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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Tuesday, June 4, 2002

Awana showed maturity, great arm

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Wai'anae's Dane Awana finished with a 5-0 record and 0.90 ERA during the regular season.

Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

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.

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 Ka‘aukai 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
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.