New Turf At The Les

Prior to the start of last season, the University of Hawaiʻi Rainbow Warriors baseball team had new turf installed at Les Murakami Stadium. This new turf at "The Les" features two-tone green in the infield and outfield, and dark brown warning track, bases, home plate, and the pitching mound. It also has "Hawai‘i" stitched in behind home plate and an "H" in centerfield. This field was a several years overdue, as the Bows played on the previous turf years past the end-of-life.

This weekend celebrated the induction of Les Murakami into the College Baseball Hall of Fame. A long overdue honor for Coach Les.

Volleyball

One of the practice volleyballs on the Terraplex court during a Hawaiʻi Rainbow Warriors mens volleyball team practice before their match later in the evening. The nationally-ranked 2025 team are in the midst of their season.

Chess Match

After their early afternoon practice, Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors volleyball players Kurt Nusterer, Alex Parks, and Tread Rosenthal (left to right), play a chess match on the volleyball court in the Stan Sheriff Center.

Hawai‘i Bowl Mini Helmets

Schutt mini helmets of the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors and the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on display for the 2016 Hawai‘i Bowl press conference. It was the only Hawai‘i Bowl press conference to be held at Aloha Stadium, instead of Waikīkī. The Hawai‘i Bowl is a Christmas Eve football tradition, now sponsored by Easy Post, and this year's edition has Middle Tennessee back in Honolulu to play the San Diego State Aztecs.

Rainbow Warrior Fans

At the season finale of the 2016 Hawai‘i Rainbow Warrior football season versus the UMass Minutemen, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts gave out Hawai‘i "H" flags to fans as the entered the gates. This couple had their flags stuck in the back of their caps as they watched the game. The Rainbow Warriors beat the Minutemen, 46-40, to secure their Hawai‘i Bowl invitation.

New Turf

In the summer of 2016, the Aloha Stadium had to replace its UBU Speed Series S5M Sports Turf. The installers had less than eight weeks to tear out the previous turf, inspect the ground beneath, then lay the drain pads, turf panels, and the sand and rubber in-fill. The job was completed in time for the fall 2016 high school and college football season. Today's photo shows a shot from turf blades level as players from the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors arrive to hold their pre-season Fall Scrimmage.

Hawai‘i Bowl Presser

Coaches and players from the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors and the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders meet with the media for the 2016 Hawai‘i Bowl, a few days before the Christmas Eve game. For the Rainbow Warriors, seated left to right: Linebacker Jahlani Tavai, Wide Receiver Marcus Kemp, and Head Coach Nick Rolovich.  For the Blue Raiders, seated right to left: Linebacker D.J. Sanders, Quarterback Brent Stockstill, and Head Coach Rick Stockstill. The Rainbow Warriors won the game 52-35.

Jahlani Tavai now plays for the Detroit Lions, Marcus Kemp now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Nick Rolovich is now the head coach for the Washington State University Cougars.

With the China Corona Virus pandemic, this year's bowl game was canceled by ESPN Events and the Hawai‘i Bowl.

End Zone Pylon

With football season two-and-a-half months away, here is an end zone pylon with both the University of Hawai‘i logo and the Mountain West Conference logo, shot with an ultra wideangle lens.

Aloha Spirit

The University of Hawai‘i Warriors cheer squad greets the University of Colorado Buffaloes cheer squad a few hours before game time.

Hawai‘i Bowl

On Christmas Eve, the University of Hawai‘i Warriors played the Tulsa University Golden Hurricane in the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl at Aloha Stadium. I got this shot of the Warriors walking across the field to their locker room, after they arrived from Waikīkī on three buses, with a police motorcycle escort.

I was not able to get any game photos, since I was in the control room, directing the in-hose game video.

The Golden Hurricane dumped on the Warriors 62-35.

Post Game Prayer

Following their 49-36 loss to the USC Trojans, the UH Warriors huddle for a post-game prayer led by head coach Greg McMackin and team leaders.  

The Warriors entered the game as 21-point underdogs, and it's my guess that there were some that lost money on the game.  The game was actually closer than the score reflects.  It was amazing to see how many yards (400+) the Trojan defense gave up.

