Senior Kea‘au High football players Shaydin Meek-Canon-Ching and Katin Kaluhiwa-Yamaguchi signed letters of intent on Wednesday to play for Chabot College.
Meek-Canon-Ching, a defensive lineman, and Kaluhiwa-Yamaguchi, a safety, were prominent figures on the 2023 Kea‘au High defense that helped lead the Cougars to a BIIF Division I championship appearance.
“They’re trying to take another step to further their education and to go and get some experience off-island,” Kea‘au head football coach David Murray said. “Hopefully in return, it’ll create future coaches in our community. That’s one of the positives of these kids trying to go to the next level.”
Kaluhiwa-Yamaguchi was one of six Kea‘au players to earn a mention on the All-BIIF DI First Team Defense.
Meek-Canon-Ching scored the Cougars’ first touchdown of the 2023 season, a 60-plus yard fumble recovery scoop-and-score during a non-league game against Saint Louis II in August.
“They’re gonna be part of that fraternity of people who can actually say that they went and played at the next level,” Murray said. “There’s a lot of people that say ‘I wish I did this’ or ‘I wish I went here.’ (Meek-Canon-Ching and Kaluhiwa-Yamaguchi) can live their lives without any regrets.”
Chabot is a community college located in Hayward, Calif. — a city south of Oakland in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. The Gladiators play in the California Community College Athletic Assocation’s (CCCAA) Coast Conference, which they share with rivals such as College of San Mateo, Santa Rosa College, Laney College and more.
Murray said that fellow Kea‘au players Sean Randall and Joshua Nihoa are also planning to sign letters of intent to play football for Santa Rosa College, where their team with clash with Chabot’s.
Kona alum wins player of the week
Konawaena softball alum Ana Medeiros ‘21 was awarded the Northwest Plains District/Region IX Softball Player of the Week for her recent exceptional play for the Otero College Rattlers, a junior college program in La Junta, Colo.
In Otero’s four-game homestand sweep over Northeastern Junior College on Saturday and Sunday, Medeiros batted 9-for-12 (.750 average) — which included three home runs, a double and 10 RBI. In the weekend rout, the Rattlers outscored the Plainswomen 49-22.
Medeiros has been putting up big numbers for Otero all season. As of Thursday afternoon, she leads the team in home runs (13) and RBI (48) while also being second in slugging percentage (.802), second in on-base percentage (.440) and third in batting average (.354).
With two games remaining in the regular season, Medeiros and the rest of the Rattlers will return to the diamond against Barton Community College on Monday in Great Bend, Kan., for the final series of 2024.
More on Ohtani’s new home
Major League Baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani has found a new retreat on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Ohtani recently acquired a property at the Mauna Kea Resort on Hawai‘i Island. His investment, totaling a whopping $17 million, secures him lot number seven in the exclusive enclave known as “The Vista.”
This forthcoming development will feature 14 lavish single-family estates boasting panoramic ocean vistas. What sets Ohtani’s slice of paradise apart is the inclusion of a personalized training facility tailored to his needs for pre-season preparation. Equipped for both hitting and pitching practice, it promises to be a haven for honing his skills.
The real estate company, based in California, anticipates that Ohtani’s presence will enhance the development’s allure — potentially attracting more discerning buyers. As for the timeline of Ohtani’s dream abode taking shape, details remain undisclosed.
The Mauna Kea Resort is home to a beautiful white sand beach. The resort was named after Hawaii’s Mauna Kea summit, which means white mountain in Hawaiian due to the snow in the winter. Stock photo of Hilo’s Kolton Wong and Ohtani in April 2023 in Seattle.