Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More The first edition of the Hawaii Dental Service/HHSAA girls flag football championships pulled an unexpected pairing two teams knocked out of the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs short of the league title game will play for the state trophy at 7:30 p.m Saturday as the survivors of the inaugural 16-team tournament Moanalua, with its star quarterback Zaira Sugui? Knocked out by Leilehua in the quarterfinals. Interscholastic League of Honolulu champ Kamehameha while both 10-2 overall and hailing from the OIA West did not encounter each other during the three-week regular season or OIA playoffs 14-0 in Friday’s first semifinal at John Kauinana Stadium coached by former Leilehua and University of Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz had the game-winning 18-yard touchdown throw to Aulii Coelho with 9:51 remaining It means everything,” the 5-foot-10 sophomore told Spectrum OC16’s Jimmy Bender of playing for her father A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) Moniz-Kealoha was 11-for-21 for 116 yards and no interceptions plus a rushing touchdown in the second quarter Madi Powell also stepped in to throw a TD ball to tie the game in the second quarter Punahou QB Maryah Puletasi tied up the game at 12 with a 61-yard TD connection with Halia Hoapili in the third quarter But when it came time to go for the tying or go-ahead points in the fourth Moniz-Kealoha and Powell intercepted Puletasi on Punahou’s final two possessions “It was great,” Moniz-Kealoha said of her pick with 4:35 left but I trusted my blitzers that they were going to apply that pressure as a quarterback I know how hard it is to make a throw Jaynalyn Sotelo recorded both touchdowns for the Sabers — a 13-yard pass from Maya Gonsalves in the second quarter and a 33-yard interception return of Mililani’s Brooke Kurasaki in the third Sotelo came down with all three picks thrown by Trojans quarterbacks had four sacks and three quarterback hurries while catching six passes for 43 yards “My favorite part is putting pressure on the offense and doing what I can for my team,” Moore told Bender Maya Gonsalves was 20-for-32 passing for 160 yards A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com Featured Columns AVALANCHE-JOURNAL / USA TODAY NETWORK VIA IMAGN IMAGES A sign at the TSA checking area informing the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport travelers of the REAL ID requirement for domestic and international flights at all U.S Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading Synopsis: Enforcement of Real ID regulations is scheduled to begin on Wednesday Those who do not have it will have to provide another form of accepted identification to TSA agents when boarding a domestic flight He wahi hoæomaopopo wale nö këia no ke kau æia mai o kahi känäwai hou ua lohe nö paha æoe no ke koina hou i kuahaua æia maila e ke aupuni æAmelika no ia mea he käleka höæoia kanaka kahi käleka e kapa æia nei æo ka “Real ID.” Aia ka pono æo ke kiæi æana i ia mea ma mua o ka lä æehiku o këia mahina nö Pëlä wale ana nö e æae æia ai ka huakaæi æana i kekahi æäina æë Inä auaneæi e manaæo ana æoe e lele aku i laila a ma kauwahi æäina æë aæe paha o ka honua nei aia ka pono æo ka höæike aku i ia käleka ma mua o ka æeæe æana Pëlä wale ana nö e höæoia æia ai ë æo æoe nö kä hoæi æoe æaæole lawa nä käleka höæoia kanaka kahiko He mea maæalahi nö paha ka pülapu æana i ka hui mokulele I mea e loaæa ai këia mea he käleka höæoia kanaka maoli aia ka pono æo ka höæoia æana i kou külana he kanaka noho paæa ma loko o æAmelika Hui Pü æIa a ma ke æano hoæi he kanaka näna nä hana kü i nä känäwai o æAmelika æO ka höæike aku i ka palapala æae holo a i æole ke käleka noho paæa no æAmelika nä mea e höæoia ai i ia külana a i æole kahi pila paha no ka uila a i æole ka wai he höæailona nö ia no kou külana he makaæäinana no æAmelika Inä he laikini kalaiwa kaæa käu no kekahi mokuæäina o æAmelika ua hiki ke hoæolilo æia i käleka höæoia kanaka maoli ua hiki ke hoæohana æia kekahi käleka höæoia kanaka o kou mokuæäina he löæihi ke kali æana æo ka loaæa mai he manawa e hui ai me kekahi æäkena o ke keæena näna e noho luna no nä kaæa holo o nä alanui (DMV) Inä paha æaæole loaæa kekahi o nä palapala e pono ai e pilikia ana ka mea e noi ana i laikini kalaiwa kaæa hou Pehea lä ka poæe i nele i ka loaæa æole o ia mau mea he löæihi ke kali æana æo ka loaæa mai he manawa paæa e hui ai me ka poæe o ia keæena Ua hiki nö ke hoæopihapiha æia kekahi o nä palapala ma luna o ka pünaewele æaæole nö i akamai nä känaka a pau i ka hoæokele pünaewele Inä æaæole maopopo ka loaæa a me ka æole o ia mea ma käu laikini e æimi i ka hökü keæokeæo i kaæapuni æia e kekahi pöæai kula Aia nö ia ma ka æaoæao æäkau luna o ke käleka hoæomaopopo ihola au i ka pau æana o ka pono o kaæu laikini kalaiwa kaæa i loko o këia makahiki aæe Mai hoæohalahala aku au i kahi Trump i ia hoæopilikia æana mai Kainö æo këia koina kekahi o kä ia ala mau hana kohu æole I nänä aku naæe ka hana i nä höæike no këia papahana paipai käleka höæoia kanaka He 11 makahiki ia ma mua o ko ia ala lilo mua æana i pelekikena I loko nö o ka nui hou aæe o käna mau hana kohu æole he küpono paha koæu mihi aku no ka hoæohalahala hewa æana iä ia ‘o ia ho‘i ‘o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei: This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa Moanalua’s bearded senior setter was his usual self in providing effective distribution to his teammates in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I boys volleyball championship match against Campbell on Wednesday night but he also dove into the base of the stands in his home gym — hard — going for a wayward ball “I always thought that the play isn't dead until I say it's dead I dove for it,” Wilcox told Spectrum OC16’s Jimmy Bender 25-23 sweep of the Sabers for their sixth straight championship and 12th in the last 13 editions of the OIA tournament A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) Radford defeated Pearl City in four sets for the Division II championship Moanalua’s 14th OIA championship — 12 in Division I and two in D-II — broke a tie with Pearl City for the most in league history Coach Alan Cabanting has been at the helm for 11 of them it's my assistant coaches that I can give them (responsibility) and delegate whatever I need them to do,” Cabanting told Bender they come and they they're willing to come under my tutelage and listen to what I'm saying And these boys have wanted to and have been willing to listen when I’ve needed them to.” Now Moanalua (14-0) will look to become the OIA’s first HHSAA Division I champion since Roosevelt in 1979 2 seed in the 12-team field; unbeaten Punahou got the No BIIF champ Hilo got the 3 seed and Maui High is the 4 Competition begins Monday at regional sites Lionel Gannon pounded 16 kills while middle Luke Jones supplied nine with three blocks man,” Wilcox said of winning an OIA title in all four of his seasons especially with the support from these guys “We've been through thick and thin together with all these tournaments and all these practices Campbell (10-4) upset top West seed Aiea on the way to its first OIA final since 2008 That year is the Sabers’ only title to date Julius Momoe-Mitchell led the Sabers with 15 kills while Iverson Kuresa added 13 does some really great things,” Cabanting said But we understood that in order to beat Campbell He added that his team’s defense will have to be better to contend with ILH teams Punahou and Kamehameha behind 18 kills from Keahi Kaneakua and 11 from Mark Kimo Villejo for its second boys volleyball title Setter Micah Kalima-Keohohina had an all-around performance of nine kills A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) Correction: A previous version of the story listed the wrong number of OIA boys volleyball titles for Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting Josiah Talamoa led the Chargers with 15 kills HONOLULU — The Moanalua boys volleyball dynasty survived another test from Mililani in the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs on Monday night The