This was the view from my camera perch high above the north end zone through the field goal net.

Warming Up

Placekicker Scott Enos (#20 lower right) warms up by practicing field goals as other teammates filter out of their locker room through the giant UH inflatable helmet.

Hawai‘i 5-0

The University of Hawai‘i Warrior marching band rehearses their rendition of the "Hawai‘i Five-O" theme song, with this 5-0 formation, while we build one of our tripod cameras.

Commemorative T-shirt

This was a commemorative t-shirt sold by the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow-tique store.  The Rainbow-tique is the official outlet for UH merchandise, which has tents around the lower concourse of Aloha Stadium, as well as a store in Ward Centre.

Game On!

The 2010 University of Hawai‘i Warriors football season kicked off yesterday with their opener against the University of Southern California Trojans at Aloha Stadium.  The Trojans escaped with a 49-36 victory over the Warriors.  Today's photo shows the Warriors players tunnel shortly before they entered the field from my camera platform, and we were about to go live.

Giant Helmet

This giant inflatable University of Hawai‘i Warriors helmet is used when the Warriors take the field before the beginning of the game. The helmet is inflated a few hours before kick-off (as seen above, while setting up our field camera), then deflated right before kick-off.

Today is the first game of the 2009 season for the Warriors, who host the University of Central Arkansas Bears of the Southland Conference (FCS).


Go Warriors!


***Update 09.05.09***
Warriors beat the Bears 25-20!

Grice-Mullen Scores 1st 2009 CFL Major

Former University of Hawai‘i Warriors slotback Ryan Grice-Mullen scored his first Canadian Football League "major" (touchdown) this season as a slotback for the British Columbia Lions, with a 2-yard run. The Lions, however, were mauled 30-18 by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats tonight, suffering their third straight loss.

Grice-Mullen was a free-agent signee of the BC Lions last September, and actually scored his first career major (a 67-yard catch) against the Calgary Stampeders in the 2008 season finale

Today's photo was taken when former teammate (and current Miami Dolphin) Davone Bess and Grice-Mullen spoke at a Hope968 worship service a couple of years ago.

Hawai‘i Bowl

This past Wednesday featured the Christmas Eve bowl classic, the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl. The University of Hawai‘i Warriors were matched upagainst the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This phot was taken a few hours before kick-off, while I was on my way to set up one of Aloha Stadium's video cameras that feed the JumboTron.

The Fighting Irish pounded the Warriors 49-21, before a Hawai‘i Bowl record crowd of 45,718. Though Aloha Stadium is the Warriors home field they were the visiting team for this game.

Bess Scores 1st NFL Touchdown!

Former University of Hawai‘i Warriors receiver Davone Bess scored his first NFL touchdown yesterday as the Miami Dolphins hosted the Baltimore Ravens. Bess, who signed a rookie free agent contract with the Miami Dolphins earlier this year, caught a seven yard pass touchdown from quarterback Chad Pennington. However, the Ravens won 27-13.

Davone decided to declare his eligibility for the 2008 NFL Draft (and forego his senior season) after the Warriors completed a 12-1 season that achieved a 12-0 regular season, the 2007 WAC Championship, but a loss to the University of Georgia Bulldogs in the 2008 Sugar Bowl.

I took this shot of Davone Bess when he spoke at a Hope968 worship service. He spoke of his upbringing, life challenges and victories, the Warriors, and his faith in the Lord.

Congratulations Davone!

Hawai‘i Ties

A post-game photo of several UH Warriors and players with Hawai‘i ties pose for a post-game photo on the mid-field game logo. After the game some of the fans got onto the field getting autographs and photos with players.

Front row: defensive lineman Michael Lafaele (Hawai‘i) and offensive lineman Brennan Carvalho (Portland State)
Back row: defensive lineman Karl Noa (Hawai‘i), defensive lineman J.T. Mapu (Tennessee), defensive lineman Amani Purcell (Hawai‘i), tight end Kolomano Kapanui (West Texas A&M), offensive lineman Brandon Rodd (Arizona State), and offensive lineman Hercules Satele (Hawai‘i).

How's this for multi-tasking ... I shot this pic with my point-and-shoot while shooting with the videocamera.