College football: Kealakehe graduate is a center to watch again

Kealakehe graduate Tui Eli is back on the Rimington Trophy spring watch list coming off a sophomore season in which he started nine games at center and also saw time at right guard for Hawaii.

Eli first made the list – the trophy is awarded to the nation’s top center in college football – after making 11 of his 12 starts at center as a redshirt freshman in 2015.

In two seasons, Eli missed two games – both regular season finales – because of injury.

UH’s only Rimington Trophy finalist was John Estes in 2009.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders’ national team title hopes ended in women’s tennis Sunday, but the season isn’t over yet for Waiakea graduate Sarah Dvorak.

The junior and playing partner Sabrina Federici will represent Texas Tech at the NCAA doubles championships, which start Wednesday in Athens, Ga.

Dvorak and Federici were ranked No. 26 in the nation Sunday, and their match against Ohio State’s No. 1 doubles pair was tied 4-4 when the Buckeyes eliminated the No. 6 Red Raiders 4-0 in the NCAA quarterfinals in Atlanta.

Dvorak’s No. 5 singles match was also cut short.

Hawaii: Majoring in public health and English, former Waiakea swimming standout Madi Uekawa was one of five Rainbow Warriors student-athletes who earned dual degrees earlier this month.

Boston College: Former Hawaii Prep hurdling star Emma Taylor, a freshman, ran a personal-best of 1 minute, 1.19 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles at the ACC track and field championships in mid-May, which ranks as the third-best in school history.

Taylor didn’t qualify for the finals in either the 100 (14.94) or 400.