five-time defending Division I league champions will put their stack of titles on the line against unconventional Campbell in the 7 p.m Radford and Pearl City will meet for the Division II title at the same site at 5:30 p.m Note: See below for more photos of Moanalua-Mililani in the OIA Division I boys volleyball semifinals Moanalua (13-0) has won 11 of the last 12 OIA D-I championships All except the first in 2011 came under coach Alan Cabanting which pushed Moanalua to its limits in a classic five-set final in 2024 appeared to be a threat once again in taking the first set of Monday’s semifinal meeting But Na Menehune responded with force in a 23-25 25-15 decision in their home gym by tightening up their service game all our coaches have been telling us to work on our blocking and we have (assistant) coach Keanu (Kawaa) working with the middle specifically to help us improve our block,” Jones who registered nine total blocks and hit .500 A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) Lionel Gannon put down 17 kills and Ezekiel Afalava-Sablan added 15 “It’s definitely a big legacy for what we’ve done.” Campbell (10-3) shook up the bracket as the OIA West’s third seed knocking off top West seed and previously unbeaten Aiea Julius Momoe-Mitchell registered 22 kills and 12 digs and Iverson Kuresa added 13 kills as the Sabers hit .301 to Aiea’s .206 The Sabers’ unorthodox attack has been described as “organized chaos.” and mainly communication,” Momoe-Mitchell told Bender A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) The Sabers reached their first OIA title match since 2008 in Division II That is Campbell’s only title to date in the sport Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com. GreeceChevron Cyclades IslandsChevron SantoriniChevron William Abranowicz/Perivolas HideawaySave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links is often its downfall due to the crowds that follow No one wants to jostle for space as they compose that idyllic Santorini shot The good news is that most of the selfie-seeking crowds are confined to two villages: Oia and Fira there are a handful of hotels that offer tranquil spaces away from the madding crowds and come with front-row views of the sensational caldera if you’re more content spending the night in a small traditional village surrounded by some of the best restaurants in Santorini in a swished-up space at the end of a dirt track or high above it all with a bird’s-eye-view of the island and take a dip at these beloved addresses; these are the best hotels in Santorini for 2025 For more inspiration on where to stay, visit the best Airbnbs in Santorini. How we choose the best hotels in Santorini Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property our editors consider both luxury properties and boutique and lesser-known boltholes that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination and warm service—as well as serious sustainability credentials We update this list regularly as new hotels open and existing ones evolve 2024Sitting directly in front of the famed Skaros Rock Grace Hotel has rooms peppered across the grounds creating a real sense of privacy for each and every guest We were lucky enough to stay in one of two Infinity Suites an ultra-private addition to the boutique address which features private infinity plunge pools and plush loungers positioned for lazing the day away Interiors are pared-back minimalism at its finest with calming grays and warm American walnut accents creating a relaxed ambience Suites come with living areas that let light filter through the volcanic stone keeping the space cool in the afternoon sun and ideal for enjoying a drink from the well-stocked mini-bar At the heart of the culinary offering here is Varoulko Santorini which overlooks the caldera and where Champagne breakfasts are a daily occurrence guests can enjoy a menu led by Michelin-star chef Lefteris Lazarou—either à la carte (which must include a starter and dessert) or let chef Lazarou guide you through one of three tasting menus—Aegean At nearby 363 Bar (so named as it sits 363 metres above sea level) cocktails are curated by Athens-based bar Babu Au Rum was named on The World’s 50 Best Bars list for the tenth time Reached via winding alleys lined with sweet-scented shrubs 37 spacious open-plan suites have barefoot-friendly tiled floors and breezy brine-kissed sea views from plump king-size beds; some also have standalone bathtubs framed by grainy pumice statement walls that perpetuate the resort’s sultry volcanic vibe Best of all are the blissfully private terraces framed by high stone walls where plunge pools or whirlpool baths offer the same idyllic sunset vistas as Oia’s famous castle viewing spot above a serene candlelit spa offers a healing retreat after a long day’s sightseeing cave-like wine cellar is the perfect spot to sample mineral local wines that will prepare the palate for a firework flavor-display of fresh and dry-aged seafood treats served up along with spectacular volcanic caldera views at Santo Mine’s fine-dining restaurant spacious rooms and a squirrelled-away kids’ club Drop little ones off and make a beeline for the spa—a tranquil and earthy subterranean burrow with an impressively expansive heated pool the red-and-black stone house appears like a floating mirage as you approach by speedboat (The only other way to reach it is by helicopter and there’s a private helipad to accommodate.) The sea is framed in every arched window the barely there but ever-ready staff are a dream and the private beach and sea-water infinity pool are idyllic spaces to spend a day or two But it’s the roof terrace that steals the show Santorini turns blue-black across the caldera villages sparkling like fairy lights strung along the clifftops There are three more sweeping pools on the property (including one for kids) to choose from each cascading down the caldera and offering a unique perspective Activities for tinies are in keeping with the hotel's nature-loving ethos—yoga and a kids' club with a considered focus on holistic learning Dining options include the Pacman Sunset Restaurant plus a decent selection of vegetarian options The staff here is what really brings the magic to life knowledgeable and passionate about making your stay peaceful and personal 2023Located right on the cliff edge in Oia this is one of the island's best hotels Two split-level suites are in the 18th-century former home of a noble family: the façade is painted its original pale ochre and the interiors are decorated with antiques and Orthodox icons displayed on pale-blue walls have bright white exteriors and look like a jumble of sugar cubes tumbling down the cliff swimming pools—including a beautiful infinity pool—and public areas and the small rooftop terrace restaurant serves delicious The nearest beach is a five-minute free transfer away although it's probably quicker to walk in the summer when the narrow roads are clogged with coaches a quiet cocoon slotted into the cliffside that’s completely secluded from view and don’t miss sunset aperitifs at the two-table guests-only restaurant perched at a table at the cliffside Sky Lounge to the Bronze Age site of Akrotiri in the south and across to the Perissa black-sand beach in the west but you’ll find a generous supply of pastries step-free and fully accessible junior residence with private parking The first Pride event in Santorini was hosted here they were chosen by a couple from Texas to host the island’s first same-sex marriage following the legalisation of same-sex marriages in Greece a year prior it can be difficult to get a true sense of a hotel’s essence this 12-room hotel describes itself as a summerhouse While the soul of a summerhouse is clear—easy carefree days under the summer sun—the space is so much more than the term might suggest caldera-view dining on dishes such as moussaka with bechamel sauce and potato confit or sea bass with fennel-flavored orzo Then there’s the gym or the spa treatments and one (the master suite) which features a plunge pool The bigger names may somewhat overshadow this stylish spot and is back for 