Surf’s Up: OIA Holds First-Ever Surfing Event at Ala Moana Bowls

Surf’s Up: OIA Holds First-Ever Surfing Event at Ala Moana Bowls

Mar 9, 2026

Surf’s Up: OIA Holds First-Ever Surfing Event at Ala Moana Bowls

HONOLULU — History was made along Oʻahu’s south shore Monday as the Oahu Interscholastic Association held its first-ever surfing event at Ala Moana Bowls, marking a major milestone for a sport deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi’s culture.

The event was the first of four regular-season contests during the inaugural season of interscholastic surfing. Beginning in 2026, surfing officially joins the championship sports lineup under the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, creating a pathway for student-athletes to compete for league and state titles in the sport where Hawaiʻi’s history runs deepest.

For OIA Executive Director Bryce Kaneshiro, the moment represented years of advocacy finally becoming reality.

“This is just the start,” Kaneshiro said during Monday’s event. “Twelve months ago we didn’t even think this was going to be possible. A lot of people have been waiting a really long time for this, and now we’re finally here.”

“A Surfing Community Out Here”

Throughout the day, the atmosphere at Bowls reflected the unique culture of surfing — competitive but supportive.

Kaneshiro described the energy as something special.

“You see the excitement in the kids when they get a good ride and come back in,” he said. “Their schools are cheering for them, and even the competitors congratulate each other. That’s the surfing community.”

Like many first-year sports, organizers acknowledge there will be adjustments along the way. Surfing follows the same learning curve seen with other recently added high school sports, including girls flag football.

“A Surfing Community Out Here”

Throughout the day, the atmosphere at Bowls reflected the unique culture of surfing — competitive but supportive.

Kaneshiro described the energy as something special.

“You see the excitement in the kids when they get a good ride and come back in,” he said. “Their schools are cheering for them, and even the competitors congratulate each other. That’s the surfing community.”

Like many first-year sports, organizers acknowledge there will be adjustments along the way. Surfing follows the same learning curve seen with other recently added high school sports, including girls flag football.
 

A Long Time Coming

For Moanalua head coach John Murray, Monday’s contest carried deep meaning.

The woodshop teacher — and lifelong surfer — previously coached in the club surfing scene before the sport was officially sanctioned.

“This is the birthplace of surfing,” Murray said. “It’s the sport of kings. To finally have it as an OIA sport for high school athletes… I can’t tell you how fortunate and thrilled I am.”

Murray said his team’s athletes embraced the opportunity, even competing in divisions outside their comfort zones to support the team effort.

“We had some great student-athletes come out and really give it their all,” he said. “I think everybody had a great time.”

Navigating a New Sport

Adding surfing to the high school sports calendar required extensive coordination — from legislation that provided funding to securing permits for surf breaks.

Events are held during weekdays, similar to golf matches, when locations are less crowded and easier to manage safely.

“We’re still learning,” Kaneshiro said. “But with the support of the community and participation growing, surfing is here to stay.”
 

OIA Event #1 Top Finishers

Girls Shortboard
Skai Suite (Waialua) — 14.33

Boys Shortboard
Max Peters (Kalani) — 14.37

Girls Longboard
Noelo Wong (Ke Kula ʻO Samuel M. Kamakau) — 14.83

Boys Longboard
Micah Ah You (Kahuku) — 11.94

Girls Bodyboard
Kaipo‘i Koa (Kalani) — 10.20

Boys Bodyboard
Jonah “Kaikane” Hanoa (Leilehua) — 11.57

What’s Next

The inaugural OIA surfing season will feature four regular-season events leading into the league championships in April.

Events are scheduled primarily on Mondays, with a two-day holding window if conditions require adjustments. Contest days typically run 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with the exact format of each event determined by participation numbers and surf conditions.

Remaining OIA Surfing Schedule

March 24, 2026
OIA Contest #2 — Makaha
(Tuesday event due to OIA workshop on March 23)

March 30–31, 2026
OIA Contest #3 — Queens (Kuhio Beach)

April 6–7, 2026
OIA Contest #4 — Ala Moana Bowls

April 20–21, 2026
OIA Championships — Kewalos

Following the OIA season, top surfers will advance to the inaugural HHSAA state championship May 1-2 at Ho’okipa Beach on Maui, marking the first time surfing will crown official high school state champions in Hawaiʻi.

