HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
HILO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SECTION
DETECTIVE GREG ESTEBAN
PHONE: 961-2384
MAY 30, 2002
MEDIA RELEASE
“Most Wanted” beat “Da Guys” by a score of 11-10 to win the “Manual Cadinha Softball Tournament.” “Most Wanted” went undefeated throughout the tournament and was led by tournament MVP Chucky Nunes, along with Clarence Kekaulua and Tommy Mattos.
In this newly named tournament featuring six softball teams, “Da Guys” were led by Rob Stewart, Russell Paiva and Rob Mecham.
“Line Drive” came in third place.
The softball tournament was held in memory of Officer Manual Cadinha, who was a police officer killed in the line of duty while arresting a combative male in Hakalau in 1918. The softball tournament was formerly held in memory of Officer Kenneth Keliipio and co-coordinated by Officer Keone Rodrigues, who is the great grandson of the late Officer Cadinha. Event coordinators felt it was fitting to have the softball tournament held in memory of Officer Rodrigues’ great-grandfather.
The softball games were part of a three-day multi-event sports tournament recently held (May 17-19, 2002) and sponsored by employees, families and friends of the Hawaii County Police Department.
This year’s tournament generated about $4,500 in proceeds, which are used to fund annual scholarships for students enrolled in the Administration of Justice programs at UH-Hilo and Hilo Community College.
Another portion of the proceeds will be donated to the “Hawaii Police Memorial Fund”, which was established by Momi Cazimero, sister of the late Officer Ronald “Shige” Jitchaku, a Hawaii County Police Officer killed while attempting to break up a large brawl. Cazimero developed the concept of a police memorial to commemorate police officers killed in the line of duty and she is currently finalizing plans for the monument’s construction.
The tournament fundraiser started in 1991 as a means of assisting Cazimero in her fundraising efforts to construct the monument.
In the “Kenneth K. Keliipio Co-ed Softball Tournament”, six co-ed softball teams battled in the Hilo rains in this inaugural event.
“Lopaka’s”, behind the stellar play of Randon Kaupu, beat “NKM” by a score of 6-3. Kaupu was named the co-ed softball tournament Most Valuable Player.
“Souljahs” finished third in a hard fought semi-final game.
This softball event was named in memory of Officer Kenneth Keliipio, a South Hilo Patrol officer who was killed in a motor vehicle collision while assisting a stranded motorist in 1997.
In the “Daison ‘Froggie’ Morita Mixed Volleyball Tournament,” which consisted of six teams, “Corrections” won over “What!” “Polena came in third place.
The volleyball tournament was established in memory of Daison Morita, an airport firefighter who was killed in a motor vehicle collision. Morita was involved in all facets of this tournament since its inception.
In the basketball tournament, which consisted of 10 teams, “Makalii” won the Law Enforcement Division over “Hilo Police.” “Maui ACO’s”, an off-island team participating for the second straight year, took third place. Mo Janado from “Makalii” was the division’s most valuable player.
In the Open Division, “Herk’s Fishery” beat “Keaukaha” to take the championship. “Fire” took third place. Heidi Kekaulua, of “Keaukaha” was most valuable player for the division.
The Shige 5K Run and 1.5 Mile Walk, which has been a dedicated event of the tournament since 1994, was not held this year. This was due to a conflict with the Big Island Marathon, scheduled for the same weekend as the tournament. Race directors hope to be able to revive the run next year.
The rain also affected the turnout at Sunday’s golf tournament held at the Banyan Drive Golf Course, which attracted 20 golfers. There was a tie for overall lowest gross score between Gary Inciong and John Stewart with a 73; the lowest net scorer was Dwayne Lerma with a 61.
First-place winner in flight A was John Stewart and Flight B was John Basa. The winner of Flight C was Dwayne Lerma. In Calloway, John Kalauli Jr. was the winner.
John Stewart won the Longest Drive award. For the Closest to Pin shot, William Hodson won.
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