Waianae’s Zane Kamaka has been disqualified from competing in the Professional Fighter’s League after missing weight for the second straight bout.
Kamaka, who missed weight in his welterweight opener against cousin Ray Cooper, was submitted in the second round by Cooper in May after the two agreed to fight at a catch weight.
On Wednesday, Kamaka failed to make weight for his fight against Andre Fialho scheduled for today’s PFL 4 event in Atlantic City, N.J., and was disqualified afterward.
Cooper, who advanced to the welterweight final last season before falling one win short of the $1 million first prize, made weight for his fight against John Howard.
Howard, who made the semifinals at 185 pounds last season, has moved down to 170, but lost his first fight of the new season and is in danger of missing the eight-man cut for the tournament.
The fight will be the second of three broadcast on ESPN2 beginning at 2:30 p.m. Hawaii time.
U.S. downs France in VNL pool play
The U.S. men’s national volleyball team, with two players from Hawaii in the starting lineup, defeated France 3-1 in Wednesday’s final round of pool play of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Chicago.
Micah Christenson (Kamehameha) played the entire match at setter and had two aces and a block in the 25-16, 25-22, 21-25, 25-21 victory. Erik Shoji (Punahou) played the entire match at libero (dig statistics were unavailable).
On the 14-man roster but not playing were reserve setter Kawika Shoji (‘Iolani) and reserve setter-hitter Micah Ma’a (Punahou). Two former University of Hawaii All-Americans, middle blocker Taylor Averill and libero Tui Tuileta, were among the 25 players available for this final round but were not activated.
The U.S. plays defending event champion Russia on Friday. In Wednesday’s first match, Poland upset world No. 1 Brazil, 25-23, 23-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-9.
The semifinals are Saturday and medal play on Sunday.
Tobita eliminated in doubles
Mililani graduate Alyssa Tobita and her former collegiate partner Rifanty Kahfiani fell 6-1, 5-7, 11-9 to Risa Ozaki and Junri Namigata of Japan in the doubles round of 16 in the Tennis Championship of Honolulu on Wednesday at the University of Hawaii Tennis Complex.
After coming out flat in the opening set, Tobita and Kahfiani bounced back to win the second set, then held three match points in the final set. But the Japanese duo held on to claim the decisive third set and eliminate the former Oregon duo.
Ozaki and Namigata advance to today’s quarterfinals.
Tobita and Kahfiani plan to play in more prize-money tournaments in Seattle until Kahfiani begins her senior year at Oregon this fall.
The ITF World Tennis Tour event continues today with the round of 16 singles matches and quarterfinal doubles matches.
Local surfers advance at J-Bay
Hawaii’s Seth Moniz won his elimination heat and Malia Manuel was second in hers on Wednesday as both surfers advanced in their respective divisions at the Corona Open J-Bay World Surf League Championship Tour stop at Jeffreys Bay, South Africa.
Moniz won his men’s elimination round 2 heat, scoring a 14.27 and will face Brazil’s Peterson Crisanto in a round of 32 matchup on Friday. Also competing from Hawaii are Sebastian Zietz, who faces Wade Carmichael of Australia, and Ezekiel Lau, who meets Australian Julian Wilson.
On the women’s side, Manuel will face Costa Rica’s Brisa Hennessey in a round of 16 matchup on Friday. Other elimination heats have Hawaii’s Carissa Moore against Keely Andrew of Australia and Kauai’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, representing Brazil, taking on Johanne Defay of France.
Cartaino PacWest scholar-athlete of year
Chaminade junior swingman Tyler Cartaino was named the Pacific West Conference’s scholar-athlete of the year for men’s basketball.
Cartaino, from Newbury Park, Calif., is a three-time academic all-conference selection who had a 3.83 GPA and graduated in May with an accounting degree. Last season, he averaged 17.7 points and 6.6 rebounds for the Silverswords and led the league in field-goal percentage at .590.
Cartaino, who will pursue his MBA during his final year of eligibility, is eligible for the PacWest’s male scholar-athlete of the year, which will be announced next week.
Vulcans add four for women’s hoops
Head coach David Kaneshiro of the University of Hawaii Hilo women’s basketball team announced Wednesday the signing of four players for the 2019-20 season.
The four are Shauna Bribiescas and Bryanne Olson from Pima Community College (Ariz.), Jessica Goodluck from Independence CC (Kan.), and freshman Jenna Waki from CK McClatchy HS in Sacramento, Calif.
Bribiescas and Olson helped lead Pima CC finish fifth at the NJCAA Division II national championships last season. Bribiescas, a 5-11 forward, averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds a game last season.
The Mesa, Ariz., product was a second team NJCAA Division II All-American and a first-team All-Region I selection.
Olson, a 5-11 guard, averaged 4.3 points and 3.6 rebounds. Olson, who is from Tucson, Ariz., will redshirt this season.
Goodluck, a 5-7 guard from Adelaide, South Australia, averaged 6.8 points, 2.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds last season at Independence CC last season.
Waki, a 5-7 guard, helped her McClatchy team reach the CIF Division I semifinals as a senior, averaging five points and two steals a game as an all-league selection.