2025 with 15 new rooms designed away from the caldera crowds (yet only five miles from Fira for when you do want to join the selfie-taking masses) burrowed into mountain foothills and a 10-minute walk from volcanic-black-sand Kamari beach and villas are designed in the style of a typical Cycladic village—stone exteriors and pops of blue to match the stretching sea views and treatments using products by 111Skin and ESPA There are also two infinity pools that become the backdrop for elegant dining on Mediterranean dishes as the sun sets over the sea below Opening in October 2025—just in time to catch a slice of Greek summer—its location on Thirassia island is unique; once a part of mainland Santorini Thirassia is what remains of the island’s westerly side after the 17th-century volcanic eruption that formed the much-loved caldera Reach it via a 10-minute ferry ride from Ammoudi on the main island and expect a relaxed retreat: not only is the island relatively undiscovered (for now) it’s also home to only around 300 permanent residents This adult-only hotel is home to just 12 suites as well as a restaurant using locally sourced ingredients to whip up delicious Mediterranean dishes but places such as Incognito Villa manage it Set at the end of a dirt track on the beach near Monolithos and there are tavernas within strolling distance in either direction along the sand is the largest and best-preserved of the medieval settlements It is more peaceful and more Greek than the white towns on the cliff edges Worn stone stairs wind elegantly upwards to the Venetian castle Part of the way up is Voreina Gallery Suites and the caldera and sunsets can be seen from terraces without the taxi fare to Oia This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK. It has been updated since its original publish date. up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world The Owensboro Times Features By Ryan Richardson Owensboro Innovation Academy is again gaining national recognition — this time for its commitment to preparing students for high-demand careers through a dynamic and evolving engineering program. OIA is one of only 20 schools nationwide this year to earn the Program of Excellence award, given by the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association. OIA’s engineering pathway earned them the honor, and the school was also the only on in Kentucky to receive the award. John and Stephanie Gray, facilitators in OIA’s engineering program, recently traveled to St. Louis to accept the award on behalf of the school. “It is an honor to be chosen to represent Kentucky as ITEEA’s Program of Excellence,” said Stephanie Gray, PLTW Engineering Facilitator. “OIA has an engineering program that tries to serve each student and prepare them for jobs that are in high demand in our community.” That local focus is a key part of what sets OIA apart. Gray said the school’s engineering pathway has expanded over the years to meet the evolving needs of students and employers alike. One of the most recent additions is an automation engineering pathway, developed in partnership with the Owensboro Economic Development Corporation, GOFAME, and Owensboro Community & Technical College. “OIA’s junior engineering pathway students take the course and can earn the AMTEC Emerging Technician Electrical Certification upon completion,” Gray said. “Those who want to continue in industrial maintenance can continue their studies at OCTC during their senior year and beyond.” Meanwhile, students on a more traditional engineering track can complete a senior capstone and earn college credit through one of Kentucky’s four major engineering universities: the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, Murray State University, or Western Kentucky University. In addition to automation engineering, OIA continues to offer pathways in civil engineering and mechanical engineering, giving students multiple entry points based on their career goals. As the program has evolved, so has its impact. “The most rewarding part of teaching is having students come back and thank you for teaching them a specific skill that helped them get a job,” Gray said. “Exposing students to the opportunities around them is the biggest impact we can make as educators.” Students also play an active role in shaping the program’s future. OIA includes student representatives on its engineering advisory council and encourages involvement in organizations such as the Technology Student Association, VEX Robotics, STLP, OCTC Trade Wars, and TEAMS — all areas where OIA students have earned accolades. Gray said a recent project that embodies the spirit of the program took place over the summer, when VEX Robotics students mentored younger students at the Western Academy at the Neblett Center during a robotics camp. The initiative will continue this year, with OIA students hosting a drone camp for elementary and middle school scholars. “It is very rewarding for our students to be able to give back to the community, and they learn how to be leaders in the process,” Gray said. Sports News Privacy Policy Site by Tanner+West By Paul Honda Mililani pitcher Kaleb Wada overcame a fifth-inning blip that threatened to make his perfect first four innings for naught and finished strong in a 2-1 win over Kaiser as the Trojans captured the OIA Division I baseball championship on Saturday night at Hans L’Orange Park The senior gritted through as the Cougars claimed the lead in the fifth inning got picked up by his offense in the bottom half and pitched his best in the final two frames as No 7 Kaiser to earn the OIA’s seeded berth in the upcoming state tournament allowing no earned runs while striking out six without issuing a walk and with Yosh (catcher Ryne Yoshimura) back there calling pitches but Caleb just goes and changes speeds and throw strikes,” Mililani coach Mark Hirayama said “It’s all about having the command and being able to hit your spots It was a hard-luck loss for his counterpart who went the distance and allowed two earned runs on seven hits with six K’s and two walks Mililani needed a flawless performance to get past the Cougars It was a play here or there that could make the difference,” Kaiser coach Josh Halemanu said With the state tourney roughly 11 days away Halemanu may give his players a well-earned break “I think a lot of people would be surprised Before we came into this (playoff) tournament Sophomore first baseman and cleanup hitter Jonah Parker provided the key hit in Mililani’s comeback in the bottom of the fifth Parker delivered a two-run single to score Malosi Mata‘afa-Alferos from third base and Koa Marzo from second “Coach Gainor (Nitta) told me to stay loose stayed loose and just flicked my hands at it,” Parker said including three earlier championships under Hirayama (2018 “I have total respect for Coach Josh and his staff They’re always well-prepared and they’re going to battle,” Hirayama said but it could come down to one play here or there their softball team won its second straight OIA softball title 24 hours earlier is a starting first baseman who had an RBI and scored a run in the Lady Trojans’ title-game win over Moanalua Wada was an ace at Waiakea before transferring to Mililani bolstering an already tough pitching staff The Trojans will have an opening-round bye at the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division I State Championships on Maui from May 7 to 10 Kaiser (17-6 overall) will be one of five OIA teams in the field The pitchers’ duel lasted into the top of the fifth inning two K’s — until Caleb Hamasaki led off with a double to the right-field corner Hamasaki advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Mana Shigehara-Pang then went to third when Brennan Higa’s ground ball was mishandled by Mata‘afa-Alferos Hamasaki came home on a sacrifice fly to left by Jackson Wood The joy of Kaiser’s faithful fans occupying the first base bleachers was short-lived a defensive lapse was part of a two-run rally that allowed Mililani to gain the lead Mata‘afa-Alferos led off with a single and Marzo laid down a sacrifice bunt Both first baseman Brennan Higa and