By Cindy Luis

• Kawika Shoji (Iolani 06) had 53 assists and 15 digs to help Stanford top previously undefeated BYU Saturday. Jordan Inafuku (Kamehameha ‘07) had a career-high 16 digs. Spencer McLachlin (Punahou ‘07) led Stanford with 16 kills. The Cardinal, which lost to the Cardinal on Friday in five, won 35-33, 30-22, 31-29 in Provo.

By Dave Reardon

We’ve seen it before, to the point where we take it for granted. But Colt Brennan was nearly perfect today when it came to putting the ball on the money to receivers. Today it was at the NFL Combine, with the eyes of the NFL watching.

He completed 20 of 21 passes, and the one incomplete should’ve been caught.

Brennan, who weighed in at 207 pounds, was very happy with the way the week went.

“I came here with two things to do,” he said, in a phone interview while getting on the plane home to California. “Weigh in heavy and throw the ball well. I did both.”

I wasn’t there, but I’ll take the word of a veteran NFL scout who has never steered me wrong that Brennan was awesome. And this guy doesn’t drink the Warrior Kool-Aid (or should that be fruit punch?).

“It was very good. By far the most accurate. He showed very good timing,” said the scout, who has worked at more than 10 NFL combines. “It was one of the best performances I’ve seen in that.”

This scout had Davone Bess in the mid-4.6 range, Jason Rivers 4.63 and Ryan Grice-Mullins at 4.55 in the 40.

“I don’t think Davone Bess ran like he wanted to,” the scout said. “But as a whole, the receiver class didn’t run great, so it’s not like they’ve got a 4.2 hanging over them.”

By Dave Reardon

Keala Watson is working toward changing his position title from defensive tackle to defensive lineman.

The senior from Nanakuli and Kauai wants to get down to 290 pounds for his final season. Watson played last season at right around 300. He will likely start at defensive tackle, in a rotation with Fale Laeli, Rocky Savaiigaea, Josh Leonard and possibly others.

He said he wants to lighten up a little bit so he can increase his quickness and versatility.

“Hopefully I can make the pass-rush team,” Watson said.

“I just think it would help everybody out if I can play all four positions,” he added.

***

Korey Reynolds seems to be fine after arthroscopic surgery to take care of an injury to his collarbone. He was active in the Warrior Ball competition in the Super Games last week.

Coach Greg McMackin said it remains up in the air if Reynolds, a second-year freshman from Hoover, Ala., will remain at running back or move to defensive end or outside linebacker for next season.

***

Quarterback Kiran Kepo’o is back throwing the ball after that scary accident last fall when he was knocked off his bike late one night and suffered some bad head trauma and a shoulder injury. The second-year freshman from Iolani is working out with the other quarterbacks and receivers three times a week.

By Cindy Luis

Hawaii wins a tight Game 1 30-28. Schkud with seven kills. Warriors led most of the way until 21-20. A couple of aces by the Tigers helped them to a 27-24 lead. Hawaii rallies with an ace by Grgas, a kill by Walker, a UOP hitting error and a kill by Schkud.

By Cindy Luis

UCSB def. UCLA, 30-21, 31-29, 25-30, 30-24

CSU Northridge def. UC Irvine 30-27, 30-24, 30-26

Isaac Kneubuhl (Kamehameha ‘03) 12 kills for CSUN
Brent Asuka (Iolani 05) 10 digs for UCI

By Dave Reardon

The former Warriors slotback just arrived in Indianapolis for the combine. Said he thinks his medical stuff will be done today, then interviews tomorrow.

“I’m hearing second, third round,” Bess said in a phone interview from Indy. “But you never know.”

He said he runs his 40 on Sunday, and he’s looking forward to showing what he can do on punt returns.

Bess also plans on participating at UH’s Pro Day in Carson, Calif. on April 1.

***

Dan Kelly is captaining the football team’s “Relay for Life” team. It’s an American Cancer Society benefit, definitely a worthy cause. If you want information on how you can help, go to the SportsHawaii.com blog for a message from “The Iceman.”

The UH kicker — who was a national-level youth star as a goalkeeper before an injury — said he thinks the MLS’ Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo are probably the favorites against Japan’s Gamba Osaka and the Sydney FC from Australia in tonight’s Pan Pacific soccer matches.

