MIL Boys Basketball: LAHAINALUNA 43, Baldwin 47 - January 12, 2012

The Lunas put up a better effort this time against the Bears, but still came up short in a 43-47 loss. Baldwin took an early lead and it looked like the same thing that happened back at Baldwin when they went out on a run early and never looked back. But the Lunas were able to battle their way back and actually had a lead late in the 3rd quarter. Then the ref decided to take things into his own hands and called a technical on the Lunas bench (assistant coach) after a scrum under the Lunas basket where numerous offensive rebounds and putback attempts occurred but inexplicably no foul called. Apparently, one of the Lunas coaches objected too demonstrably (although I did not notice or hear anything out of the ordinary) and the ref called a tech. Free throws and possession later, the Bears regained the lead and did not look back.

The other factor that kept it competitive was that the Lunas had John Mishima on Gabe Ross for most of the game. While can't stop Ross, you can definitely try to slow him down and Mishima did a great job of that. Then in the fourth quarter, he was benched for Josh Chapital. I think Ross then went on to score 8 points in the quarter and, along with help from the ill-timed technicals, was able to ice the game away in the 4th quarter for the Bears.

Great effort, but a loss is still a loss. Especially against these Bears.

My Two Cents

The girls and boys games started about 30-45 minutes late as the West Maui Youth Basketball league scheduled one of its games to 6:00pm.I had left work early because I did not want to miss the 5:30 start so i was surprised to see a kids' game going on before the Girls' game. Nothing against kids leagues, but really, couldn't they have scheduled those games another night? Worse, the quality of the game isn't that good! Ha ha, I know, I suck for saying that. But unless I have a kid or I know someone's kid that is playing, these youth games are brutal and painful to watch.

With all the cheerleaders, kids and balls being played with on the baseline, and the Lunas' band coming to the home games, it was time to find other vantage points from which to shoot my photos. Ended up shooting on the high bleachers on the band end, and then on the corner baselne next to the Lunas' bench.

For more photos, click here.

MIL Girls Basketball: LAHAINALUNA 74, Baldwin 18 - January 12, 2012

As much as I love shooting games in the Lahaina Civic Center with its colorful mural backdrop and relatively bright interior lighting, I can't stand the madhouse that it has become with all the kids running around, basketballs being dribbled everywhere, kids running onto the floor during time outs like cockroaches when the kitchen light is turned on to shoot crazy chaotic hoops. And they not even good players.

It's gotten out-of-hand and out-of-control and the personal injury lawyer in me is thinking, this has gotten dangerous. Kids running in and out and between the cheerleaders, whether they are on the baseline or on the court performing. A girl could land on an errant ball and sprain an ankle or break something. Not good. Nothing against kids, but they really should do something about keeping them under control. Confiscate balls. Put police tape around the perimeter of the court. Dedicate a section of the gym (or better yet, outside on the grass) where kids can be kids. Bottom line is to me, these out-of-control kids detract from the game and are a nuisance.

All right. Off my soap box and back to the game. The Lady Lunas came out and again smashed the Lady Bears of Baldwin, 74-18. To their credit, Baldwin has actually scored more points against the Lunas than they did last year, but that is really not saying much. I remember when Baldwin was the dominant team in the league. Definitely not now. The players seem smallish and the lack of size is hard to overcome. My theory is that with the switching of girls basketball from a spring sport to a winter sport, a lot of the athletes who normally would play basketball are choosing other sports (like say soccer). THat's just a theory though. Otherwise, I have no clue.

It does remind me how fortunate we are in Lahaina to be witnesses to this historic run currently being accomplished by the Lady Lunas. Sixty-plus consecutive MIL wins. Longest streak ever, in any sport boys and girls. And it does not look like it's going to end soon. But if you've been around enough like I have, good things will eventually come to an end. So to the Lunas fans out there, enjoy it, support it and nurture it while you can! Coaches Todd Rickard, Ian Aotaki, and Michael Bates have really done a great job of keeping this run going.

Lindsey and Taylor Bates actually tower over Baldwin's starting guards!

For more photos, click here.

Menehune Basketball: Lahaina Girls 41, Kahului 13 - January 10, 2012

Keleah Koloi

The next generation of Lady Lunas opened up their Menehune season with a 41-13 win over Kahului.


Defending champs from last year, they lost a lot of 8th graders who went on to immediately play key roles at Lahainaluna's varsity and JV levels this year - the twins, Lindsey and Taylor Bates, Lau Hafoka, Aloha Salem and Mina Faaumu. Last year's coach Michael Bates also headed up to the high school level to help Coach Todd Rickard.

But don't despair. The cupboard is not bare. Coach Ian Aotaki comes from the high school level to take over as head coach for the Menehunes. Rightly so, as this time, his daughter is on the team! A very talented 6th grader. In addition, Lahaina obviously has two of the bigger/taller (and more talented) girls on the island at the junior high level in 8th grader Keleah Koloi and 7th grader Kalo Uhila. Both are close to 6-feet tall! And both run and hustle like crazy! They are joined in the front court by Lau Hafoka's younger sister. The backcourt is young - definitely not as experienced or steady as the Bates' sisters - and having a good back court will be key to how far they go at this level. But the new girls that are on the team - the names of whom I will probably come to learn as the season progresses - all seem willing, eager and able to do the hard work that is demanded of the girls' basketball teams in Lahaina. Defense and full-court pressure will be the strengths of this squad, as it is every year. And it helps to have the twin towers behind you to correct any mistakes up front.

For more photos, click here.

MIL Girls Soccer: LAHAINALUNA 2, Seabury Hall 0 - January 11, 2012

Bummers! I spent too much time shooting the JV softball game at Eddie Tam. By the time I got to Seabury, it was literally the last few minutes of the second half. I was hoping for some delay time for injury or whatevers, but it looks like their game zipped by at a good pace.

Looks like the Lunas suffered some injuries though. Rhyn Lendio was on the sideline looking a little out of it . . . concussion perhaps? Then Maile Altier took a hit to the face (either by the ball or another player) on a penalty kick to the middle that she went up for. Hope she's okay for the remaining two games of the season.

One of the perks to shooting down on the sidelines by the players is you get to hear some of the interactions between the Coach and his players. Coach Rockett cracks me up. And the girls . . . they never listen to him.

For more photos click here.

MIL JV Softball: LAHAINALUNA 17, King Kekaulike 3 - January 11, 2012

The JV softball team was playing at Eddie Tam field at 4:00pm. So I decided to take my lunch break at 4pm and leave the office for the day at that time. I drove up to Makawao, but had no idea where the softball field was. By the time I got there, the sun was coming down - shooting from the 1st base line, right and center field were rendered impossible due to having to shoot into the sun. So I had to walk all the way around to the left field fence. The field has some nice cutouts so I could shoot without having to do so through a chain link fence. Eventually I made my way down to the third base line before leaving to go shoot the girls soccer game at Seabury.

The soccer match ended quickly, so I returned to Eddie Tam to shoot the ending of the game. By then, the Lunas were up 17-3 and everyone was batting opposite hand. i,.e., left handed.

Good win girls!

For more photos, click here.