Pratt-Faitu charged the ball and when Pratt-Faitu scooped it up to throw to first base I wanted to push it more toward first base get the first baseman moving and nobody at first to cover,” Marzo said The speedy junior didn’t know whether the base was covered as he stepped on the bag Pratt-Faitu plunked Aukai Araujo-Waiau to load them up scoring Mata‘afa-Alferos and Marzo for a 2-1 Mililani lead Kauahi (two) and Pagan combined on a three-hitter with seven strikeouts Leading hitters— Kail: Ka’alekahi Kuhaulua 3-4 2b; Brayden Higa 2 runs; Bryson Momotomi 2b Leading hitters—Bald: Kai Watanabe 2b; Koltyn Sergent 2b KK: Stone Amsden 2-3; Taydem Hashimoto 2-3 Hawaii — Kai Hirayama rode a perfect wave in the Oahu Interscholastic Association baseball semifinals The Mililani ace registered a perfect game against Kailua retiring all 21 batters he faced in a 1-0 decision at Hans L’Orange Park on Friday afternoon He needed 90 pitches to do it, with 65 strikes, according to ScoringLive Hirayama’s two-out triple in the bottom of the fourth scored the game’s only run Mililani (10-2) takes on Kaiser (10-2) in a meeting of top West and East seeds for the OIA title at 6 p.m Some of Hirayama’s toughest outs against the defending OIA champions came in the top of the fifth, when he got through a 10-pitch at-bat by Kailua’s Kalama Carreira. He induced a pop-up to the next batter and right fielder Kamea Chun made a nice diving grab to preserve perfection, per ScoringLive's Kalani Takase Ryne Yoshimura has now caught a perfect game and no-hitter from Hirayama who did the latter at Campbell on March 26 Zayne Hookala took the hard-luck loss as he tossed a three-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks for Kailua Mililani is going for its fifth league title and first since it three-peated under coach Mark Hirayama from 2018 to 2022 (with pandemic-cancelled seasons of 2020 and 2021 in between) Kaiser routed Leilehua 13-0 in five innings thanks in large part to a 10-run first inning in which 14 Cougars went to the plate Center fielder Jesse Shinagawa went 3-for-3 with a double The last of Kaiser’s five OIA baseball titles came in 1993 under Corey Okamura the Mililani Trojans played the entire Oahu Interscholastic Association softball season without a softball field to call their own So the Trojans made themselves at home wherever they went — including at McKinley High where the Trojans capped the OIA Division I playoffs with a 10-0 victory over Moanalua in six innings on Friday night It was the 13th OIA title for Mililani (12-1) now one behind Kailua for the most all-time Mililani’s sophomore ace Hinano Bautista tossed a five-hitter for the defending league and state champions A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) "I was just confident the whole game," Bautista told Spectrum OC16's Jimmy Bender "My team helped me out through the whole thing That score right there belongs to my team right here." who feature a deadly combination of power and speed triggered the 10-run mercy rule in all three of their OIA playoff games against Waianae Mililani plated four in the first inning as Moanalua (10-4) the OIA East’s third-place team that stunned Campbell in the quarterfinals on Wednesday pretty easy," Bautista said of getting staked to an immediate lead "But I know I still gotta come out to do my thing even though (my teammates) did their job very well." Moanalua’s four pitchers walked eight and drilled a handful of Trojans Leadoff hitter Kahiau Aina went 2-for-3 with a walk third baseman Jerrell Mailo doubled and walked twice and center fielder Makanalei Watkins-Villegas doubled and drove in a pair Catcher Kodie Ancheta launched the game’s only home run Earlier, Pearl City defeated Aiea 10-2 for the Division II championship It was the first softball title for the Chargers (11-0) since they went back to back in 1978 and 1979 under Laurie Apo Note: This story has been updated with video and quotes from Mililani pitcher Hinano Bautista West Division schools have been the dominant force in the Oahu Interscholastic Association softball players for years but that trend was interrupted Wednesday as East teams defeated their West counterparts in three of three Division I quarterfinals Top East seed Kaiser used two five-run innings late in its matchup with Leilehua to storm back from a four-run deficit to post a 12-7 victory Kalani got some payback over playoff nemesis Kapolei defending state champion Mililani made short work of fellow West team Waianae in a Thursday doubleheader at McKinley on Spectrum OC16 Per ScoringLive it is the first time since 1999 that the OIA semifinals feature three East teams Emily Tome had the go-ahead single in the top of the sixth inning for Moanalua (9-3) Sisters Raean and Ramzy Bumagut combined on a 7-5 double play to seal it in the bottom of the seventh when Campbell had the tying run at third and the winning run at second Makenzie Yokoyama threw a seven-hitter with 11 strikeouts for the win Rylee Yamasaki and Lia Hamamura homered and Paisley Kuba doubled and drove in three but Kaiser plated five in each of the fifth and sixth innings Kalani (9-2) hammered the Hurricanes with 10 runs over the first three innings Kadie Carpio threw four innings for the win and Naomi Stremick tossed the last three for the save Stremick posted a triple and a double and Layna Faria went 3-for-3 with a double Mililani (10-1) got four walks from leadoff hitter Aina Kahiau homers from pitcher Hinano Bautista and catcher Kodie Ancheta and a pair of doubles from third baseman Jerrell Mailo The last East school to win the OIA’s top division was Roosevelt in 2009 Hawaii — Lightning struck twice in the opening moments of the first Oahu Interscholastic Association flag football championship game With the Central Oahu skies lit up by the occasional distant bolt Moanalua freshman Lofa Simanu flashed in for interceptions on Mililani’s first two passes of the game to supercharge Na Menehune to a 25-6 victory at John Kauinana Stadium to complete a dominant league season “I'm really happy that we started off like that I feel like that was just the momentum to get us going and going,” Simanu told Spectrum News [Note: See below for more photos of Mililani-Moanalua in the OIA flag football championship game.] The 19-point margin of victory was still the closest any team had come to Moanalua (8-0) which was propelled by six experienced club players — a sharp edge in the statewide pilot season of the rapidly expanding 7-on-7 girls sport Star quarterback Zaira Sugui threw three touchdown passes including a 33-yard highlight connection with receiver Jodie Keo on fourth-and-13 in the second quarter to help overcome a three-pick night Keo had a huge game with nine catches for 106 yards and all three of her team’s offensive touchdowns During the championship plaque presentation ceremony Sugui yelled in a team huddle that the group was far from satisfied with the league title The inaugural 16-team HHSAA tournament looms in two weeks Sugui said later that she appreciated her teammates for picking her up in an outing she wasn’t her sharpest She still compiled 208 yards on 19-for-27 passing and her teammates hauled in five picks of Mililani Rusher Kaia Borjes-Peoples had three sacks and they caught my back when I was down on myself and they helped me pick myself up,” said Sugui Sugui was the poster player for the OIA in the sport’s debut season and Na Menehune will be one of the favorites in states as the best of seven OIA schools to qualify JJ Smith and Nahe Kalamau were previously coached by Ladd Mokiao on their club team “I knew that (the club players) were going to (uphold) the team and I knew that I had to find a handful of more players and should be a good team,” Mokiao said They never looked the way that you see it now.” There was an easily apparent rapport between the players that comprised Na Menehune’s nucleus “Us girls finally have this opportunity to finally showcase our talent and playing on the same field as my coach (Mokiao) and some of my players is like a special feeling because he was right there with me,” Sugui said they were there for me when I didn't