ISLE FILE
'Aiea's Lajola helps U.S. win in Junior Davis Cup
Advertiser Staff
Dennis Lajola of 'Aiea, representing the United States, won his first match in the Junior Davis Cup by BNP Paribas yesterday in Barcelona.
Lajola and Kellen Damico, of Colorado, defeated Gerard Granollers and Abraham Gonzalez in the decisive match against defending champion Spain. The scores were 7-5, 2-6, 7-5. The U.S. team was two points from defeat with Spain serving at 5-4 in the final set.
Earlier, Damico had lost his singles match while Wil Spencer, from Florida, won. The Americans lost the services of Donald Young, the world's top-ranked junior, when he suffered a back injury.
The Americans play the Philippines today and Ecuador later in the week in Group B matches. The top team from each group advances to the semifinals.
The International Tennis Federation junior team competition is for boys 16 and under, with 16 countries qualifying in their respective regions.
KATRINA RELIEF EVENT SET
A Katrina Relief Tennis Fundraiser will be held tomorrow at Ala Moana Beach Park. Players can sign up the day of the event for the round-robin tournament.
Players of all levels are invited. Entry fee is $20, with players allowed in two events.
Registration is from 8 to 9 a.m. Mixed doubles will be played from 9:30 to approximately 11:30 a.m., followed by men's and women's doubles from noon to 4 p.m.
Prizes, games and a potluck lunch are included in the entry fee. Tournament directors are Sonny Crawford and Charlie Panui. Call 384-7717 for more information.
TRACK AND FIELD
LINDGREN JOINS UH
Distance running great Gerry Lindgren is joining the University of Hawai'i as an assistant coach, UH track and field and cross country head coach Carmyn James announced yesterday.
Lindgren, a 55-year-old Honolulu resident, was recently inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Lindgren, who attended Rogers High School in Spokane, Wash., set eight world high school records in cross country and track and field, and was selected to the U.S. Olympic team at age 17.
At Washington State, Lindgren won 11 NCAA titles and set 57 American records.
Lindgren, who finished his running career in the 1970s, has owned a chain of retail sports stores and written an autobiography. He also has coached a Honolulu-based club, the Coconut Road Runners.
Lindgren, who replaces Andy McInnis, will coach the cross country and distance runners.
GOLF
WOMEN 17TH; MEN 31ST
Erin Matsuoka, 17, and Nicole Sakamoto, 15, shot 4-over-par 77s to help Hawai'i to a tie for 17th in the USGA Women's State Team Championship at Berkeley Hall golf course in Bluffton, S.C.
Georgia's three players shot under par (Laura Coble 68, Jean Reynolds 71 and Ky Uri Ban 71) for the first-round lead at 7-under 139 (best 2 of 3 scores). Alabama was second at 143, followed by New York at 144 in the 50-team tournament. Coble has a two-stroke lead over Kristin Wetzel of New York.
Hawai'i was at 8-over 154. Cyd Okino, the youngest player in the field at 11, shot a 9-over 82 for Hawai'i.
Hawai'i's men's team was tied for 31st after the first round of the USGA Men's State Team Championship at the same course.
Pennsylvania and Texas are tied for first at 5-under 139, followed by California at 4-under in the 52-team tournament. Terrence Miskell of Texas shot a 5-under 67 and led Nathan Smith and Paul Simson of North Carolina by a stroke. Hawai'i was at 148.
All three of Hawai'i's golfers were over par: Kellen-Floyd Asao (73), Shannon Tanoue (75) and Chris Souza (76).
Both tournaments end tomorrow.
