava (Kahuku '05 of La'ie) at free safety and junior Tavita Thompson (Saint Louis '04 of Honolulu) at offensive left tackle.
Afalava had nine tackles — seven solo — including a two-yard loss.
Bears' junior defensive tackle Mika Kane (Kamehameha '05 of Honolulu) and sophomore defensive end Tyson Alualu (Saint Louis '05 of Honolulu) both started.
Kane was in on six tackles and Alualu five.
Colorado senior linebacker Jordon Dizon (Waimea '04) had 11 tackles in the Buffaloes' 47-20 loss at Kansas State. According to The Boulder Daily Camera, Dizon has 375 tackles and passed former Colorado greats Chad Brown and Laval Short during Saturday's game.
Dizon remains the national leader in tackles per game, averaging 13.
Utah freshman defensive end Nai Fotu (Kahuku '07 of La'ie) and senior linebacker Malakai Mokofisi (Kailua '03 of La'ie) had three tackles each in the Utes' 23-7 win over San Diego State Saturday. The Aztecs started freshman Trask Iosefa (Punahou '05 of 'Ewa Beach) at center.
Southern California junior linebacker Kaluka Maiava (Baldwin '05 of Wailuku) had two tackles in the Trojans' 20-13 win over Arizona.
Tennessee senior J.T. Mapu (Kahuku '02 of Kahuku) started at defensive tackle and was in on one tackle in the Volunteers' 33-21 win at Mississippi State Saturday.
Menlo freshman kicker Kainoa Lemke (Kaua'i '07) booted a school-record 42-yard field goal in the third quarter. The previous record of 41 yards, was set by Shane Mattimoe, a Kaiser graduate, in 1996.
Eastern Oregon freshman quarterback Bradley Padayao (Kapolei '06 of Kapolei) passed for 103 yards and rushed for 188 more to lead the Mountaineers to a 38-24 win over Montana-Western.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
St. Mary's (Calif.) freshman setter Kapua Kamana'o ('Iolani '07 of Honolulu) came off the bench in the Gaels' three-game loss to Santa Clara Friday and had 13 assists and four digs. Michelle Luxton (Punahou '05 of Honolulu) had two digs for the Broncos.
Oregon State sophomore setter Camilla Ah-Hoy (Kahuku '06 of La'ie) had 38 assists, 17 digs and four kills in the Beavers' five-game upset of then-No. 4 UCLA Friday.
Hofstra senior setter Shellane Ogoshi (Roosevelt '04 of Honolulu) was named Colonial Athletic Association co-Player of the Week yesterday after she had 154 assists and 61 digs in matches against Delaware and Towson last weekend. Ogoshi's 4,121 career assists are 301 shy of the school record and her 1,521 career digs are five short of second all-time at Hofstra. She needs just 24 to become the career leader.
Siena College sophomore defensive specialist Kau'i Robello (Punahou '06 of Honolulu) had 32 digs and six aces in the Saints' four-game win over Saint Peter's Saturday.
East Tennessee State senior outside hitter Kaena Apana (Nanakuli '04 of Wai'anae) had 16 digs in the Lady Buccaneers' three-game loss to Liberty Monday. ETSU is 14-11 overall, 5-2 in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Ore.) senior setter Anela Iseke (Kamehameha '04 of Hau'ula) was named Northwest Conference Player of the Week after she had 50 assists and 12 digs in the Boxers' four-game win over Whitworth Friday.
Iseke added 39 assists and 12 digs in Saturday's sweep of Whitman.
Pacific (10-7, 5-5 Northwest Conference) hosts Lewis Friday before visiting Puget Sound Saturday.
MEN'S SOCCER
Creighton freshman midfielder Jeremy Wittig (Lutheran '06 of Kane'ohe) scored his first career goal a week ago in a 2-2 tie against Bradley.
Wittig's goal came on a header off a crossing pass in the 29th minute. He also assisted on the other Bluejays' goal in the 57th minute.
Creighton (6-1-4, 1-0-1 Missouri Valley Conference) visits Western Kentucky today and UNC-Greensboro Saturday.
Gonzaga senior goalkeeper Vito Higgins (Academy of the Pacific/Pac-Five '03 of Kailua) last week was named West Coast co-Player of the Week for posting a pair of shutouts against St. Mary's and San Francisco. Higgins made eight saves in the two games.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Duke senior goalkeeper Allison Lipsher (Punahou '04 of Hawai'i Kai) made seven saves Thursday, but the Blue Devils fell to perennial powerhouse North Carolina, 2-1.
Azusa Pacific junior midfielder Sarah Yoro (Mililani '05 of Mililani) was dominant for the Cougars in a 4-1 win over The Master's College last week Wednesday. Yoro, who attended Oregon her freshman year, had two goals on 10 shots.
Yoro also had an assist in a 1-0 win over Biola Saturday.
MEN'S GOLF
Oregon freshman Sean Maekawa (Honoka'a '07 of Pa'auilo) finished in a tie for 12th at last week's Alister MacKenzie Invitational in Fairfax, Calif. Maekawa shot rounds of 69, 66 and 72 to help the Ducks finished fourth as a team.
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Ore.) freshman Max Bonk (Hawai'i Prep '07 of Kamuela) shot a 78 at Sunday's George Fox 5-Way Tournament in Woodburn, Ore. The Boxers finished second as a team.
WOMEN'S GOLF
Pacific University (Forest Grove, Ore.) junior Lauren Yoshimura (Pearl City '05 of 'Aiea) finished eighth at Sunday's George Fox Women's Invitational in Newberg, Ore. Yoshimura shot a 95 as the Boxers finished fourth as a team.
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.
