Posted on: Wednesday, March 11, 2009
HOMEGROWN REPORT
No place like home for Utes' Fonoti
By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer
It may not have been the route she envisioned taking, but the five years away from home have brought Sharee Fonoti full circle.
The senior shortstop for the University of Utah softball team has seen many bumps in the road during her tenure at Salt Lake City, but the 2004 Kamehameha graduate said it's all been worth it to get back home this week.
The Utes are one of seven teams that will compete in the Chevron Spring Fling Tournament, which begins today and runs through Saturday at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium and is hosted by the University of Hawai'i.
"I'm really looking forward to playing at home," Fonoti said. "It'll bring back some memories for sure."
Fonoti has proved to be durable during her career. She was the only Ute to start all 111 games in the 2005 and 2006 seasons and has "probably missed only two practices all my five years here."
However, problems arose at the end of her sophomore year when the head coach was forced out and Fonoti decided to sit out the 2007 season.
"I took that year off and I was looking at other schools that I could potentially play at," Fonoti said. "That year was kind of a turning point, especially because our coach was dismissed and we didn't really have a lot of trust in our athletic department."
However, the new coaching staff didn't last and a new head coach was brought in to right the ship. Amy Hogue was hired as the program's fifth head coach in the summer of 2007.
The year away from the game made Fonoti realize how much she missed it.
"It was definitely hard that year I didn't play because I worked so hard to get here and it got taken away from me," she said. "But one of my teammates — a good friend of mine — called me and said there's a new coach, so I called (Hogue) and she was excited to bring me back."
Fonoti again displayed her durability as a junior. She was the only Utah player to start all 55 games, was fourth in the Mountain West Conference with 10 sacrifices and was an Academic All-MWC selection.
Fonoti has started all 25 games this season for the Utes, who are 10-15 entering today's 7 p.m. game against the Rainbow Wahine.
But for Fonoti, it really doesn't matter who the opponent is this week.
"I'm just excited to see my family in the stands watching me," said Fonoti, who earned a bachelor's degree in Sports Management last summer. "In high school I was used to my entire family at every single game and when I came to Utah I didn't really have that. It was either one parent came or the other, but it was never the entire family, so this week will be exciting for me."
MORE SOFTBALL
Purdue junior third baseman Liane Horiuchi (Kamehameha '05 of Wahiawa) hit a leadoff home run in a 10-0 win over Boston College Sunday in the final day of the Buzz Classic in Woodstock, Ga. Horiuchi had two RBIs, stole two bases, scored twice and was hit by a pitch in a game that was shortened to six innings. The Boilermakers (11-5) went 4-1 at the tournament.
East Carolina junior left fielder Marina Gusman-Brown (Pearl City '06 of 'Ewa Beach) hit a two-out double, driving in the tying and go-ahead runs in the fifth inning of Sunday's 5-2 win over Houston. She also stole two bases and scored a run. In the series opener Saturday, Gusman-Brown scored twice and and drove in a run to lift the Pirates to a 6-2 win. ECU (11-6, 2-1 Conference USA) took two of three from the Cougars.
Southern Utah sophomore infielder Shannon Lum (St. Francis '07 of Kane'ohe) batted .400 with three doubles and three RBIs over the weekend as the Thunderbirds went 2-3 at the Wolf Pack Classic in Reno, Nev. Lum was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Whittier (Calif.) sophomore outfielder Kellie Canida (Kamehameha '07 of 'Aiea) batted 6 for 12 with five RBIs in a pair of doubleheaders last weekend. Canida went 2 for 4 with a three-run homer and a double in an 8-5 win over Chapman Saturday. Canida went 2 for 3 with a walk in 2-1 win in the second game. She also drove in a run in both games of Sunday's split against La Verne.
Mississippi State freshman outfielder Ka'ili Smith (Kapolei '08) was named Freshman of the Week by the Southeastern Conference after she hit .500 last week to lead the Bulldogs to a 3-3 record in the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament. Smith has a hit in each game, including four doubles, four RBIs and three runs scored. She's batting .315.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
UNLV freshman wing Jamie Smith ('Iolani '08 of Kailua) had 18 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block to help the Rebels beat Brigham Young, 66-58, yesterday in the first round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. She had 13 points and 13 rebounds to help the Rebels stage a miraculous comeback in Wednesday's 64-63 win at Air Force. UNLV trailed by 22 points with 10 minutes left, but tied it at 62 with just under two minutes remaining on Smith's putback. The Rebels completed their rally with a last-second layup. In Saturday's 61-55 loss at San Diego State, Smith had 10 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
Pepperdine senior forward Taylor Smith (Kalaheo '05 of Kailua) scored a team-high 16 points Saturday, but it wasn't enough to hold off San Diego in a 76-69 quarterfinal loss at the West Coast Conference Tournament in Las Vegas. Playing in her final collegiate game, Smith shot 5 of 10 from the field, including 3 of 4 from behind the 3-point line. Pepperdine ended its season at 16-13.
Idaho freshman guard Shaena-Lyn Kuehu (Punahou '08 of Honolulu) had eight points, seven rebounds and three assists in a 57-39 loss to Nevada last Wednesday. She recorded 12 points, nine boards, three steals and two assists in Saturday's 58-56 win over Boise State.
