A couple of weeks ago I wrote that maybe the time is now to take another look at charging attendance for University of Hawaii softball; it’s the most exciting game on campus right now, and the Wahine are on the verge of a WAC championship and possibly the single-season NCAA team home run record.

Charging for softball didn’t work when it was tried 10 years ago when UH also had a very marketable and successful team. I don’t think it was even considered a couple of years ago when Kate Robinson led the Wahine to the super regionals. I understand how coach Bob Coolen and the athletic department don’t want to scare off the developing fan base that is used to attending games free of charge.

So it looks like some fans have come up with a good compromise, at least for the time being until the offseason when UH can consider the topic for the coming years: Athletic director Jim Donovan said volunteers will man donation boxes at tonight’s game against Fresno State. All proceeds will go directly to the softball program, Donovan said.

Donovan said it’s a trial run.

“We want to make sure it’s non-intrusive and people don’t feel pressured, that they know it’s strictly a voluntary donation,” he said.

For future seasons, especially considering the youth of the nationally-ranked team that is undefeated in the WAC?

“We’ve had discussions about free versus not-free, and we’ll kick the tires on it. The jury’s still out,” Donovan said.

–By Dave Reardon

As Jason Kaneshiro reported Monday, Bryant Moniz will be back soon to compete for the Hawaii starting quarterback job that was his at the end of last season. Coach Greg McMackin narrowed the timeline down further today, saying Moniz will return from personal leave in time for “fall practice,” meaning the start of fall camp.

“We’ll have to talk about where we insert him,” offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich said after today’s final practice before Friday’s spring finale. “It gives us a much better problem than not having him would be.”

Shane Austin and David Graves have been taking most of the first-team reps in the spring and have been impressive at times, as have Brent Rausch and Cayman Shutter. But no one has moved clearly to the head of the class, Rolovich said.

***

Darnell Arceneaux is the latest candidate to surface for the Saint Louis School football head coaching job. The former Crusaders star quarterback is the head coach at Mililani.

What we’d determined yesterday is that an offer was made, but by late afternoon Arceneaux had not accepted it, and had turned off his cell phone last night.

–By Dave Reardon

Great match, big win for Hawaii volleyball.

Heartbreaking way for it to end for Pepperdine, as Nejc Zemljak’s serve hit the net and then went over it and onto the Waves’ side of the floor. But, Hawaii had a couple of bad breaks on serves, too. Those tend to even out.

When I asked Zemljak what he thought was the key to the match, he pointed up at the scoreboard.

“I think the biggest thing tonight was the tower. It hit the top a lot of times,” he said.

He was referring to the sound meter on the scoreboard, which the 5,391 in attendance maxed out several times.

“That helped us a lot,” he said. “And I think it affected Pepperdine.”

–By Dave Reardon

According to several sources, Delbert Tengan was recently offered the head football coaching job at Saint Louis, but declined to accept it today.

Tengan, who was previously the football (twice) and basketball head coach, will join the ‘Iolani staff. He was unavailable for comment today.

He will finish out the school year at Saint Louis, where he has been a longtime teacher.

“Delbert’s heart has always been at Saint Louis, but they waited to long to appreciate what they had,” a source said.

At least one interview for the position was held today.

–By Dave Reardon

What are the odds? Two guys from Kuhio Park Terrace become teammates on the Jacksonville Jaguars.

When the Jags surprised everyone by taking defensive lineman Tyson Alualu with the 10th pick of the NFL Draft on Thursday, it also gave them two alumni of Dole Middle School in Kalihi; veteran offensive lineman Vince Manuwai came from the same housing project as Alualu.

“I remember Tyson when he was one of our students,” Dole teacher Leonard Lau said. “He was such a good kid despite all the distractions living in the heart of Kalihi.

“He was such a good student but a better kid,” said Lau, who like Alualu, played football at and graduated from Saint Louis School. “We coached him in extramural basketball. He was playing above the rim at 8th grade. You knew he was special. He he’d very large extremities like his hands, arms, feet. Just a good size kid.”

–By Dave Reardon