Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022

Kaʻū Trojans came out onto their home field to play Pahoa last Saturday, leading with flags. Photo by Mark Peters

Under Coach Guy Enriques, of Punalu'u, Kamehameha School took first in
Division I Girls Volleyball for Hawai'i Island and played this week for the
state championship on O'ahu, coming in second behind Iolani. Photo from BIIF

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL, under Coach Guy Enriques, of Punalu'u, won the Division I island wide championship and came in second in the state championship match played Friday night against Iolani on O'ahu. It was the first time the Kamehameha Girls Volleyball from this island played in the state finals match.

Kamehameha also also took the Big Island Interscholastic Federation championship in bowling and in Boys Air Riflery.

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Kani Lee Konman, with Trojan post-game
recognition last Saturday during Senior Night.
Photo by Mark Peters

THE PĀHALA FOOTBALL FIELD IS DARK THIS WEEKEND with the Kaʻū Trojans wrapping up their season last Saturday in a hard-fought loss to Pahoa. It was Senior Night and team member Kani Lee Konman received recognition. The Trojans came onto the field for the game with Hawaiian flags. Konman received many lei and gifts for the recognition.

Kaʻū Trojans scored far more points this season than last and won a game against Kohala 30-20. It is one of the smallest schools in the state that fields a football team and brings large local crowds to the campus for home events. The Trojans draw from students at Kaʻū High and Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences.

This year's roster consisted of: Adahdiyah Ellis Reyes, Jaestin Karasuda, Keaka McDonnell, Loea Kaupu, Gabriel Sesson Paaluhi-Young, Lois Emmanuele Badua, Jance Kajiwara-Ke, Josiah Manila-Louis, Eddie Wirtz, Roger Miguel, Jr., Kainalu Jr. Wanzer, Stephen Adler, Hezekiah Keohuloa-Aldaya, Toby Kekoa Burgos, Desmond Camba, Zayden Gallano, Vladimir V Fedoruk, Collin Hanshew, Chaz KajiwaraKe, Dylan Davis, Kaimana Kaupu-Manini, Joe Buyuan, Tyson Junior Kuahuia-Faafia, Ocean Nihipali-Sesson, Rylan Peralta, Ed Zackary Badua, Dakota Seaver, Kani Lee Konman, Raedyn Louis, CyZeiah SilvaKamei, Triton Blanco, Jovan Javar, Dominic Nurial-Dacalio, Blake Self-Ah Yee, Kamaehu Guerpo-Craft, Hunter Pascubillo, Isaiah Manila-Louis, and Treyton Calantoc.

Head Coach was Greg Rush. Assistant Coaches were Garrett Greedy, Ted Blanco and Mark Peters. Athletic Trainer is Moses Whitcomb. Athletic Director is Tim Gould.

Kaʻū Trojans wrap up Fall Sports with two Cross Country team members off to Kaua'i this weekend for the statewide championships. Trojan Girls Volleyball ended strong, taking third in its division.

The Trojans also fielded teams and individuals in Air Riflery, Bowling and Cheerleading.

BIIF Winter Sports are coming up with Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball and Wrestling for the Trojans. Swimming and Diving, as well as Canoe Paddling will be left to other schools. The swimming pool at Pāhala is closed and will likely be closed until the 2023-2024 school year to repair, redesign and rebuild it.

THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPRESENTING KAʻŪ CELEBRATED OCTOBER AS FILIPINO HERITAGE MONTH. Hawai'i's First and Second Congressional Districts have more Filipinos than any other congressional districts in the country. Both Rep. Kai Kahele, whose wife was born in ht Philippines and Rep. Ed Case, who submitted a resolution honoring Filipinos in Congress on Friday, pointed out the Fil-Am community in Hawai’i is more than 370,000. Case said, “In total, fully a quarter of all Hawai’i residents are Filipino Americans, by far the largest percentage of any state or territory.”

Across the country, Filipino Americans number about 4.4 million, the third largest Asian American and Pacific Islander group in the U.S.

The SS Doric, which brought the first Sakada - Filipino
immigrants to Hawai'i in 1906.