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Stanford junior setter Kawika Shoji ('Iolani '06 of Honolulu) had 42 assists, eight digs, six kills and one ace in Friday's sweep of Lewis. Sophomore opposite Spencer McLachlin (Punahou '07 of Honolulu) hit .625 with 11 kills and five digs and freshman libero Erik Shoji (Punahou '08 of Honolulu) led all players with 11 digs. In Saturday's four-set win over the Flyers, McLachlin recorded 16 kills with 13 digs, sophomore outside hitter Brad Lawson ('Iolani '08 of Honolulu) had 12 kills and Kawika Shoji had 45 assists and nine digs. Erik Shoji again led all players with 24 digs.
UC Irvine senior libero Brent Asuka ('Iolani '05 of 'Aiea) tied for a match-high 11 digs in last Wednesday's sweep of Loyola-Chicago.
SWIMMING & DIVING
Air Force senior Kai Yamashiro ('Iolani of Kane'ohe) earned All-Mountain West Conference honors after he placed second (1:46.44) in the 200-yard backstroke and sixth (49.47) in the 100 backstroke at the MWC Championships earlier this month.
Lindenwood (Mo.) freshman Sarah Billamosa (Pearl City '08) placed fourth (4:38.92) in the 400-yard individual medley, ninth (2:11.02) in the 200 individual medley and 10th (2:11.45) in the 200 butterfly at the NAIA Championships last weekend at St. Peters, Mo.
GOLF
UCLA freshman Stephanie Kono (Punahou '08 of Honolulu) shot a final-round 6-under-par 66 yesterday to win medalist honors at the UCF Challenge at the Red Tail Golf Club at Orlando, Fla. Kono shot rounds of 71, 71 and 66 to finish at 8-under 208. The Bruins also won the team title.
Pacific (Ore.) sophomore Max Bonk (Hawai'i Prep '07 of Kamuela) won medalist honors at the George Fox Invitational Saturday at the par-72 Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis, Ore. Bonk, who shot a 7-under 65 to finish seven strokes ahead of his nearest competitor, was three strokes short of the course record. The Boxers won the four-team tournament. Bonk was named men's golf Student-Athlete of the week by the Northwest Conference Monday.
Puget Sound sophomore Natalie Nakamine (Roosevelt '07 of Pearl City) won medalist honors at the Logger Open last weekend at the par-75 Fircrest Golf Club in Fircrest, Wash. Nakamine shot an 89-77 to finish at 16-over 166. Willamette senior Whitney Ueno (Hilo '05) finished second at 173.
Point Loma Nazarene senior Sam Cyr (King Kekaulike '05 of Makawao) tied for fourth at the Southern California Intercollegiate Invitational at the par-72 Mission Viejo Golf Course. Cyr shot rounds of 77, 72 and 76. The Sea Lions finished ninth as a team.
TENNIS
Cal State Northridge sophomore Brooke Doane (Kamehameha '07 of 'Ewa Beach) won her No. 3 singles match, 6-1, 6-1, in a 5-2 win over Southern Miss Monday. Doane also helped the Matadors win at No. 1 doubles, 8-0.
UC Irvine senior Heidi Kaloi (Kamehameha '05 of Wahiawa) won her No. 6 singles match, 7-5 and 7-6, in Thursday's 5-2 loss to Long Beach State. She also helped the Anteaters' No. 1 doubles team win, 8-7.
Junior Mikey Lim (Punahou '07 of Honolulu), playing for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) team, won both of his No. 3 singles matches last week in a pair of wins over Mary Washington and Kenyon.
WOMEN'S WATER POLO
Stanford sophomore goalkeeper Kim Hall (Punahou '07 of Kane'ohe) made seven saves in an 18-3 win over Cal State Bakersfield Sunday at the Aggie Shootout in Davis, Calif. The top-ranked Cardinal improved to 15-1.
GYMNASTICS
Arizona freshman Rebecca Cardenas (Hawaiian Mission '08 of Honolulu) helped the Wildcats beat Denver, 195.35-195.025, Friday. Cardenas scored a 9.625 on the vault, 9.8 on the uneven bars and 9.325 on the floor exercise.
Arizona State freshman Kahoku Palafox (Maryknoll '08 of Kailua) posted a 9.8 on the uneven bars in a meet against No. 2 Utah Friday in Salt Lake City. The Utes beat the Sun Devils, 197.35-194.35.
HONORS
Colorado School of Mines men's basketball player Kyle Pape ('Iolani '05 of Honolulu) was named to the All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference East Division Second Team, the league announced last week. Pape, a senior guard, averaged 17.2 points per game (seventh in RMAC) while starting all 27 games this season for the Orediggers, who finished 14-13 overall, 9-10 in the RMAC.
Holy Names (Calif.) men's basketball player Aaron Kanno (Mililani '04) earned All-California Pacific Conference Honorable Mention. Kanno, who was tops in the league in assists and third in 3-pointers, averaged 10 points per game as a senior.
WRESTLING
Dana (Neb.) junior Ryan "Bulla" Tuzon (Baldwin '05 of Kahului) went 2-2 in the 165-pound division at last weekend's NAIA National Wrestling Championships at Oklahoma City. Freshman 125-pounder Travis Okano (Lahainaluna '08) went 1-2 and junior 149-pounder Torey Seminara (Pearl City '06) went 0-2.
COMMITMENTS
Damien seniors Taylor Carvalho and Anthony Tuitele will play football at Valley City State University (N.D.). Carvalho is a offensive lineman and Tuitele a defensive back. The Vikings compete in the NAIA and went 5-5 last season.
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2404.
SEND US PHOTOS
If you know of any athletes deserving recognition, give us their names, high schools and graduation years, colleges and sports. Photos are also welcome. E-mail us at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com or contact Kalani Takase at 535-2404.
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.
| | |
|
|