Clippers hold off Warriors late with Wagler’s clutch bucket

Clippers hold off Warriors late with Wagler’s clutch bucket

Oct 4, 2026

HONOLULU – Welcome back, NBA. After spending a week enjoying the Aloha Spirit and working through training camp, the Los Angeles Clippers kicked off their preseason slate with a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon in...

San Jose State hangs on late to deal devastating loss to Hawai’i

San Jose State hangs on late to deal devastating loss to Hawai’i

Oct 4, 2026

HONOLULU – No more magic in Mānoa. Despite posting a season-high 438 yards, the University of Hawai’i football team’s nightmare start to the season continued on Saturday night as they fell 20-16 against San Jose State (3-2, 1-0 Mountain West)...

Three players to watch as Hawai’i hosts San Jose State

Three players to watch as Hawai’i hosts San Jose State

Oct 3, 2026

HONOLULU – Stakes are high. Hawai’i football’s slow start to the 2026 campaign has allowed pessimism to permeate the fanbase, but there are still eight games left for the Rainbow Warriors to right the ship and earn their way into a bowl game for...

ADVERTISEMENT

Sharks baseball bounce back to earn split against Azusa Pacific

Sharks baseball bounce back to earn split against Azusa Pacific

Mar 9, 2026

Sharks baseball bounce back to earn split against Azusa Pacific

The Sharks celebrate after Noah Hata hit a home run against Azusa Pacific. | Photo: Michael Lasquero

WAIPAHU — After two heartbreaking losses to start the series, the Hawai’i Pacific University baseball team had a prime opportunity to reveal what kind of team it was.

Not only did the Sharks win the next two games against Asuza Pacific University to split the season series, they did it in convincing fashion with two blowout wins last Saturday at Hans L’Orange Park.

HPU (10-11) won the first game of Saturday’s double-header, 8-1, before recording 14 hits in a 10-2 win over the Cougars (10-14) in the nightcap.

It was the type of performance that coach Dane Fujinaka wanted to see from his squad after losing a pair of leads in the eighth inning the previous two nights.

“Proud of the response,” said Fujinaka. “We executed the plans we set out and the boys did a great showing up with great energy after two tough losses. Nice to see our toughness show up.”

In the series opener against APU Thursday night, HPU held a 5-2 lead after captain Noah Hata’s first home run of the season before giving up three runs in the top of the eighth on a pair of homers by the Cougars. The game remained tied for six consecutive innings before ending in the 15th with APU winning game one, 9-7.

Friday night did not go into extra innings, but it was a lot tighter with the lead exchanging hands a couple of times before a bases-loaded walk gave HPU a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth. APU ultimately tied it in the top of the eighth on a solo home run before taking the lead for good on a HPU error in the ninth inning for a 6-5 win.

“I told the boys that despite the 2-2 record, we got better,” Fujinaka said. “Losing those two close games will ultimately prepare us for tight games in the future that we will need to learn how to eventually win. We are in a good spot and we are definitely playing better all-around baseball.”

Tyler Arnold earned PacWest Player of the Week honors after a strong showing against Azusa Pacific. | Photo: Daniel Fujita

t wasn’t a series win, but the Sharks did earn some hardware from the PacWest conference after the strong showing in Saturday’s double-header win.

Sophomore corner infielder Tyler Arnold batted 11-for-18 in the series with four doubles, six runs scored and eight RBI to earn Player of the Week honors in the conference. He had three hits in two of the games and four in another. In the final game of the series, Arnold went 4-for-4 with five RBI and three doubles.

Utility Jayden Gabrillo, another sophomore, earned his second Pitcher of the Week award by pitching five scoreless innings in game four of the APU series. He allowed just one hit, walked just one batter and struck out three on an efficient 50 pitches.

Overall, Fujinaka was pleased with multiple performances from his squad.

“Taydem Hashimoto was an all star this weekend both defensively and offensively. Hata is starting to dial in his approach and is finally looking like himself. Arnold and Kan Taguchi have been great. Gabrillo has been outstanding offensively and I thought was just okay on the mound today despite the good results. But nice to see him workout off it and get in a rhythm. Thought he was better in the later innings.

Reliever Jacob Vanek throws a pitch to plate against Azusa Pacific. | Photo: Michael Lasquero

Super happy with the performance of our bullpen the entire weekend. I know they were tired and I asked a lot of them this weekend but they did a great job.”

