Schools Get a Tentative OK for Trip : Deal Would Allow Canyon and Crespi to Play in Hawaii

Southern Section officials have offered a compromise to a Hawaiian organizer that would allow the Canyon and Crespi high football teams to play next year in Honolulu.

Canyon, Crespi and Morse High have been invited to play against three Hawaiian teams in a tripleheader Aug. 25 in Aloha Stadium.

Although Morse, a San Diego Section school, has traveled to Hawaii five times--and played in the tripleheader this year--Southern Section Commissioner Stan Thomas indicated last month that Canyon and Crespi would not be allowed to travel because of section rules that forbid football teams from playing when their sport is not in season. Because the tripleheader is scheduled before the Southern Section season starts, the trip would not be approved.

But Bill Clark, the Southern Section administrator in charge of athletics, has informed Hawaii organizer Skip Akina that permission would be granted if the event was moved back one week to Sept. 1. Canyon and Crespi would be allowed to start practice one week earlier than other section football teams in keeping with the Southern Section rule that permits teams one out-of-state trip every three years.

“Our interpretation of the rule is that we’ll give a school a one-week break every three years for travel,” Clark said. “Obviously, it can’t be Crespi and Canyon that go every year to Hawaii.”

Akina greeted the news enthusiastically, saying he would try to reschedule the tripleheader. A Saturday, Sept. 1 date creates a conflict with the University of Hawaii, which opens its football season on that day. Akina favors a Saturday date for the tripleheader but said that a Friday date is workable.

“We would love to have Crespi and Canyon out here and I will work with our people over here to see if we can make it happen at our end,” Akina said.

Canyon Coach Harry Welch and Crespi Coach Tim Lins also greeted the news enthusiastically. Neither school has filed an official request, but Canyon Principal Bill White said that he would contact Clark immediately.

“We’re excited about the possibility and have felt that the key is getting approval from the Southern Section,” White said.

He then joked about the Cowboys, who have started the season with two consecutive losses.

“I’ll make an official request and I better do it before we go any worse than 0-2. They may not want us over there,” he said.

Clark said that the compromise was made easier because the tripleheader is a charity event, proceeds of which will go toward the scholarship fund of former Hawaiian high school star Shawn Akina, who died of a heart attack in 1986. Shawn Akina was Skip’s brother.

“Skip should be commended for a contest like this,” Clark said. “It seems like suitable recognition for his brother.”