Case wrote: "Many of the early Filipino immigrants were young men who came to the United States seeking a better life. Most found work in Hawai‘i, California, Washington and Alaska. This first generation of Filipino immigrants are commonly referred to as the Manong generation (Ilocano for first-born male). They worked mostly physically demanding jobs in tough conditions for very little pay. Over the years, they fought against discrimination, found a way forward and made a better future for themselves and their future generations. They became respected members of communities throughout our nation."

Case pointed to the arrival of the first Filipino immigrants to arrive in Hawai'i came on the SS Doric in 1906 with 15 Sakada contract workers to work in sugar plantations, marking the first sustained immigration into our country and the humble beginnings of Fil-Ams in Hawai‘i. "These first immigrants, those that followed and the subsequent generations eventually became trailblazers in politics and government, the military, business and entrepreneurship, journalism, popular culture, music and the arts and more."

Domingo Los Banos served in WW II
and became Hawai'i's first Filipino
American School Principal in 1954.
Photo from Fil Am Courier

Case named some of them:

Domingo Los Banos was Hawai'i's first Filipino American school principal and a loyal veteran of the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment that fought in the Philippines during World War II.

Carolina Dizon Wong broke a glass ceiling when she obtained an M.D. degree and became the first Filipino American to start a medical practice in Hawai‘i in 1952.

Peter Aduja became the first Fil-Am elected to public office in the United States when he was elected to the Hawai‘i Territorial House of Representatives in 1954.

Ines Cayaban was the first Filipino American graduate of the School of Public Health, Nursing and Social Work at the University of Hawai‘i. She received the prestigious Jefferson Award in 1986 for her service.

In 1994, Ben Cayetano was elected the Governor of Hawai‘i, becoming the first Filipino American governor of a state in our union.

In 2019, Roy Macaraeg became the first Fil-Am to become a general officer in the history of Hawaii's citizen soldier ranks.

HAWAI'I EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY is speaking to the public about the increased seismicity at Mauna Loa Volcano. On Thursday, it released its first statement saying, "Mauna Loa’s continuing seismic activity is causing concern for some residents on Hawai‘i island...Both the Hawai'i County Civil Defense Agency and the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency have increased monitoring of the volcano. The United States Geologic Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has been issuing daily reports on Mauna Loa’s activity since September but has indicated its scientists have seen no indications of an immediate threat.

Ken Hon, Chief Scientist at HVO, said, “Mauna Loa continues to be in a state of heightened unrest,” while noting, “the current increase in activity does not suggest that a progression to an eruption is certain.”
Hawai'i County Civil Defense Agency has been posting daily snapshots via social media of Mauna Loa’s activity, based on data from HVO, including the current alert level, status, and a recap of activity over the previous 24 hours.
Civil Defense Agency Administrator Talmadge Magno said, “Under current conditions an eruption from Mauna Loa is not imminent. We’re reminding people to take this opportunity to register for county emergency alert messages and prepare or review their plans to be ready for any disaster.”
Emergency Management’s website includes links to sign up for emergency alerts in any Hawai‘i county. See https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/get-ready/
Magno and Hon met with residents on Saturday at Ocean View Community Center to discuss the latest readings and preparedness measures. They noted that because Mauna Loa covers 51percent of the island’s area, it’s hard to predict which areas might be affected if an eruption occurs. If lava were to break out of the summit area, Magno said, the County would provide specific information about any necessary safety or evacuation measures, including details about routes and shelters. See story at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022_10_23_archive.html.

Another informational session with the local officials was held Thursday at Robert N. Herkes Gymnasium in Pāhala. See story at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/10/kau-news-briefs-thursday-oct-27-2022.html.

“Hawai'i Emergency Management Agency continues to support our partners on Hawai‘i island with outreach and planning assistance as Mauna Loa’s activity evolves,” said agency Administrator Luke Meyers. “We encourage residents who are concerned about the seismic activity beneath the mountain to explore the ways they can improve their preparedness, including updating their emergency plans, reviewing their evacuation routes near where they live, work, and play, and checking the batteries in their emergency supplies.”