Waiakea softball girls top Punahou
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Waiakea High School softball team made a big statement for the Big Island Interscholastic Federation last night with a shocking 3-2 upset of Punahou in the first round of the Chevron State Championship tournament.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
The victory at the University of Hawai'i's Rainbow Wahine Stadium advances the BIIF runner-up Warriors (10-2) to today's 1 p.m. quarterfinal against No. 4 seed Waimea (10-2). It was the first time a BIIF team had won a first-round game since 1992, when Konawaena defeated Roosevelt, 10-7.
Kapolei's Alexandria Paul "Kawai" Naki scores on a wild pitch as Hilo pitcher Jessica Moniz awaits the throw.
The quality of BIIF softball had come into question recently, with its representatives going a combined 0-8 in the 2001 and 2002 state tournaments. That poor performance, combined with Waimea's 4-3 record in the same two tournaments, played a big part in awarding the No. 4 seed to the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation champ instead of BIIF champion Hilo on Monday, the first time that has happened since 1993.
The BIIF was regarded so lightly, Interscholastic League of Honolulu runner-up Punahou (14-4) was thought by some to have caught a big break in the scheduling when a late change had them facing Waiakea instead of Castle, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's fourth-place team.
But Waiakea proved those people wrong last night by taking a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning and holding off the Buffanblu despite giving up 11 hits.
"We felt like people didn't respect us," said Waiakea left fielder Chelsea Rice, who made two outstanding catches. "O'ahu has such good teams, but we knew that if we just tried to have fun and play hard, we'd be fine."
Punahou took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Rachel Kane's RBI single, but the Buffanblu also left the bases loaded in that inning. The Warriors answered with three runs in the fourth on Krystelle Garcia's two-out, bases-clearing triple to the right-field corner.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
The Buffanblu got a run back in the fifth on Gail Matsushima's RBI single, but they again stranded two runners.
Kapolei’s Trisha Warashina steals second as Hilo second baseman Tasha Kahana awaits the throw. Kapolei prevailed, 3-0.
Waiakea starter Elise DuPont gave up 11 hits, but she didn't walk anyone and got great catches from Rice and right fielder Dayna Wong, in addition to strong infield play from third baseman Paige Kurosawa, shortstop Nikki Riviera, second baseman Laine Shikuma and first baseman Leigh Springer.
"My defense always comes up big," DuPont said. "I'm not even pitching that good, but I knew the defense would come through."
Punahou coach Kristl Chinen said her team took Waiakea seriously, but the Warriors made the plays when they had to.
"We were ready, our kids knew from the beginning it would be a tough game," Chinen said. "In this tournament, it doesn't matter what league you're from, you still gotta play well to win. We made some mental mistakes which cost us, but don't take anything away from Waiakea. They played well and you gotta give them the credit."
Warriors first-year coach Charlene Manu, who played on the BIIF's only state softball championship team (Hilo, 1978) before lettering at Brigham Young, said she always had faith in Big Island softball.
"That's one of the reasons I came back to coach," Manu said. "I always believed Big Island kids had the ability, we just needed the opportunity. Today they executed and played as if it were a championship game. And right now, it's a pretty good feeling."
WAIAKEA (10-2) 000 300 0—3 6 1
PUNAHOU (14-4) 010 010 0—2 11 0
Elise DuPonte and Jenna Yanagi. Sarah Weisskopf and Kaha Weir. WP—EuPonte. LP— Weisskopf.
Leading hitters: Waiakea—J. Yanagi 2-3; Krystelle Garcia 3 runs, 3 RBIs. Punahou—Cristen Aona 2-3, K. Weir 2-3, 2 runs.
• MILILANI 4, CASTLE 2: Miki Asamura pitched a five-hitter and struck out 11 to help the Trojans (13-1) hold off the Knights (10-4).
Mililani took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Erika Au's RBI single and went up 2-0 in the fourth on Stephanie Lum's squeeze bunt. The Trojans made it 4-0 in the sixth on Sandy Nakamura's RBI single and Lum's RBI groundout.
Castle got two runs on two hits and two errors in the top of the seventh, and the Knights eventually put the tying run on first with two outs. But Asamura got a strikeout to end the game.
Asamura walked one and hit one batter.
CASTLE (9-4) 000 000 2—2 5 2
MILILANI (13-1) 010 102 x—4 7 2
Lia Pedrina and Anu Young. Miki Asamura and Erika Au. WP—Asamura. LP— Pedrina.
Leading hitters: Mililani— Thiffany Anguay-Kalau 2-3; Sandy Nakamura 2-3, 1 RBI. Castle—L. Pedrina 2-2; Stacy Yamada 2-3.
• LAHAINALUNA 4, LEILEHUA 2: Jessica Maielua batted 2-for-4 and Tiara Kukahiko took a shutout into the bottom of the seventh as Maui Interscholastic League runner-up Lahainaluna beat OIA third-place finisher Leilehua.
Pikake Nutter-Gaudet spoiled Kukahiko's shutout bid with a two-run homer.
LAHAINALUNA (15-4) 002 000 2—4 5 2
LEILEHUA (9-6) 000 000 2—2 7 5
Tiara Kukahiko and Tasha Pagdilao. Alexis San Nicholas and Pikake Nutter-Gaudet. WP—Kukahiko. LP— San Nicolas.
Leading hitters: Lah— Jessica Maielua 2-4, 1 RBI; T. Pagdilao 2 runs. Lei— P. Nutter-Gaudet 2 run homer; Megan Correa 2-4.
• KAPOLEI 3, HILO 0: Jasmin Yoro hit 3-for-3 and Tajia Acierto pitched a five-hitter as OIA fifth-place finisher Kapolei upset Big Island Interscholastic Association champion Hilo.
Tasha Kahana batted 2-for-3 for the Vikings.
HILO (10-2) 000 000 0—0 5 1
KAPOLEI (12-3) 210 000 0—3 8 1
Jessica Moniz and Kristine Mihara. Tajia Acierto and Jasmin Yoro. WP—Acierto. LP—Moniz.
Leading hitters: Hilo— Tasha Kahana 2-3. Kapolei—Valana Aloy 2-3, 2 runs; J. Yoro 3-3.
