Softball powers Kailua, Iolani play in first round

• Chevron state softball championship

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

LEI: Iolani senior is three-time All-Stater

The bad news for Kailua and Iolani is that they are playing each other in that game.

The Kailua-Iolani showdown, set for 7 p.m. at the University of Hawai'i's Rainbow Wahine Stadium, highlights four games of first-round action in the 12-team tournament.

Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Kamehameha (14-0) is the top seed and receives a first-round bye along with second-seeded O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion Mililani (13-0), third-seeded Maui Interscholastic League champion Maui (11-6) and fourth-seeded Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Waiakea (10-0).

Iolani (12-2) finished second in the ILH and Kailua (11-3) took third in the OIA. But the two schools have won five of the past seven state titles, and observers are expecting a championship-quality game tomorrow.

"That's a big game," Kamehameha coach Ty Sing Chow said. "Those two teams could (each) be state champs. I wouldn't be surprised to see whoever wins that game go on and challenge for the championship."

Kailua, which won three state titles from 1994-96, is a young team with one senior on its roster. But the Surfriders appear to be playing their best ball, having won three of four games in the OIA tournament two weeks ago.

KESSEL: Kailua freshman a top pitcher

"She strikes out a lot of batters because of her riser," Iolani coach Chris Shimabukuro said. "She throws hard, but that's her strikeout pitch."

Another freshman, outfielder Tanisha Milca, has had the hot bat for Kailua. She went 7-for-12 in four OIA tournament games. Junior center fielder Danielle Young is a strong leadoff batter who runs the bases well, and she also went 6-1 as a starting pitcher.

Iolani's ace, senior right-hander Ianeta Lei, is a three-time first-team All-State selection and helped the Raiders win state championships in 1999 and 2000. She also is Iolani's strongest hitter, supported in the lineup by center fielder Stacey Higa, first baseman Blair Agena, designated hitter Kelly Asato, right fielder Tara Yamagihashi and left fielder Maile Sylva.

The Surfriders and Raiders did not meet in the preseason, but they know enough about each other to agree that each got a tough draw.

"I don't think they want to play us, just as much as we don't want to play them," Kailua coach Bernard Victor said. "But there's nothing we can do about it now. We just have to play the game."

Said Shimabukuro: "I look at Kailua and us as having the toughest draw. I did my own brackets before (Sunday's seeding meeting), and I didn't think we'd play them. We could easily lose to Kailua."

Hawai'i High School Athletic Association executive director Keith Amemiya said the seeding committee is bound by certain guidelines in the bracketing, such as placing league champions and runners-up in opposite brackets and not having teams from the same league play each other in the first round.

Once those and other guidelines are applied, Amemiya said, matchups fall into place.

"Keith has a hard job, doing the seeding," Mililani coach Mike Okimoto said. "Those two teams are both championship-type teams, but one of them is going out after the first round. I think a lot of people are going to want to watch that game. I know I'll be watching."

Here are some other things to watch in the tournament:

SING CHOW: Kam pitcher may be best in the state

"They're the clear choice," Shimabukuro said.

The main reason is left-handed ace Leo Sing Chow, Ty's niece. Sing Chow is 10-0 with a 0.32 earned run average, including a no-hitter against Iolani three weeks ago. Victor said she probably is the most dominant pitcher in the state.

The Warriors also have a premier shortstop in senior Ashley Ruff, who batted .425 in the ILH with four home runs, 11 RBIs and nine stolen bases from the leadoff spot. Ruff has accepted a scholarship offer to play for UH next year.

"She's the key to our offense," Ty Sing Chow said.

Center fielder Gina Cummings batted .528 in league play, with two home runs and 13 RBIs. Sing Chow also was a threat at the plate, hitting .441 with one home run and eight RBIs.

Mililani, the four-time reigning OIA champion, is the other team most often mentioned as a title contender. The Trojans are led by junior right hander Miki Asamura, who pitched a two-hitter in the OIA championship victory over Castle.

Sparked by speedy center fielder B.J. Shimamoto, Mililani has posed major problems for opponents on the base paths, and also has won by keeping errors to a minimum.

"They really capitalize on your mistakes," Sing Chow said.

PEDRINA: Castle pitcher nearly got no-hitter

The underdog: Kaimuki is a surprise entry, earning the final state berth last weekend after Campbell forfeited its OIA fifth-place victory over the Bulldogs because of an ineligible player.

Kaimuki (11-3) went 9-1 in the OIA East but stumbled in the league quarterfinals and lost to Campbell in 10 innings for fifth-place on Jan. 19. But Campbell's forfeit gave the Bulldogs another shot.

"They've got a second life, and they'll be riding that," Sing Chow said. "They've got nothing to lose."

Said Okimoto: "They want to show that the 9-1 (record) wasn't a fluke. You gotta watch out for them, because that team has got some pop — they've got more power than us."

Chevron state softball championship
At Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium

Tomorrow

First round

• 1 p.m. — Kealakehe (8-2) vs. Leilehua (9-5)
• 3 p.m. — Waimea (10-2) vs. Kaimuki (11-3)
• 5 p.m. — Castle (12-1) vs. Baldwin (14-3)
• 7 p.m. — Iolani (12-2) vs. Kailua (11-3)

Thursday

Quarterfinals

• Noon — Waimea-Kaimuki loser vs. Castle-Baldwin loser
• 2 p.m. — No. 4 Waiakea (10-0) vs. Castle-Baldwin winner
• 4 p.m. — No. 2 Mililani (13-0) vs. Kealakehe-Leilehua winner
• 6 p.m. — No. 3 Maui (11-6) vs. Iolani-Kailua winner
• 8 p.m. — No. 1 Kamehameha (14-0) vs. Waimea-Kaimuki winner

Friday

• Noon — Consolation game
• 2 p.m. — Consolation game
• 4 p.m. — Consolation game
• 6 p.m. — Semifinal game
• 8 p.m. — Semifinal game

Saturday

• 1 p.m. — Seventh-place game
• 3 p.m. — Fifth-place game
• 5 p.m. — Third-place game
• 7 p.m. — Championship game

Admission: Adults $7, students (grades K-12) $5.

Parking: UH Lower Campus parking $3.

Radio: Championship game will be broadcast live on AM 650.