Texas takes lead at Waikoloa

Texas, the No. 1 team in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, grabbed the first-round lead Wednesday in the University of Hawaii-Hilo’s 22nd annual Amer Ari Intercollegiate at Waikoloa Kings’.

The Longhorns opened with an 18-under-par 270. They are five shots ahead of fourth-ranked UCLA and 10th-ranked Washington going into today’s second round. The top seven teams in the 20-team tournament are all in Golfweek’s Top 10.

Washington’s Cheng-Tsung Pan, UCLA’s Pontus Widegren and Stanford’s Patrick Grimes all shot 6-under 66 to lead the individual competition. Seven golfers are a shot back, including top-ranked Dylan Frittelli (Texas) and fourth-ranked Patrick Rodgers (Stanford).

Hawaii has a share of 17th at 293, led by senior TJ Kua, who shot 70. The host Vulcans are 19th, a shot behind Manoa. Blake Snyder leads Hilo after shooting 72.

UC Davis is last in the field at 299, but got a double-eagle from Jonny Baxter, who holed his second shot on the 513-yard fourth hole.

Hawaii’s Iwata named to watch list

University of Hawaii shortstop Jessica Iwata was among 50 players named to the watch list for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award on Wednesday.

Iwata, a junior, is a two-time Western Athletic Conference player of the year and led the Rainbow Wahine in batting average (.355), runs (43), home runs (15) and RBIs (44) last season.

Iwata is the lone WAC representative among the group and the fourth UH player selected to the watch list, following Melissa Gonzalez and Kelly Majam last year and Kate Robinson in 2008.

Jia, Cape take tennis honors

Brigham Young-Hawaii’s Yuan Jia was named Open Player of the Year and Punahou’s Jerry Cape Professional of the Year at the U.S. Professional Tennis Association Hawaii Convention.

The annual meeting was Sunday at Le Jardin Academy and Monday at Waialae Country Club. Speakers included national vice president Randy Mattingly and USPTA Master Professionals Rosie Bareis, Dave Porter and Feisal Hassan.

Other awards announced:

» Assistant Professional of the Year: Joe Curcio (The Oahu Club);

» Rookie of the Year: Carolyn Thibault (Kaneohe Marine Corps Base);

» Facility of the Year: Waialae Country Club (Randy Kop);

» High School Coach of the Year: Rusty Komori (Punahou);

» College Coach of the Year: Dave Porter (BYU-Hawaii) and Blake Mosley (Chaminade);

» Community Service/Special Recognition Awards: Kyle Kaneshiro (Moanalua) and Riki Fujitani/David Lam (Punahou).

Baron makes wheelchair final

Hawaii’s Shelby Baron reached the girls final of the Cruyff Foundation Junior Masters wheelchair tennis tournament Sunday in Tarbes, France. The Punahou junior fell to defending champion Angelica Bernal of Colombia, 6-1, 6-2.

Bernal had won a three-set match between the two earlier in round-robin play. Baron reached the final with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Britain’s Lauren Jones.

Saturday, Baron teamed with Busra Un, of Turkey, to win the doubles championship, 3-6, 6-1, 14-12, over Bernal and Jones. Baron and Un fought off five match points in the first-to-10 third-set tiebreaker.

The Junior Masters event began with a training camp for the four girls and eight boys invited.

Grand Canyon trips HPU women

Maylinn Smith scored 27 points with 11 rebounds to lead Grand Canyon to a 59-56 win in women’s basketball Wednesday night at Blaisdell Arena.

Josylnn Frazier added nine points for the Antelopes (16-2, 8-2 Pacific West). Taiyande Huskey scored 13 points for the Sea Warriors (11-9, 5-5).

GCU men rout Hawaii Pacific

Jerome Garrison scored 19 points to power Grand Canyon to a 73-56 men’s basketball win over Hawaii Pacific at Blaisdell Arena on Wednesday night.

Steve Morin and Braylon Pickrel added 12 points apiece for the Antelopes (11-7, 5-5 PacWest). LaBrent Chappell and Glenn Miller scored 10 points each for the Sea Warriors (7-11, 2-8).

Dixie State overwhelms Chaminade women

Becca Thomas scored 25 points as Dixie State romped to an 86-49 women’s basketball victory over Chaminade on Wednesday at McCabe Gym.

LeBrea Walker chipped in with 13 points for the Red Storm (13-5, 8-2 PacWest). Jordan Ahakuelo had a team-high 11 points for the Silverswords (0-15, 0-9).

Dixie State drops Chaminade men

Griffon Jones and Derek Owen scored 12 points apiece to lead four Dixie State (14-4, 9-1 PacWest) players in double figures as the Red Storm defeated Chaminade 74-58 in men’s basketball Wednesday night at McCabe Gym.

Owen added 10 rebounds fo the Red Storm.

Matt Cousin had a game-high 17 points for the Silverswords (9-7, 7-2), and Bennie Murray added 14 points.