Punahou shuts down Iolani in ILH softball

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Three days after suffering its toughest defeat of the season, the Punahou School softball team bounced back into the Interscholastic League of Honolulu title chase with a 3-0 victory over Iolani at Ala Wai Field yesterday.

Punahou's Sarah Weisskopf pitched a five-hit shutout over Iolani. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Punahou will play first-place Kamehameha (10-1) Tuesday. Two ILH teams will advance to next month's state tournament.

"We talked about not taking any teams lightly," said Buffanblu ace Sarah Weisskopf, who pitched a five-hitter yesterday. "We were disappointed on Saturday, because I think we underestimated University and they were really psyched up for that game. We said we're not gonna let that happen again."

Yesterday, Punahou put runners aboard in every inning except the first and third. After coming up empty with runners on first and third and no outs in the second, the Buffanblu took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Gail Matsushima singled to left, advanced on Weisskopf's sacrifice and scored on Kaha Weir's single to center.

Punahou added runs in the fifth on Shanna Dacanay's RBI single and Matsushima's sacrifice fly.

Weisskopf and her defense did the rest. The only major threat by the Raiders came in the sixth, when they had a runner on third with no outs and cleanup hitter Blair Agena at the plate. Agena had blasted a long drive to left-center in her previous at-bat, but she was thrown out trying to stretch her hit into a double after center fielder Rachel Kane chased down the ball at the fence.

This time, Weisskopf got Agena swinging to record her only strikeout.

"That was a really big out, because she can change the game with one swing," Weisskopf said.

Iolani coach Chris Shimabukuro said such scoring opportunities have been hard to come by for the Raiders.

"Punahou is well-coached, and they did a good job of manufacturing their three runs," Shimabukuro said. "Our offense is struggling. But Sarah has good control and mixes her pitches well. And her defense made the plays — she only had one strikeout, so for everything else they had to make a play."

Punahou coach Kristl Okuhara said she was pleased with her team's effort.

"I thought we showed a lot of mental toughness and sense of purpose, and we played as a team," Okuhara said. "That loss on Saturday really hurt us, but we didn't have time to feel sorry for ourselves because this was a must-win game for both teams. Even with this win, as great as it feels, we've gotta put it behind us because there are a lot of great teams we still have to play."

Punahou (10-2) 000 120 0—3 8 1
Iolani (8-3) 000 000 0—0 5 2

Sarah Weisskopf and Kaha Weir. Monique Obra and Tricia Sakamoto. W—Weisskopf. L—Obra.

Leading hitters: Punahou—Gail Matsushima 2-3. Iolani—Jocelyn Tamayo 2-3.

• Hawai'i Baptist/St. Andrew's/St. Francis 9, MARYKNOLL 0: Carolyn Fisher pitched a two-hit shutout, striking out six and walking one.

Julie Nakandakare was 2-for-3, including three RBIs for Hawai'i Baptist/St. Andrew's/St. Francis.

Maryknoll (2-9) 000 000 0—0 2 2
HBA/ST.A/ST.F (6-5) 001 242 x—9 13 0

Jade Kurihara and B. Ann-Haynes. Carolyn Fisher and Jamie Fernandez. WP—Fisher. LP— Kurihara.

Leading hitters: Maryknoll—Jessica Akamine 2-3. HBA/ST.A/ST.F—Anita Manuma 2-4, triple, 2 runs; Cindel Zimmerman 2-4, double, 2 RBIs; Kawehi Meheula 2-3, double, 2 runs; Julie Nakandakare 2-3, 3 RBIs.

• KAMEHAMEHA 11, UNIVERSITY HIGH 1: Kate Robinson and Brandi Peiler combined on a two-hitter for the Warriors.

The Warriors, who scored 11 runs on seven hits, scored four unearned runs on six Junior 'Bow errors.