know anything and they continue to help me build and become the quarterback I am today So I'm really grateful and blessed to be here.” Mokiao felt the key was stopping Mililani’s dangerous dual threat quarterback Zenn Nelson at all costs. He saw her dissect Campbell on Wednesday night in the semifinals with her ability to take off and make her flags dance around grabbing hands the Trojans' longtime gridiron coach who helped start up the flag program switched up to Brooke Kurasaki at signal-caller midgame Kurasaki found Nahealani Choy Foo for a 33-yard deep ball in stride in the fourth quarter and two plays later connected with Choy Foo for the lone score of the night for Mililani (7-1) “Big ups to the OIA putting this together,” York said You see how much talent there is all over the state Exterior circumstances delayed the third-place game between Nanakuli and Campbell to after the title matchup Then that game was postponed until Monday as the lightning got too close to Kauinana Stadium HONOLULU — The only undefeated flag football teams in the Oahu Interscholastic Association will get a shot at the league’s first title in the sport OIA East and West frontrunners Moanalua and Mililani ousted Nanakuli and Campbell in the semifinals held at Na Menehune’s field on Wednesday night The games were the first two broadcast on Spectrum OC16 in this launch year for flag statewide Both featured a dynamic quarterback that led their team to victory Mililani (7-0) and Moanalua (7-0) will meet for the OIA championship at 7 p.m [Note: See below for more photos of the OIA girls flag football semifinals.] Mililani shifty sophomore signal-caller Zenn Nelson accounted for four touchdowns not everybody was able to catch or didn't get the concept of football we would always wake up early in the morning to go to work,” Nelson said afterward and making it to states and the championship for the first year is honestly means a lot to us.” Her legs were equal to or greater a threat as her throwing arm as Nelson rushed 22 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns and was 10-for-19 passing for 86 yards with two TDs and two interceptions she made defenders miss with spin moves — once and she's gonna make moves,” said Mililani coach Bruce Scanlan who spoke for the team while the Trojans’ longtime football coach Rod York led matters from the sideline Nelson’s 2-yard keeper TD staked her team to a 13-0 lead midway through the third but the Sabers (6-2) pounced with a 60-yard scoring connection between senior quarterback Maya Gonsalves and Jyzelle Gorion followed almost immediately by a Jaynalyn Sotelo pick-six of Nelson for a 14-13 Campbell lead Mililani controlled matters in the fourth quarter as Nelson found Nahealani Choy Foo for a 7-yard scoring strike with under eight minutes left and Nelson ran in the clincher from 8 yards with 1:45 to go Choy Foo had two of her team’s three interceptions of Gonsalves and I feel like I played better because of them Moanalua star quarterback Zaira Sugui took a little while to get going but once she did Na Menehune could not be stopped Sugui showed off her impressive arm once again in a 13-for-20 outing for 154 yards The junior ran in a 6-yard score with 1:45 left in the first half and Moanalua struck again with five seconds left as Sugui found Kaia Borges-Peeples for a 17-yard TD She added 49 yards on 15 carries and also nearly had a pick-six score Lofa Simanu caught a 23-yard touchdown from her in the fourth quarter. Freshman receiver Jodie Keo caught seven passes for 85 yards Nanakuli (5-2) was held to 52 yards of offense The Golden Hawks did not complete a third down conversion (0-for-7) and failed on their only fourth down try The Mililani senior right-hander tossed a one-hitter and faced three over the minimum to lead the Trojans to a 2-1 victory over Kaiser in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I baseball championship at Hans L’Orange Park on Saturday night “My mindset was just to trust my defense and just throw outs,” Wada who struck out six and did not issue a walk A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) Teammate Kai Hirayama tossed a perfect game in Mililani’s semifinal win over Kailua at Hans the day before the Trojans allowed only five runs with Ryne Yoshimura at catcher Mililani (11-2) won its fifth OIA title and fourth in the last six editions of the tournament under coach Mark Hirayama Farrington defeated Kapolei 8-5 in Division II for the Governors’ first OIA title since 2018 Wada (4-1) was perfect through four innings Kaiser left fielder Caleb Hamasaki broke it up to lead off the fifth when he doubled down the left-field line Mana Shigehara-Pang sacrifice bunted Hamasaki over to third and right fielder Jackson Wood scored Hamasaki on a sacrifice fly to left the Cougars (10-3) managed only a baserunner on a hit-by-pitch in the seventh Mililani loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fifth and Jonah Parker singled up the middle to score the tying and winning runs so we can just keep that mentality,” Wada said “Whenever we come up to bat we can do some damage.” Kaiser was denied its sixth all-time OIA title and first since 1993 giving up seven hits and two walks while striking out six Cougars coach Josh Halemanu has been pleased with his team's progression since he took over before the pandemic-shortened 2020 season The 2021 season was also canceled due to COVID "We really started moving forward in 2022," Halemanu told Spectrum News after Kaiser's 13-0 rout of Leilehua in the semifinals on Friday "It took a little time the first one or two years We (the coaching staff) understand them better I think we know how to work with each other." Mililani will now go for its first state championship Farrington starter Kyle Hayase-Fong threw four innings for the win in the D-II final He helped his own cause with a three-run homer in the fourth A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) Hawaii — Pearl City catcher Tyler Oshiro launched a ball that carried and carried toward Enchanted Lake appearing destined to land in the thick growth over Kailua’s leftfield fence The Kailua outfielder retreated and made a brilliant over-the-shoulder catch just short of the chain links as the final out of an 8-2 Surfriders victory over the Chargers in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I baseball quarterfinals on Thursday “He’s our best outfielder for reading the ball,” said pitcher Jayden Hunt who raised both arms in jubilation on the game-ending play but also did think it was way over his head The 6-foot-2 right-hander tossed a seven-hitter striking out three and walking one on 101 pitches to get the defending OIA champions into a semifinal matchup with top West seed Mililani at 6 p.m It also clinched a state berth for Corey Ishigo’s club Ishigo came out to talk to Hunt twice in the late innings but decided to leave him in “Jayden has been our guy all year,” Ishigo said "Brandon Moore is a great defensive player I’ve seen him do that since he was 9 years old." Kailua (8-3), the second seed out of the East, did it without an extra-base hit Kalama Carreira had two-hit games and Janson Kamau drew three of his team’s seven walks The Surfriders plated four in the fifth inning to break the game open it was quite the way to go out in the senior's final outing on his home field I wouldn’t change anything about this group Top East seed Kaiser (9-2) faces Leilehua (8-3) at 3 p.m Kaiser defeated East Honolulu rival Kalani 7-1 And Leilehua’s Jordan Orillo and Tanner Tammarine combined on a one-hitter of Waipahu in a 3-0 victory Mililani (9-2) got homers from Aukai Araujo-Waiau and Kendall Miyasato in a 12-4 defeat of Roosevelt “It's going to be rough (Friday) too,” Ishigo said Just got to go out there and battle tomorrow.” Pearl City (7-5) takes on Roosevelt (6-6) at Stevenson Intermediate for one of the OIA’s remaining state berths An official website of the United States government Learn about updates on NSF priorities and the agency's implementation of recent executive orders On April 15, 2025, NSF announced that it is disestablishing certain non-statutory federal advisory committees effective immediately in alignment with the President's executive order, Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy. 