Next up for HPU, a home series against reigning PacWest champion Westmont (14-5). The four-game series was initially scheduled for Friday and Saturday, but has been pushed back to March 15 and 16 due to upcoming weather.

ADVERTISEMENT

Long Beach State spoils Senior Night in Hawaii behind Sykes’ 34

Long Beach State spoils Senior Night in Hawaii behind Sykes’ 34

Mar 7, 2026

Long Beach State spoils Senior Night in Hawaii behind Sykes’ 34

The 2026 UH men’s basketball senior class (from left to right: Gytis Nemeikša, Isaac Johnson, Hunter Erickson, Harry Rouhliadeff, Dre Bullock, Yacine Toumi.) | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

HONOLULU – Stakes through the Hawai’i heart.

With an opportunity to claim a share of the Big West’s regular season crown, the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team faltered in their final home game of the year as Gavin Sykes exploded for a second straight 30-point outing to help Long Beach State ruin the fun on Senior Night in the islands, 84-75.

The freshman guard had a game-best 34 points for the visitors, who shot a sizzling 55% from the field as a team while draining 9-of-18 from long distance. Sykes shot 10-for-17 himself overall while draining 5-of-8 from 3-point range, including three straight triples in the final few minutes to put the game out of reach for the Rainbow Warriors.

“I want to give Long Beach credit,” Hawai’i head coach Eran Ganot said after the game. “We didn’t deserve to win. They outplayed us, they outcompeted us.”

With no postseason to play for, LBSU came out with their own championship mentality as they took a 22-19 lead over the Rainbow Warriors more than midway through the opening half. Hawai’i struggled shooting throughout the first half, making just 1-of-10 from long distance to start before Hunter Erickson tied it at 22 with his second triple of the evening.

Erickson and Ike Finlinson each drained another 3-pointer to keep UH afloat as the first half wound down, but Long Beach State connected on eight of their final nine shots of the stanza to take a 44-34 advantage into the locker rooms.

Isaac “Big Fish” Johnson looked to spark the hosts as the second half began as he dove to the floor for an extra possession, leading to a layup for Finlinson and igniting an 11-3 run that cut the deficit to two for Hawai’i with 13 minutes left in regulation.

After a timeout by Long Beach and the under-12-minute media stoppage, the Rainbow Warriors flashed full court pressure and forced back-to-back steals to push ahead for the first time since the 10:25 mark of the first half as Dre Bullock and Harry Rouhliadeff cashed in four straight free throws.

With the crowd back engaged and chomping at the bit to celebrate Senior Night in style, Harry Rouhliadeff and Isaac Johnson provided a pair of ear-popping moments with an and-one finish and putback dunk for Hawai’i before each picked up their fourth personal fouls with over seven minutes left in regulation.

With two of UH’s senior forwards glued to the bench, Long Beach State took quick advantage to pull back in front with an 8-0 run. Johnson returned and sunk a pair of free throws to make it a 66-62 deficit for the Rainbow Warriors with 4:32 to play, but the hosts could not pull any closer as Gavin Sykes went nuclear to put the dagger in the hearts of Hawai’i and their fans with 14 points over the final three and a half minutes to clinch the 84-75 upset.

Senior guard Hunter Erickson finished with a career-high 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the loss for the Rainbow Warriors, making four 3-pointers in a game for just the second time this season. Isaac Johnson had 16 points, eight rebounds and three steals in 26 minutes of work as he navigated foul woes in the second half.

Ike Finlinson and Dre Bullock also finished in double figures for the hosts, scoring 15 and 14 points respectively. Bullock looked to experience some discomfort late in the game and exited briefly before returning to finish the contest for the Rainbow Warriors.

Following the game, Hawai’i turned attention quickly to celebrate six seniors who helped the program to one of the best year-over-year turnarounds in recent Big West memory in Erickson, Johnson, Bullock, Yacine Toumi, Gytis Nemeikša and captain Harry Rouhliadeff.

“I spoke to the team in the end to let it go right now because your senior night here is as good as it gets,” a weary Eran Ganot said after the game. “I begged [the team], do me a favor [and] let me take this one on. You go enjoy your senior night, nobody does it better.”

Hawaii G Hunter Erickson bends down to get another lei on Senior Night. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Ganot was appreciative of the fans staying to celebrate a senior group that he said was “right up there” with some of the good ones that he’s been able to work with.