“It’s going to be very competitive, and Landon Donovan (of the Galaxy) is not 100 percent,” Kelly said.

***

Here’s the schedule for the Football ‘Ohana Festival’ spring practice finale.

Note: The information below is taken directly from a release from UH, with minor editing.

The “Football ‘Ohana Festival” prior to the football team’s final spring practice, will be Saturday, Apr. 26, from 5:00-8:30 p.m. at Aloha Stadium.

“This is an opportunity for the entire community to come together and celebrate Warrior football.” coach Greg McMackin said. “We want to show our appreciation to our fans by treating them to a fun-filled evening at Aloha Stadium.”

Fans should enter the parking lot through the main entrance on Salt Lake Boulevard and the stadium through Gate 4. The parking lot will open at 4:00 p.m. and the stadium at 5:00 p.m.

The first 4,000 fans will receive a free copy of the 2008 Allstate Sugar Bowl commemorative poster. There will be free contests and activities available in the south concourse, including jump castles from Xtreme Fun Rentals and assorted games. Prizes will be awarded, including promotional items from UH Corporate Partners and free tickets to UH sporting events. Concession and merchandise stands will be open and there will be live entertainment.

From 5:30-6:30 p.m., members of the UH football team will be available in the south concourse for autographs and photos, so fans are encouraged to bring their cameras and whatever UH items they would like the players to sign.

Beginning at 7:00 p.m., the Warriors will conduct practice, including a team scrimmage. Fans are invited to sit in the stands on the Makai side of the stadium.

By Dave Reardon

… Hawaiian style football played with a volleyball.

For those unfamiliar with Hawaiian style football, you basically can throw the ball in any direction you want, to any teammate. Anyone growing up here played it at the beach, in the park and at recess.

In today’s format, it was touch, no blocking, and four downs (no first down markers) on a 50-yard field.

Desmond Thomas’ team won the single-elimination tournament, beating Keala Watson’s squad in the final.

After three weeks of the Super Games, team captains Adam Leonard and Solomon Elimimian want to make trades.

“I don’t care about character issues,” Leonard said. “I just want someone who can produce on Wednesdays.”

By Dave Reardon

OK, I just learned there is a change in plans. Tomorrow’s Super Games event was going to be tug of war. It has been changed to Warrior Ball. What is Warrior Ball? We will find out tomorrow.

By the way, I told Rob DeMello today there should be a print vs. electronic media Super Games, except I can’t think of any events I could beat Rob in, other than strict adherance to the Colt Brennan Diet.

By Dave Reardon

Colt Brennan tells us he will do the passing drills at the NFL Combine this week, but he’ll pass on the 40, timed agility runs and the bench press.

He will run a 40 at the UH Pro Day on April 1 in Carson, Calif. He won’t do the bench.

The most important measurable for Brennan this week will be his weight. He was 186 at the Senior Bowl, and that’s too thin by NFL standards.

“I’ve been eating a lot of trans-fatty food,” Brennan said today. “I eat three healthy meals a day, and then whatever else I want.”

By Dave Reardon

Report from Fudge’s Gym today:

According to trainer Fudge Fajardo, Hercules Satele was incredible today. In his last set (benching reps of 225 pounds) of the session …

… “We were just kind of messing around, and told him to go for 40. He put up 65 reps, and the last one, he locked it,” Fajardo said. “It’s hard for me to be stunned, because I’ve been around a lot of lifters, but I was stunned. I grabbed it at 50, but he was fine so I let it go. I said, ‘Let’s do 65,’ because that’s his jersey number. He did it, no problem.”

A performance like that at Pro Day on April 1 could clinch Satele a spot in the draft.

***

Leo Goeas, the agent for WR Jason Rivers, tells us the St. Louis Rams are showing significantly more interest in Rivers than the rest of the NFL.

Rivers’ 40 time at the NFL Combine on Saturday will go a long way to determining in which round he will be drafted.

He’s pretty close to a 4.3, but not quite there. If he does time under 4.4, it would be huge for him in the draft.

Davone Bess, Colt Brennan and Ryan Grice-Mullins are also headed to Indianapolis this week.