Kamehameha (10-1) 002 54—11 7 0
University High (6-5) 100 00— 1 2 6

Kate Robinson, Brandi Peiler (5), and Kaulana Gould, Lena Nahale (5). Jessica Ghizali, Mandy Yoshizu (4) and Iwalani Yamaguchi. WP—Robinson. LP—Ghizali.

Leading hitters: Kamehameha—Liane Horiuchi triple; Napua Naumu 2 RBIs; Robinson 2 RBIs. University High—Richie Titcomb triple.

• SACRED HEARTS 6, MID-PACIFIC 1: Sydney Kaneshiro (3-for-3) and Kimi Daniel (2-for-3) led the Lancers over the Owls.

Sisters Nicole and Catherine Cazinha held Mid-Pacific to one run on two hits.

Mid-Pacific (3-8) 000 001 0—1 2 2
Sacred Hearts (4-6) 112 020 X—6 7 1

Jana Ching and Torie Sumi. Nicole Cazinha, Catherine Cazinha (6) and Tiani Lopez-Mattos. WP—Cazinha. LP—Ching.

Leading hitters: Mid-Pacific—Sumi 2-2. Sacred Hearts—Sydney Kaneshiro 3-3; Kimi Daniel 2-3, double, 3 RBIs.

Soccer

Interscholastic League of Honolulu

Boys Varsity

Pac-Five 7, Saint Louis 0. Pac: Doug Morrison 2, Chris Wittig 1, Aaron Pang 1, Jeremy Wittig 1, Justin Fajola 1, Ryuta Iihama 1.

Kamehameha 2, Hawai'i Baptist 0. Kam: Chad Imhof-Sills, own goal.

Iolani 8, Damien 1. Iol: Nicholas Wong 2, Riley Bruhn 1, Kirtus Adams 1, Dane McCleary 1, William Rauckorst 1, Scott Perske 1, Lee Anderson 1. Dami: Evan Yamashita.

Punahou 4, Mid-Pacific 2. Pun: Stephen Carlson 2, Makena Carr 1, Callum Trigg-Smith 1. MPI: Chris Major, Richie Higa.

O'ahu Interscholastic Association

Western Division

Girls Varsity

Wai'anae 1, Waipahu 0. Waian: Sam Kalalau.

Kapolei 7, Campbell 0. Kapo: Heather Peterson 3,

Sheri-Lynn Tateyama 2, Amanda Richardson 1, Chanel Shiraishi 1.

Mililani 8, Radford 1. Mili: Erin Nakasone 2, Rachel Ling 1, Sarah Yoro 1, Nicky Harris 1, Ashley Nakamoto 1, Shaunna Miyashiro 1, Liane Tom 1. Rad: Jessie Sur.

'Aiea 2, Leilehua 1. Aiea: Lei: Tehani Higa, Ambree Ako. Lei: Annie Lanoza.

Pearl City 7, Waialua 0. PC: Kari Tanimoto 2, Chante Figueroa 1, Lauren Maeshiro 1, Deanna Llacuna 1, Kimberly Unten 1, own goal 1.

Girls JV

Leilehua 2, 'Aiea 0

Boys Varsity

Wai'anae 2, Waipahu 1. Waian: Joshua Woodard, Eddie May. Waip: Howard Howell.

Campbell 2, Kapolei 2 (tie). Camp: Donovan Gaboya, Shaunsey-Blaine Saito. Kapo: Keanui Carmack, Brandon Pieper.

Mililani 9, Radford 0. Mili: Brent Murakami 2, Nathan Amous 2, Patrick Egloria 2, Gerard Buhl 1, Justin

Kim 1, Tory Yamanaka 1.

Leilehua 3, 'Aiea 2. Lei: Aaron Colon 2, RB Bibilone 1. Aiea: Brett Asato 2.

Pearl City 10, Waialua 0. PC: Michael Domingo 2, Keone Peiper 2, Ricky Shinn 2, Christopher Kaaukuu 1, Kenshiro Uki 1, Myles Ayakawa 1, Aaron Kau 1.