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and groups underrepresented in STEM Sign up for email updates HONOLULU — Two of the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s top softball teams helped their postseason causes by rolling to convincing victories on the final day of the league regular season Saturday Kalani catcher Haley Ching led the way with a grand slam as the Falcons outslugged Moanalua 18-10 in a game that lasted nearly three hours to clinch the second seed out of the OIA East especially because the season has been a little rocky,” Ching told Spectrum OC16’s Jimmy Bender “But every day we practice really hard and push through and I feel like we're doing really good right now.” A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) Mililani patiently waited at McKinley High for its nightcap of the televised doubleheader and trounced Leilehua 14-5 to match Campbell atop the West standings at 9-1 The defending state champion Trojans won a tiebreaker for the No 1 seed and will face the winner of Tuesday’s first-round game between Castle and Waianae in a Wednesday quarterfinal at McKinley Mililani has played the whole season without access to its home field Tuesday’s other first-round contests are Leilehua against Kaimuki and Moanalua against Nanakuli received a bye into the quarterfinals because the East’s 6 seed did not field a team this season and forfeited all its games Kaiser is first out of the East with a 9-1 record and awaits the Leilehua-Kaimuki winner Kalani’s win against an East rival was big for the Falcons (8-2) who clinched a first-round bye and will face Kapolei (5-5) at Kilauea District Park at 3 p.m It was a well-timed monster game for Ching “I focus on the ball and the window,” the senior said Ashlyn Sera and Shya Morinaga also homered for the Falcons Kalani plated 11 runs through the first three innings Naomi Stremick came on in relief of Kadie Carpio and tossed the last 5 1/3 innings getting the win despite 11 hits and seven runs allowed Kaylah Sato went 4-for-5 with a homer and five RBIs but took the loss in throwing the first three innings for Na Menehune (7-3) Mililani's sophomore ace Hinano Bautista (4-0) homered and came on in relief of Taylor Adriano, allowing one run over the last four innings for the win Ori Mailo went 3-for-4 with three runs driven in for the Trojans Makanalei Watkins-Villegas doubled and drove in three while catcher Codie Ancheta homered for three RBIs Ciara Fortuno hit a third-inning grand slam for the Mules (5-5) A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) HONOLULU — The Mililani boys soccer team worked extra time to extend its reign in the Oahu Interscholastic Association played its way to a trophy for the first time in 12 years The defending state champion Trojans received a stern challenge from the Campbell Sabers but they outlasted their OIA West rival for a 2-1 win in double overtime at breezy Kaiser High on Saturday night It was the Central Oahu school’s fourth straight Division I league championship and record 20th overall [Note: See below for more photos of Kahuku-Waipahu boys soccer.] After Campbell’s Bryson Ancheta put the Sabers on the board in the first half Tyler Tamashiro put in the equalizer on a rebound in the box in the 48th minute and Caleb Ishizaka had the golden goal on a penalty kick in the 95th Tamashiro’s blast came on a teammate’s long throw-in into the box aided by strong winds that blew toward Maunalua Bay all night All six goals scored between the D-I and D-II games were accomplished on that end of the field A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) “I just remember we were trying to be direct and I was just lucky to clean it up on there on the rebound,” Tamashiro told Spectrum OC16’s Jimmy Bender The Trojans are one title shy of matching the OIA record of five in a row — Mililani did it from 2002-06 and McKinley won the first five from 1973-77 Campbell (10-2-1) was denied its first title falling to Mililani in the final for the second straight year Kahuku surged in the final 10 minutes to come back to defeat Waipahu A move down from D-I to D-II this year worked out in the end for the Red Raiders who got the equalizing goal from Kea Lerner on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute and the winner from Noa Vaiaoga on an assist from Lerner in the 77th A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) “We were in D-I last year and we got moved down to D-II this year Waipahu’s Gideon Gonda launched a ball that caught the wind and sailed off the back post and in in the 15th minute The Marauders appeared poised to attain their second all-time title by weathering a number of Red Raider attacking runs Kahuku’s bus got caught in standstill traffic on the way down the coast to Hawaii Kai resulting in the D-II game starting nearly two hours late Editors' Picks Mililani’s Hinano Bautista pitches on April 11 Hinano Bautista fired a five-hitter as Mililani stifled Moanalua 10-0 in six innings at Tiger Softball Stadium to win the OIA softball championship for a second year in a row posting her third win in as many days for Mililani (26-1-1 overall) Knowing that we can come back from any situation knowing that my team has my back through anything The Trojans scored four runs in the first inning and used air-tight defense to stifle a hot Moanalua squad we played a very balanced game and I’m very proud of our kids,” Mililani coach Rose Antonio said but you get the adrenaline when you play these type of games — that helps.” Mililani routed Waianae 18-2 (4 innings) and Kalani 15-2 (5 innings) to reach the title game The Trojans will have a first-round bye at the DataHouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships The Division I bracket is May 6-9 at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium and Tiger Softball Stadium Antonio believes there is still room to improve Shortstop Kahiau Aina was stellar and occasionally breathtaking with diving stops in the infield you can tell where the competition is and how different it is,” said Aina Campbell and Kaiser to reach the league final clinching a state-tournament berth along the way After scoring 38 runs in their past four games their bats cooled against the southpaw Bautista Harper Fukuda started in the pitcher’s circle for Moanalua (15-8-1 overall) Na Menehune were aiming for their first OIA softball championship The game began to get away from Moanalua in the bottom of the first Mililani needed just one hit to score four runs as Na Menehune starting pitcher Harper Fukuda issued one walk and hit four batters then advanced on a wild pitch and stole third base Makanalei Watkins-Villegas then doubled to left Bautista was hit by a pitch to load the bases and with two outs Aubri Nakashima was grazed by a Fukuda inside fastball That allowed Watkins-Villegas to score from third Kodie Ancheta was next to get hit by a pitch bringing courtesy runner Skyler Nakasone in for a 4-0 lead Kara Miyoshi replaced Fukuda and retired Aina on a pop fly to end the long inning but the Trojans failed to score at least one run for the first time in six innings going back to their quarterfinal win over Waianae Kodie Ancheta cranked a two-out solo home run to right The Trojans added three more runs in the fifth Aina had a run-scoring single and later scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Watkins-Villegas Leading hitters—Kais: Rylee Yamasaki 2-3; Lia Hamamura 2-3; Miya Yoshioka 2 RBIs 2b; Kenani Kido 2 RBIs; Jolie Mochizuki 2-3 Kais: Elyse Yoshioka 2-4; Rylee Yamasaki 2-3 Leading hitters—KS: Haylie Reiny 2-3; Jade Kiyan 2-3 Delta Air Lines averted potential disaster just after 11 a.m. on April 21 when it evacuated nearly 300 passengers from a jet in flames at Orlando International Airport 10 flight attendants and two pilots aboard the Airbus A330 "We appreciate our customers' cooperation and apologize for the experience Nothing is more important than safety and Delta teams will work to get our customers to their final destinations as soon as possible," Durrant said Flight crews followed procedures to evacuate the passenger cabin when flames in the tailpipe of one of the plane's two engines were observed Maintenance teams will examine the aircraft Orlando International Airport posted on social media about the incident: Delta Air Lines flight 1213 experienced an engine fire while at the ramp area Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting team promptly responded." and said the experience was surprisingly orderly I had my shade closed because I was planning to take a nap,” he told USA TODAY so I opened my shade and there was flame and smoke coming from the wing.” Florida Congressman Darren Soto posted on X a thank-you message to the aircraft rescue and firefighting team and added: "We remain concerned about FAA cuts staff shortages and how they affect aircraft inspections." Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) released its 2025 Outdoor Retail Sales Trends Report showing a modest 1% rebound in outdoor retail sales in 2024 signaling a continued shift in purchasing behavior and product demand While participation in outdoor activities continues to grow data from the new report indicates a market in transition equipment sales dipped slightly and the strongest gains were seen in accessories and footwear particularly in lifestyle-oriented products Casual outdoor consumers are prioritizing versatile gear higher-value footwear and sustainable accessories large retailers in the athletic specialty and sporting goods (ASSG) channel maintained steady growth independent specialty retailers saw slight declines but showed positive momentum late in the year and the retail e-commerce channel continued a multiyear decline “The center of gravity in the outdoor industry has shifted Growth isn’t being driven by core users anymore It’s the casual outdoorists: the weekend hikers the folks who wear trail runners to the office and a puffy to the coffee shop who are showing up in the numbers,” said Kent Ebersole “Casual consumers are driving growth in new ways But we also need to keep investing in our core community The long-term health of our industry depends on both we’re helping our members make sense of these shifts with data and intelligence OIA said it provides trusted research and market intelligence, including consumer insights, participation trends, retail sales data and industry benchmarking, to help outdoor brands and retailers make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of change. This report features exclusive data from OIA’s partnership with Circana (formerly NPD) offering a detailed look at retail sales trends across chain e-commerce and specialty channels in key outdoor categories like apparel An executive summary of the Outdoor Retail Sales Trends Report is available free to download here. Gain access to the full 2024 Outdoor Retail Sales Trends Report, along with all member benefits and resources, when you join OIA 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sultanate of Oman's recent credit rating affirmation at BBB- with a positive outlook by Standard & Poor's (March 2025) reflects the government's effective fiscal consolidation efforts and improved economic management A key contributor to this achievement is Oman Investment Authority (OIA) which since assuming oversight of state-owned companies under the National Development Fund in 2020 has implemented robust governance reforms and targeted debt reduction strategies These measures strengthened the financial positions of portfolio companies directly contributing to Oman's enhanced credit profile and overall financial resilience OIA successfully reduced the aggerate debt of its subsidiaries from USD 29.64 billion in 2021 to USD 23.92 billion by the end of Q3 2024 which achieved a credit rating upgrade that led to a marked improvement in its net debt-to-profit ratio enhancing both its financial efficiency and long-term sustainability OIA renegotiated loan terms with banking partners to secure more cost-effective and flexible financing structures further reinforcing the operational resilience of its portfolio OIA also significantly reduced reliance on government guarantees to enhance the financial independence and governance of its key subsidiaries Guarantees extended to major companies such as OQ Group Oman's primary provider of electricity were reduced from USD 8.32 billion in 2021 to USD 4.68 billion by 2024 Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Company (OQ8) recently passed the Lenders Reliability Test (LRT) enabling it to unlock over USD 2 billion in shareholder guarantees This decisive shift has lowered fiscal risk for the government and signaled a new era of accountability encouraging companies to leverage their own financial strength and drive future growth OIA has also further strengthened transparency across its portfolio by mandating financial performance disclosure across its portfolio strategic partnerships have attracted foreign investment into priority sectors contributing to stronger foreign currency reserves These collective initiatives demonstrate OIA's commitment to Oman Vision 2040 by reinforcing confidence in the Omani economy and supporting long-term sustainability They also position the Sultanate of Oman as a trusted and competitive investment destination Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2666768/OIA_HQ.jpg Contact: Al Yaqdhan Ali Al AbriSenior Officer - Strategic CommunicationTel: +968 24745659[email protected]  La reciente confirmación de la calificación crediticia del Sultanato de Omán en BBB- con perspectiva positiva por parte de Standard & Poor's (marzo.. Die jüngste Bestätigung der Kreditwürdigkeit des Sultanats Oman mit BBB- und positivem Ausblick durch Standard & Poor's (März 2025) spiegelt die.. Banking & Financial Services Oil & Energy Utilities Economic News, Trends, Analysis Do not sell or share my personal information: roaring to a 16-point first-quarter lead en route to a 57-36 win for the OIA Division I boys basketball championship Wednesday night at McKinley Student Council Gymnasium By George F. Lee Hawaii Photos Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) reported that sales in the U.S outdoor retail market increased by 1 percent in 2024 marking a recovery from the 3 percent decline in 2023 The trend inversion comes after a few years of turmoil as the outdoor market was forced to overcome a dynamic shift in the business since the outset of the pandemic in 2020 with significant growth early on and a sales spike in 2022 the market experienced a slowdown over the past two years as the industry dealt with high inventories despite a broader and more diverse consumer base that had purchased gear heavily as they pursued outdoor activities during COVID but may have stopped purchasing once life returned to near-normal While total sales in 2024 were up 26.3 percent compared to total sales in 2020 sales last year were reported to be down 1.4 percent versus 2022 at the market’s peak “While core outdoor consumers continue to drive high-end purchases casual participants are shaping broader sales trends,” OIA said in its Excessive Summary of its full 2024 report developed with Circana “The athletic specialty and sporting goods (ASSG) sales channel that includes large outdoor retailers including Dick’s REI and Big 5 has been most successful in holding onto pandemic sales gains over the past five years,” the trade association noted “Sales through the ASSG channel were up 1.9 percent in dollars sold in 2024 compared to 2023 to $21 billion or 73 percent of total outdoor retail market sales.” The independent specialty retail sales channel’s sales were reported to be down 1 percent compared to 2023 “Smaller independent specialty retailers have struggled over the past two years with a 10 percent reduction in dollar sales since 2022 but the last three months of sales in 2024 were positive and momentum was strong in this channel heading into 2025,” OIA explained OIA suggested that the retail e-commerce channel that represents online sales from ASSG and independent specialty retailers appears to be used most by consumers looking for bargains on higher-priced items The average sales price in retail e-commerce was $69.73 compared to $46.46 in independent specialty and $39.01 in ASSG retail “The retail e-commerce channel has been shrinking consistently over the past four years and is down 9.8 percent compared to sales in 2020 and down 2.9 percent compared to sales in 2023,” the Executive Summary reported the outdoor retail market had a lukewarm year with 1 percent growth which was better than the 3 percent decline in sales experienced in 2023.” OIA noted that overall Apparel sales remained stagnant Equipment sales declined slightly and Accessories and Footwear saw positive growth in 2024 shifting product preferences and seasonal sales patterns have played a critical role in shaping the market,” OIA continued “Retailers and brands must adapt to these trends by focusing on high-growth categories and expanding participation among core outdoor enthusiasts.” Image courtesy Dick’s Sporting Goods Read More SGB Update Stories ©2025 SGB Media. 