Each receiving loud ovations, all six seniors were able to crack smiles as they went through the Senior Night processions in the islands. Rouhliadeff and Johnson were visibly emotional as they were introduced one final time to the Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center crowd.

“It was just awesome,” Johnson said when asked about his emotions during the ceremony. “When you’re in a game, you’re so locked in on what’s going on in the game. I like to get hyped with the crowd and everything like that and look out, but it’s all a blur. To be able to take it in and just realize and be able to see how many people were here supporting us and loving us … to see them reciprocate that love … I feel like you’re not a true man if you can’t show a little emotion and I couldn’t hold it back.”

Rouhliadeff, who was the lone senior to spend all four of his college seasons in Mānoa, was equally expressive in his gratitude for what the University of Hawai’i and the state overall has given him.

“I’ve had the most incredible four years of my life here,” Rouhliadeff emphasized. “I would not change a thing, and these are the best fans in the world. There’s no doubt about that. They know how to cheer for us and it’s such a joy, such a privilege to play in front of these fans every single week.”

Hawaii F Harry Rouhliadeff daps up teammates during Senior Night ceremonies. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i (22-8, 14-6 Big West) was locked into the No. 2 seed for the 2026 Credit Union 1 Big West Men’s Basketball Championship tournament regardless of Saturday night’s result due to conference tiebreakers and will receive a double-bye and a spot directly into the Big West semifinal round.

No. 6-seeded UC Davis (18-13, 11-9 Big West) will take on No. 7-seeded UC Santa Barbara (18-13, 11-9 Big West) on Wednesday in the first round of the conference tournament. The winner will advance to face third-seeded Cal State Fullerton (17-15, 12-18 Big West) in the quarterfinal round.

No. 2-seeded Hawai’i awaits the winner of the Cal State Fullerton-UCD/UCSB matchup on Friday in the Big West semifinals. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. HT / 8:30 p.m. PT.

“We’ll always keep confidence high in our team,” Rouhliadeff reaffirmed about the Rainbow Warriors heading into the postseason. “We’re going to go in on Friday on a mission because we obviously didn’t want to finish our regular season off like this, so we’re going to come out firing … I have all the faith in the world in our guys.”

Clippers hold off Warriors late with Wagler’s clutch bucket

Clippers hold off Warriors late with Wagler’s clutch bucket

Oct 4, 2026

HONOLULU – Welcome back, NBA. After spending a week enjoying the Aloha Spirit and working through training camp, the Los Angeles Clippers kicked off their preseason slate with a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon in...

San Jose State hangs on late to deal devastating loss to Hawai’i

San Jose State hangs on late to deal devastating loss to Hawai’i

Oct 4, 2026

HONOLULU – No more magic in Mānoa. Despite posting a season-high 438 yards, the University of Hawai’i football team’s nightmare start to the season continued on Saturday night as they fell 20-16 against San Jose State (3-2, 1-0 Mountain West)...

Three players to watch as Hawai’i hosts San Jose State

Three players to watch as Hawai’i hosts San Jose State

Oct 3, 2026

HONOLULU – Stakes are high. Hawai’i football’s slow start to the 2026 campaign has allowed pessimism to permeate the fanbase, but there are still eight games left for the Rainbow Warriors to right the ship and earn their way into a bowl game for...

ADVERTISEMENT

Rosenthal rises to occasion to help Hawai’i to split with No. 7 Pepperdine

Rosenthal rises to occasion to help Hawai’i to split with No. 7 Pepperdine

Mar 6, 2026

Rosenthal rises to occasion to help Hawai’i to split with No. 7 Pepperdine

Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

HONOLULU – Calmed waters.

After falling to the Waves in Honolulu for the first time since 2009 on Wednesday night, the third-ranked University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team bounced back in four sets on Friday to take down No. 7 Pepperdine, (25-22, 21-25, 25-15, 36-34).

Four Rainbow Warriors finished with 10 or more kills, led by sophomore opposite Kainoa Wade’s 19 kills, nine dig performance. Sophomore Trevell Jordan set a new career high with 15 kills on 20 swings, tallying five blocks as the 6-foot-10 middle blocker took his game to new heights while playing in front of a season-high crowd of 7,247 fans.

“The crowd definitely played a part in it,” Jordan said of his career outing. “They were really loud, and it was a little [nerve-wracking] at first, but I mean, you got to rally together in that and Tread [Rosenthal] finding me was amazing.”

