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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Tuesday, June 3, 2003

Mead, Kealoha left striking impressions

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kailua's Michael Kealoha, the OIA East's Co-Player of the Year, batted .425 and made only one error in 10 games at shortstop.

Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

A strikeout artist and a guy tough to strike out share Player of the Year honors in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Eastern Division.

Roosevelt pitcher Kaimi Mead and Kailua shortstop and leadoff batter Michael Kealoha earned the top honors after voting by division coaches.

Mead, a senior left-hander who transferred from Saint Louis, went 4-0 with a 0.78 earned-run average. He struck out 66 of 106 batters faced in 27 innings, with just six walks and 11 hits allowed.

Mead threw a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts against Kalani, and also had 14 strikeouts each against Kalaheo and Kailua.

"You see how the rest of the team reacted when he's pitching," Roosevelt coach Kerry Higa said. "They swing more freely and play looser on defense. They played a lot better."

Roosevelt's Kaimi Mead, the OIA East's Co-Player of the Year, compiled a 4-0 record and 0.78 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 27 innings.

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Kealoha, a junior, was Kailua's leader. On offense, he batted .425 with eight RBIs from the leadoff spot. Defensively, he made only one error in 10 regular-season games and he also pitched 16 innings, going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA.

"In the clutch, he was the guy I wanted up at the plate," Surfriders coach Corey Ishigo said. "And his defense was unbelievable. He took angles and made plays on what usually would be hits."

Kealoha and Mead are joined on the East all-star team by four other Kailua players: sophomore first baseman Ryan Rodrigues, senior second baseman Shaun Sasaki, junior pitcher Chris Mahelona and sophomore designated hitter Kekoa Sua.

Others making the first team are Castle senior third baseman Noah Kon, Farrington junior outfielder Matt Bell, Kaiser sophomore outfielder Landon Ka'aua, Kahuku senior outfielder Kyle Juliano, Kalaheo junior catcher Jacob Myking and Roosevelt senior utility player Cameron Kimura.

Ishigo was named Coach of the Year after guiding the Surfriders to a 9-1 record and the East championship.

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