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Use of this Site constitutes acceptance of our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of SGB Media HONOLULU — Mililani in another Oahu Interscholastic Association boys basketball final The Trojans reached their fourth straight OIA Division I championship game when Taye Marxen banked in not one but two free throws for the go-ahead points against defending champion Leilehua with 7.9 seconds remaining the third seed out of the competitive OIA West held on for a tense stop at the other end — the game had 28 lead changes — and prevailed 61-60 in the second of two semifinals at McKinley on Monday night It will see top OIA East seed Kailua in Wednesay’s 7:30 p.m [Note: See below for more photos of the OIA Division I boys basketball semifinals.] “I think the key was just finding ways to get through it,” Trojans coach Garrett Gabriel said I told him to even be in OIA championships Kailua defeated Moanalua 67-56 behind a career-high 30 points from guard Maddox Pung in Monday’s first semifinal Roman Gabriel led the Trojans (11-2) in the scoring column with 23 on 9-for-14 shooting but it was the last of Marxen’s six points that were the most crucial A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) a role player known for his defense and rebounding scrapped for a ball that was nearly hauled in by Leilehua’s Tyree Wilson for a Trojan turnover along the baseline He went up strong between two defenders to earn the pivotal call He banked the first to tie the game and stuck out his tongue toward the bench teammates assured him that he would take them home “It's when I shoot a little strong that day the bottom line is making them and he found a way to do it.” Mililani used its fouls to whittle the clock down to 3.8 seconds for Leilehua on its last shot Mililani took away the first option for Tyree Wilson at the top of the key Cobe Wyatt drove into Mililani’s zone defense from the right wing and attempted a scoop shot past three defenders He was too strong with it but Wilson was there on the weak side for the tip attempt It bounced on the rim but rolled off and the Trojans celebrated It was the latest tight battle between the Central Oahu rivals Leilehua (11-1) won the regular-season meeting 51-50 on Dec Mules coach Chad Townsend declined to comment on whether there should’ve been a call on the final play “It just came down to who executed better every last possession of the fourth quarter,” Townsend said “I felt Mililani caught us sleeping on couple 3s Tui Tukimaka had three 3-point hits among his 15 points for Mililani and guard LeCedric Brown (13 points five rebounds) took a huge charge under the basket in the fourth quarter while playing with four fouls Point guard Ezekiel Virtudes had seven assists and three steals Wilson led the Mules with 20 points and 10 rebounds who is considered by Surfriders coach Wally Marciel to be an extension of his staff on the floor decided the battle with Moanalua would be won from 15 feet and closer The 6-foot-1 guard punished smaller Moanalua defenders in the midrange repeatedly and helped turn back a Na Menehune charge from down 16 points to within six in the third quarter. Pung shot 13-for-21 for the game including four misses from 3-point range; he was 13-for-17 from inside the arc “I feel like (Marciel) has had trust in me since my freshman year and he's helped me go into the role that I'm in now,” said Pung supplied 10 points and eight rebounds while wing Dylan Kunz supplied six points five rebounds and three steals off the bench A post shared by Spectrum OC16 Sports (@oc16sports) Pung’s three-point play at the end of the third pushed the lead back to 14 points heading into the final eight minutes.  Moanalua coach Brandon Dumlao could only shake his head at his bucket binge for more than a dozen points in the period our whole game plan was to lock him down,” Dumlao said “And I think his size and his length just overwhelmed us Our young guys gave it their best effort on him and he's still and I don't think we really gave up a bunch of layups he got to his spots and he knocked him down Freshman Chazen Dabalos-Vereze led Na Menehune with 18 points an appearance in the D-I title game has been a long time coming who led the Surfriders to the OIA D-II championship in 2013 soon after he took over the program Kailua lost in the semifinal round the last two years “They work their tail off and they want they won that championship.” After reviewing a six-point win at Moanalua in late December Marciel thought his team could inflict even more damage by swarming the offensive glass They grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and won second-chance points 20-7 Marciel sees an opponent as quick as his team “I think post play will be very important on both sides,” he said “You can see that we got two pretty good post guys with JJ (Bienieck) and Sebastian (Ledda).” Mililani is in pursuit of its third OIA title but first at the top division since 1982 under Louis Santos Maddox Pung scored 15 of his 30 points in the third quarter as No 5 Kailua stifled Moanalua 67-56 Monday night in the Division I semifinals of the OIA boys basketball playoffs which saw a big lead disappear in the 2024 OIA Division II boys basketball championship game built a 20-point lead and beat Kaiser 54-43 on Wednesday night to secure the OIA D-II title at McKinley Student Council Gymnasium Young Moanalua dominates as the inaugural season of flag football in the OIA gets under way In the final months of her senior year at McKinley High School Ayva Walthall is still meeting new classmates Girls flag football season officially begins tonight in the O‘ahu Interscholastic Association with 12 games scheduled at six campus sites Walthall is playing with girls she first met a month ago when practices commenced “It’s fun getting to know other people and meeting new people and trying to bond with them,” said Walthall League play is underway in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation and Maui Interscholastic League OIA action continues this Friday and Saturday “Our dynamic is really well for a bunch of girls who haven’t played with each other before,” said McKinley junior Kiana Aga a transfer student who didn’t know any of her teammates This is the first new sport for high school girls in over 20 years Hawai‘i is the 12th state in the country to sanction girls flag football as a high school sport There are 46 Hawai‘i public and charter schools statewide Another 18 state associations have independent or pilot programs according to the National Federation of State High School Associations “I’m looking forward to show what we’re capable of,” Walthall said Teams will have the opportunity to compete for league and state championships this spring The Hawaii High School Athletic Association’s state tournament is scheduled for April 30 to May 3 at Pearl City High School and Mililani High School “We may not be tackling each other but we can still play and we can still be competitive.” 1390 Miller St. Honolulu, HI 96813Main Line: 808-784-6200Email