Travel Jordan (20) celebrates with Louis Sakanoko (23) and Tread Rosenthal (13) after a point against No. 7 Pepperdine. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Rosenthal piloted the offense with a season-high 56 assists and four aces while adding six kills for the second straight match from the setter spot. The junior’s final putdown of the night was the match-winner, taking matters into his own hands to end a marathon fourth frame.

Following Wednesday’s four-set flub, head coach Charlie Wade said that Thursday’s practice saw an uptick in intensity from the players that is uncommon ahead of an encore match in a series.

“Pretty locked in yesterday at practice,” the veteran head coach recalled. “Usually, when there’s the day in between [matches] here, they’re looking to kind of back off a little because they’re sore, and yesterday, they were looking to push it.”

With a motivated group and a boost from a vocal crowd from the opening serve, Hawai’i wrestled away a competitive first set from Pepperdine, 25-22, behind an active block and Trevell Jordan’s early four kills.

“It was just a little different vibe walking in and it helped us get off to that good start,” Wade pitched as a difference for the Rainbow Warriors from Wednesday to Friday.

The Waves washed away UH’s single-set advantage quickly, returning fire in the second frame with the help of Punahou alum Aiden Tune’s time in the service box turning the tide. The redshirt junior placed an ace in the middle of all six Rainbow Warriors late in the set to cap off a four-point run that put the visitors ahead and sophomore opposite Cole Hartke finished the deal a few rallies later with back-to-back kills to knot the match at a set apiece.

Hawai’i pushed back in front with a dominant third frame, leading from start to finish in the 25-15 decision as the group hit .632 while pushing Pepperdine into the negatives with more attacking errors (7) than kills (5) in the set.

Then came the marathon.

The Waves went ahead by four in the opening minutes of the fourth set behind returning All-Americans Cole Hartke and Ryan Barnett taking turns tormenting UH.

Looking to return fire, Hawai’i turned to their own All-American.

Tread Rosenthal set up Kainoa Wade to slow down Pepperdine’s momentum and send himself back to the service box for UH. The junior dealt out a pair of aces during an eight-point run behind the stripe, giving him 104 in his college career to tie him with Spyros Chakas for seventh all-time among Rainbow Warriors while vaulting the hosts in front, 15-10.

“He’ll break the school record, probably this year,” Charlie Wade candidly said of Rosenthal’s prowess for racking up service aces.

Hartke and Barnett got the Waves back on track to pull back within a point, but Hawai’i was able to hold onto the lead into the late moments of the frame behind Wade, Adrien Roure and Louis Sakanoko taking turns on the attack.

Pepperdine held off two Hawai’i match points to tie the do-or-die fourth frame at 24, sparking a race to taking a two-point advantage between a pair of rabid teams.

After 14 total set points between teams and eight aloha ball chances for the hosts, Rosenthal again took matters into his own hands and smashed the match winner over on two to deliver a hard-fought series split to the Rainbow Warriors.

Cole Hartke led the way in the loss for Pepperdine, racking up 20 kills on 55 swings while tallying a match-leading seven attack errors. Ryan Barnett tacked on 13 kills and eight digs while Jose Gomez added 13 kills and five digs of his own for the Waves.

Adrien Roure, who celebrated his 20th birthday on Friday, had 15 kills and seven digs in the victory for the Rainbow Warriors. Fellow French outside hitter Louis Sakanoko was the fourth and final player to finish with double figures kills for Hawai’i as he tallied 12 putdowns on 26 tries while getting hands on four blocks.

Hawai’i (15-2) will return to action next Thursday, March 12, hosting Mount Olive, No. 14 Lewis and No. 1 UCLA in the 30th annual OUTRIGGER Invitational.

Clippers hold off Warriors late with Wagler’s clutch bucket

Clippers hold off Warriors late with Wagler’s clutch bucket

Oct 4, 2026

HONOLULU – Welcome back, NBA. After spending a week enjoying the Aloha Spirit and working through training camp, the Los Angeles Clippers kicked off their preseason slate with a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon in...

San Jose State hangs on late to deal devastating loss to Hawai’i

San Jose State hangs on late to deal devastating loss to Hawai’i

Oct 4, 2026

HONOLULU – No more magic in Mānoa. Despite posting a season-high 438 yards, the University of Hawai’i football team’s nightmare start to the season continued on Saturday night as they fell 20-16 against San Jose State (3-2, 1-0 Mountain West)...

