With an O'ahu Interscholastic Association Western Division title and No. 1 seed in the playoffs on the line against 'Aiea, Wai'anae coach Glenn Tokunaga said he trusted in a baseball adage.
"Aiea is a good hitting team, but we were hoping that good pitching would beat good hitting," Tokunaga said. "And that's basically what happened."
Wai'anae's victory happened mainly because of Seariders ace Dane Awana, who tossed a four-hitter against 'Aiea and shut down good hitting time and again this season en route to winning OIA West Player of the Year honors in a vote of league coaches.
Awana, a 6-foot, 170-pound senior left-hander, went 5-0 in the regular season with 50 strikeouts in 39 innings and an ERA of 0.90. Awana struck out 13 against Leilehua.
"He throws up to 85 (mph), and he has three or four different fastballs," said Tokunaga, the Coach of the Year. "His bread-and-butter is one that cuts in and runs away from batters."
Awana was a good pitcher last year, Tokunaga said, but showed more maturity and a business-like approach this season.
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TOKUNAGA: Wai'anae Coach of the Year |
"He was just more consistent in getting ahead of batters and in tough situations, he beared down," Tokunaga said. "He got a lot of strikeouts with men in scoring position. We were struggling to score runs ourselves, so our pitching kept us in there."
Awana is joined on the all-star first team by teammate Calvin Uyechi, a third baseman who batted .320 and led the team with seven RBIs.
'Aiea and Mililani led the way with four selections each.
The 'Aiea representatives are second baseman Taylor Watanabe (.522), outfielders Aaron Powell (.440, 11 RBIs) and Bryan Tucker-Salas (.500, 10 RBIs) and designated hitter Chase Kaiuwailani (.333).
Mililani is represented by first baseman Trey Brown (.440), outfielder Gainor Nitta (.333), catcher Shawn Saito (.340) and pitcher Chris Balatico (5-0, 0.00 ERA, 46 strikeouts).
Rounding out the first team are Pearl City shortstop Chad Itozaku (.357, only two errors) and Waipahu utility player Jaryd Kiyabu.
First team |
Pos. |
Player |
School |
1B |
Trey Brown |
Mililani |
2B |
Taylor Watanabe |
'Aiea |
3B |
Calvin Uyechi |
Wai'anae |
SS |
Chad Itokazu |
Pearl City |
OF |
Gainor Nitta |
Mililani |
OF |
Aaron Powell |
'Aiea |
OF |
Bryan Tucker-Salas |
'Aiea |
C |
Shawn Saito |
Mililani |
P |
Dane Awana |
Wai'anae |
P |
Chris Balatico |
Mililani |
DH |
Chase Kaiuwailani |
'Aiea |
U |
Jaryd Kiyabu |
Waipahu |
Player of the Year: Dane Awana, Wai'anae
Coach of the Year: Glenn Tokunaga, Wai'anae
Second team |
Pos. |
Player |
School |
1B |
Keahi Kapana |
Campbell |
2B |
Brandon Yamamoto |
Pearl City |
3B |
Ryan Tanabe |
Pearl City |
SS |
Chase Nakamura |
'Aiea |
OF |
Nolan Kugiya |
Pearl City |
OF |
Chad Rodrigues |
Wai'anae |
OF |
Ikaika Soares |
Waialua |
C |
Aaron Asher |
'Aiea |
P |
Blake Lamug |
'Aiea |
P |
Jonathan Serapion |
Pearl City |
DH |
Cid Moses |
Wai'anae |
U |
Spencer Omalza |
Leilehua |
Honorable Mention
'Aiea: Ricky Takushi, Dylan Libadisos, Justin Nii, Dustin Grace, Kepa Wong. Campbell: Bill Tennent, Jacob Cadelinia, Ikaika Trinidad, Jonah Canionero, Garrett Hermosura, Jason Scholl, Shaunsey Saito. Leilehua: Ricky Paderes, Patrick San Nicolas, John Dolac, Kory Yamamoto, Daylen Hale. Mililani: Brian Uranaka, Justin Amano, Dustin Nuibe, Adam Inaba, Nick Mizusawa, Whitney Shimatsu. Nanakuli: Ikaika Asinsin. Pearl City: Brandon Wythes, Kellen Concepcion, Darrick Tanigawa Radford: Matt Ryan, Kori Wade, Tyson Kindred, Brant Onaga, Victor Mejia, Chris Walden. Waialua: Lee Matsuura, Gavin Nakamura, Keone Peiler, Charles Tantog, Calvin Kawai. Wai'anae: Michael Ferreira, Keone Taaca, Kalani Viernes, Travis Kanae-Rodrigues, Chevy Teves, Sal Paragas. Waipahu: John Fauatea, Chane Garcia, Shane Jelf, Travis Atualevao, Ross Garabiles, Mike Manzano, Clifton Gumban.
BIG ISLAND
First team |
Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
1B |
Reyn Shimooka |
Hilo |
Sr. |
2B |
Branden Kawazoe |
Waiakea |
Sr. |
3B |
Ronnie Carvalho |
St. Joseph |
Jr. |
SS |
Jostin Chung |
Kealakehe |
Jr. |
SS |
Mark Nishimura |
Hilo |
Sr. |
OF |
Che Doran |
St. Joseph |
Sr. |
OF |
Avery Kagawa |
Waiakea |
So. |
OF |
Lamaur Madrid |
Hilo |
Sr. |
C |
Matt Haasenritter |
Hilo |
So. |
P |
Charlie Haasenritter |
Hilo |
Sr. |
P |
Tyson Usui |
St. Joseph |
Sr. |
DH |
Gerred Faisca |
St. Joseph |
Sr. |
U |
Brett Kimura |
Hilo |
Sr. |
Player of the Year: Charlie Haasenritter, Hilo
Co-Coaches of the Year: Sidney Nozaki, Hilo; Gary Ahu, St. Joseph
Second team |
Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
1B |
Josh Kotomori |
Kea'au |
Jr. |
2B |
Jeremy Kaaukai |
Hilo |
So. |
3B |
Kayne Palea |
Waiakea |
Sr. |
SS |
Davin Feary |
St. Joseph |
Jr. |
OF |
Shannon Camero |
Waiakea |
Jr. |
OF |
Joshua DeRego |
Honoka'a |
Sr. |
OF |
Jonathan Kang |
Kealakehe |
So. |
OF |
Adam Tabieros |
Konawaena |
Sr. |
C |
Keola Nobriga |
Honoka'a |
Sr. |
P |
Kamalu Blaisdell |
Kea'au |
Fr. |
P |
Morgan Kruger-Burgess |
Kealakehe |
Sr. |
P |
Warren Shikuma |
Waiakea |
Sr. |
DH |
Travis Chong |
Waiakea |
Sr. |
U |
Daniel Leite |
Waiakea |
Sr. |
Honorable Mention
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HAASENRITTER: Player of the Year on the Big Island |
Hawai'i Prep: Bully Fergerstrom, Justin Lee, Neil Matsuo. Hilo: Jaryd Taise. Ka'u: Bronson Avenue, Chase Cabudol, Brenten Castillo, Kendrick Sanders. Kea'au: Kie Awong, Rolan Benevides, Kai Calip, Kainui Meyers. Kealakehe: Chaun Heu, Tyler Roy, Alika Telles. Kohala: Kaanoi Carvalho, Bryce Dela Cruz, Ian Ortlieb. Konawaena: Rickey Bailey, Cody Maeda. Pahoa: Tyler Borge, Rendell Naiga. St. Joseph: Ben Bautista, Robert Correa-Midel. Waiakea: Loren DeMello, Cheynne Hirota, Mark Manuel.