Koga, Galdiano lead way for Hawaii girls

Led by Moanalua senior Eimi Koga and Punahou freshman Mariel Galdiano, Hawaii bolted into a seven-shot lead in Tuesday’s first round of the 35th annual Girls Junior America’s Cup at Wailea Gold on Maui.

Koga, the 2011 state high school champion, and Galdiano both shot 2-under-par 70. Teammates Rose Huang (‘Iolani) and Ciera Min (Waiakea) had 74s.

Hawaii’s team total (best three scores) was 2-under 214. Mexico is next at 221 and Washington third at 223.

Koga and Galdiano are tied for second individually, a shot behind Oregon’s Monica Vaughn. Only five golfers shot par or better.

The second round is today and it ends Thursday.

Hawaii boys in fifth at Junior America’s

The Hawaii boys’ team stands fifth after the opening round of the 40th annual Junior America’s Cup at BanBury Golf Club in Eagle, Idaho.

British Columbia leads 18 teams from three countries with a score of 209.

Hawaii shot 215, with PJ Samiere and Eric Le firing 1-under-par 71, Andrew Paisley 73 and Skye Inakoshi 74.

Le and Samiere are tied for 10th in the individual race, seven shots back of Oregon’s Cole Madey.

Taketa, Hayashi oust defending champs

Lance Taketa and Kevin Hayashi reversed the results of last year’s final, defeating Kevin Shimomura and Ryan Michimoto Tuesday to reach this morning’s semifinals of the Aloha Section PGA Nike Four-Ball Match Play.

Taketa and Hayashi, who have reached four of the past five finals, beat last year’s champions, 2 and 1, in a quarterfinal at Oahu Country Club. They play seven-time champions Larry Stubblefield and Andrew Feldmann this morning at 7.

Stubblefield and Feldmann beat Leland Lindsay and John Basuk, 2-up. In other quarterfinals, second-seeded Shawn McCauley and TJ Kua defeated Alvin Okada and Marc Smith, 4 and 2, and Jerry Mullen and Damien Jamila upset third-seeded Dave Eichelberger and Shane Abe, 1-up.

Today’s championship begins at about 11:30 a.m.

Podratz wins home run derby

University of Hawaii baseball player Trevor Podratz was crowned champion of the Northwoods League Home Run Derby on Tuesday night in Madison, Wisc.

Podratz, who plays for the Rochester Honkers, totaled 23 home runs in the contest, including 10 in the final round to beat Eau Claire’s Casey Gillaspie. Gillaspie, who attends Wichita State, played against Podratz at Les Murakami Stadium last year.

Podratz is currently tied for fourth in the Northwoods League with nine homers and is hitting .273 with 35 RBIs in 161 at-bats. Podratz led UH with five homers and hit .248 as a freshman last season.

Two other current Rainbows play in the Northwoods League, including first baseman Max Duval, who is batting .273 with six homers, 15 doubles and 37 RBIs for the Duluth Huskies. He is teammates with Kansas’ Michael Suiter, a 2010 Punahou graduate. Suiter is hitting .306 with 10 doubles and 33 RBIs.

Pitcher Jon Flinn, who worked 312⁄3 innings for the Rainbows as a junior last year, is 1-3 with an 8.79 ERA in 28 2⁄3 innings with the Willmar Stingers.

MPI hires Ramirez as girls volleyball coach

Luis Ramirez has been hired as Mid-Pacific’s girls volleyball coach, the school announced on Tuesday.

Ramirez, formerly the coach of ‘Iolani’s boys and girls volleyball teams, was the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Coach of the Year there in 2001 and 2003, and State Coach of the Year in ’03 after leading the Raiders boys to the second of back-to-back state titles. He’s also headed the Asics Rainbows Volleyball Club since 1998.

Ramirez replaces Drew Pascua, who resigned due to family reasons.

UHH adds 2 men’s basketball players

The Hawaii-Hilo men’s basketball team added sophomore Robert Looper and junior Brandon Thomas to its 2012-13 recruiting class, coach Jeff Law announced Tuesday.

Looper, 6-8, averaged 11 points and 9.3 rebounds at Los Angeles Valley College last season. The 6-5 Thomas sat out 2011-12 after two years at Pierce College (Wash.). They are the fourth and fifth recruits of the class for UHH.

Chaminade signs 2 in women’s volleyball

Freshman Valentina Bevilacqua and junior Nicole Catto were added to the Chaminade women’s volleyball team on Tuesday.

Bevilacqua, a past member of Switzerland’s national team, is a setter. The 5-9 Catto, out of American River College (Calif.), will play middle blocker and rightside hitter. They are the sixth and seventh players signed by CUH this year.

Moanalua’s Pagano chooses Clemson

Moanalua defensive tackle Scott Pagano made a verbal commitment to play for Clemson.

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound senior earned honorable mention on the Star-Advertiser’s 2011 All-State team and was being pursued by Alabama, Florida and LSU. Pagano and Moanalua opens its season Aug. 11 against Mililani.