Three players to watch as Hawai’i hosts San Jose State

Three players to watch as Hawai’i hosts San Jose State

Oct 3, 2026

HONOLULU – Stakes are high. Hawai’i football’s slow start to the 2026 campaign has allowed pessimism to permeate the fanbase, but there are still eight games left for the Rainbow Warriors to right the ship and earn their way into a bowl game for...

ADVERTISEMENT

Pepperdine pops Hawai’i win streak behind Hartke’s huge night

Pepperdine pops Hawai’i win streak behind Hartke’s huge night

Mar 5, 2026

Pepperdine pops Hawai’i win streak behind Hartke’s huge night

Hawai’i OPP Kainoa Wade (4) slaps fives with S Tread Rosenthal (13) during Wednesday night’s home loss against Pepperdine. | Photo Credit: Rayden Aoki, HSRN

HONOLULU – Hit a speed bump.

The University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team saw an 11-match winning streak come to an end on Wednesday night, falling inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in four sets against No. 7 Pepperdine, (28-26, 25-22, 15-25, 30-28). Waves sophomore Cole Hartke powered the visitors from the MPSF to the upset with 24 kills on 52 swings and a pair of service aces.

Hawai’i (14-2) struggled behind the service line all night, committing 20 serving errors while only tallying six aces. The Rainbow Warriors outhit the Waves, .328 to .270, but ultimately saw the visitors get the biggest bounces of the night in the three tightly contested frames.

The two national semifinalist from a season ago got right to action in the opening set, seeing a three-point separation be the largest lead for either side as UH and Pepperdine wrestled to begin Night 1. Hawai’i staved off three set points by the Waves before an attacking error from Louis Sakanoko followed up by a double block by Pepperdine ended the first frame in favor of the visitors, 28-26.

Hawai’i snagged a five-point lead to begin the second set behind an increased blocking presence from the Mānoa Roofing Company, but Jose Gomez and Hartke turns with Ryan Barnett getting the Waves back into the frame. Hartke tied the set at 16 with one of his two service aces on the night, putting Pepperdine back even with the Rainbow Warriors or better for the rest of the frame.

A pair of kills from Kainoa Wade helped Hawai’i make it a 23-22 deficit late in the set, but a service error by the Rainbow Warriors returned a set-point serve back to the Waves and an attacking error set UH down two sets to none in the first of two meetings against Pepperdine this week.

The Rainbow Warriors looked to wake up in the third set, shooting out of a cannon to take a 9-3 lead in the early going behind Tread Rosenthal’s 100th career ace and a few more kills from Kainoa Wade. Unlike the previous frame, Hawai’i stepped on the gas after taking the quick advantage and raced to a 25-15 win to extend the night to a fourth set.

Tread Rosenthal (13) celebrates after a point during Hawai’i’s home match against No. 7 Pepperdine. | Photo Credit: Rayden Aoki, HSRN

Looking to close out the hosts before the crowd of 5,313 fans found their voices again, Pepperdine leaned back into Cole Hartke’s heavy-swinging right arm in what turned out to be the evening’s final frame. The 6-foot-11 sophomore racked up 12 kills and another ace in the fourth set alone, backpacking the Waves to an upset in extra points, 30-28, and holding off Hawai’i from forcing a winner-take-all fifth frame.

Kainoa Wade finished with 19 kills to lead the Rainbow Warriors in the loss, hitting .350 on 40 total swings while matching a season-high with nine digs. Louis Sakanoko added 15 kills with only four attacking errors on 32 swings while fellow French outside hitter Adrien Roure had a relatively quiet night with 10 kills on 25 swings and an uncharacteristic seven attack errors.

Tread Rosenthal picked up his first double-double of the year despite the loss, handing out 42 assists while totaling a team-high 13 digs. The 6-foot-11 junior setter also tacked on six kills on nine attempts along with one of UH’s six aces on the night.

Hawai’i and Pepperdine will reconvene for Round 2 on Friday with first serve scheduled for 7 p.m. HT.

Clippers hold off Warriors late with Wagler’s clutch bucket

Clippers hold off Warriors late with Wagler’s clutch bucket

Oct 4, 2026

HONOLULU – Welcome back, NBA. After spending a week enjoying the Aloha Spirit and working through training camp, the Los Angeles Clippers kicked off their preseason slate with a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon in...

