OIA teams enter grueling stretch run

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

After 26 days of sometimes excruciating inactivity, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association returns to competition today with a bloated schedule of games.

On tap are nine baseball games and nine girls basketball games at the varsity level. And that's just the beginning. By the end of the week, there will be 80 varsity baseball and girls basketball games, in addition to championship events in track and field, golf, tennis and judo.

The league was forced to pack its remaining regular-season baseball and basketball schedules into 11 days because of the dozens of games not played during the 20-day public-school teachers' strike.

Teams were given about a week of preparation time once the strike ended April 25, and the first competition begins with the baseball games at 4:30 p.m. today.

"We're happy to get back out there, we're really looking forward to it," said Skip Saito, a senior third baseman for 'Aiea. "As long as we get to play baseball, I'm happy."

'Aiea, at 3-0, is fighting for first place in the OIA Western Division. Saito and his teammates practiced on their own at 'Aiea Recreation Center three or four times a week during the strike, but Na Ali'i coach Ryan Kato said those sessions could not exactly duplicate supervised practices.

"They didn't do much running, so we had to get them back into shape," Kato said. "It was like preseason conditioning all over again."

At Castle, the baseball Knights (3-1-1) did not practice at all as a team during the strike. Coach Joe Tom Jr. said the effects of the layoff were noticeable when the team resumed practice on April 25.

"They were rusty, and some players lost their shape," Tom said. "Also, as a team, the intensity wasn't there."

Castle second baseman Matt Matsukawa said the return to action wasn't easy.

"I was sore the next day," he said.

The compacted schedules will mean little time for rest between games. 'Aiea plays two of the division's top contenders, Campbell and Mililani, today and tomorrow, respectively. Na Ali'i will have Thursday off, then return to play Radford on Friday and Waialua on Saturday.

"And Mililani has a bye (today), so we'll be facing their best," Kato said. "Our backs are against the wall, but this is what we wanted, to be playing again. I told the team, 'We can't make excuses.' Almost everybody is in the same boat as us."

As striking teachers, Kato and Tom had to maintain loyalty to the union while fighting the urge to get back with their teams and resume the season. Tom's son, Jordan, plays on the Castle varsity, adding extra emotion to the situation.

"It was heart-breaking from a baseball standpoint," Tom said. "To be tied for first place, we just wanted to continue and keep everybody focused. But the strike was very important, career-wise."

Kato's picket line was within a short toss from where his team was working out.

"It was killing me knowing I couldn't be out there with them, knowing that they were working so hard," Kato said. "But I think most of the students supported us."

Saito and Matsukawa said it appears their teams have put any ill will about the strike behind them.

"We had to put academics first," Saito said. "We're just focused on this week."

Saito added he's thankful that the season was saved.

"Besides graduation, baseball was the one thing I was looking forward to. I know it's what I'll look back on."