San Jose State hangs on late to deal devastating loss to Hawai’i

San Jose State hangs on late to deal devastating loss to Hawai’i

Oct 4, 2026

HONOLULU – No more magic in Mānoa. Despite posting a season-high 438 yards, the University of Hawai’i football team’s nightmare start to the season continued on Saturday night as they fell 20-16 against San Jose State (3-2, 1-0 Mountain West)...

Three players to watch as Hawai’i hosts San Jose State

Three players to watch as Hawai’i hosts San Jose State

Oct 3, 2026

HONOLULU – Stakes are high. Hawai’i football’s slow start to the 2026 campaign has allowed pessimism to permeate the fanbase, but there are still eight games left for the Rainbow Warriors to right the ship and earn their way into a bowl game for...

ADVERTISEMENT

HPU completes series sweep over Jessup with 9-6 comeback win

HPU completes series sweep over Jessup with 9-6 comeback win

Mar 3, 2026

HPU completes series sweep over Jessup with 9-6 comeback win

The HPU dugout greets Ethan Murakoshi (8) after his solo home run in the seventh inning gave the Sharks the lead for good. | Photo: Daniel Fujita

WAIPAHU — This was a momentum-shifting weekend.

The Hawai’i Pacific University baseball team completed a four-game PacWest series sweep over Jessup with a 9-6 win at Hans L’Orange Park Monday night.

It was a much-needed stretch of victories for the Sharks (8-9). HPU was coming off its first road trip of the season where it loss six in a row and went 2-7.

“We’ve been talking about since day one. Our goal is just to get better every week,” said HPU fifth-year coach Dane Fujinaka. “I thought our guys did a really good job throughout the series after getting punched in the mouth a few times, being able to respond back.”

Adversity struck the Sharks early in game four of the series when the Warriors (9-8) jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the top of the first inning — but HPU rallied to score runs in five of its final six innings on a series-high 16 hits to complete the sweep.

Fujinaka credited associated head coach Richard Higa for getting the Sharks ready to perform at the plate.

“He comes up with all the reports so hitters aren’t going int the box blind, without a plan. I thought they executed the plan really well against all their arms. I think when we do that, we’re a pretty exciting offense to watch,” Fujinaka said.

Jessup had a pair of homers to take a 2-0 lead in the first and a 5-4 lead in the fifth, but it was HPU’s Ethan Murakoshi who had the clutch home run of the night with a shot over the left-centerfield fence on the first pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Sharks the lead for good, 7-6.

Murakoshi also added an RBI single in the eighth and came home for the final run of the game for the final point total.

“That was unbelievable,” Fujinaka said of Murakoshi’s go-ahead blast. “It might be the biggest hit in his career so far. He’s come a long way from last year, from a maturity standpoint, from a confidence standpoint. For him to be able to get one in that situation, he’s going to be a big-time player.”

Three different players had three hits for HPU on Monday night. Leadoff hitter Kan Taguchi went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Five-hole hitter and catcher Blake Helsper drove in the most runs with three RBIs, including a 2 RBI single that gave HPU a 6-5 lead in the sixth inning. Christian Perez was the last Shark with three hits, going 3-for-5.

Left-handed pitcher Garrett Sinfield earned the win on the mound in the series finale against Jessup. | Photo: Daniel Fujita

Noah Meaux recorded his second save in three night for the Sharks on Monday. He helped get the first out in the top of the eighth before moving to right field, then retook the mound in the ninth and ended the game on a swinging strikeout with the bases loaded.

The Sharks started the series with a 10-6 victory on Saturday night when they opened game one with a 4-1 lead after the first inning and a 9-4 lead after the third.

The Sharks started the series with a 10-6 victory on Saturday night when they opened game one with a 4-1 lead after the first inning and a 9-4 lead after the third.

Jayden Gabrillo (3-2) was the winning pitcher in the series-opener with five innings pitched while adding a RBI double and two runs scored. He also played the hero in the first game of a double-header on Sunday with a pinch-hit RBI single in a 3-2 walk-off victory.

All smiles for Jayden Gabrillo Sunday afternoon as he played the hero in a 3-2 walk-off win. | Photo: Michael Lasquero

Game three of the series saw the Sharks come away with 13-8 victory. They scored in their first five innings of that game, which included 10 runs combined in the third and fourth innings.

HPU takes on Azusa Pacific next to continue conference play. The first game of the series is Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

ADVERTISEMENT