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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, August 29, 2005

Nail-biting finish for fans, parents of West O'ahu

Meet the West O'ahu Little League team

Send your well-wishes to Hawai'i's Little Leaguers
West O'ahu is battling for the Little League world championship for ages 11-12
in South Williamsport, Pa. Share your thoughts and well-wishes for the team.

Photo gallery
 •  West O'ahu's triumph 'a dream come true'
 •  Memea's heroic homer boosts Hawai'i pride
 •  Exceptional coaching lifted team to victory
 •  Kids from 'Ewa Beach suddenly stars
 •  Clutch kids save best for last

By SANDRA M. HUFF
Special to The Advertiser

Fans and family members of West O'ahu packed the stands and cheered the team on with chants throughout the Little League World Series. Their devotion paid off with a world championship.

GENE J. PUSKAR | Associated Press

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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — What a finish.

After witnessing their sons, grandsons and nephews make a momentous comeback and win the Little League World Series with a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, family members of the West O'ahu team were emotionally and physically charged.

"It's unbelievable!" said Lorito Aliviado, the uncle of team manager Layton Aliviado and grand-uncle of pitcher and shortstop Kini Enos, second baseman Sheyne Baniaga and first baseman Layson Aliviado. "It's magic! It's a miracle! It's the will of the way — never say die — in Hawaiian spirit — always aloha!"

Terry Memea, the mother of catcher Michael Memea, whose walk-off seventh-inning home run clinched the championship with a 7-6 win over defending champ Curacao, said she felt as though she was going to pass out moments after the intense game.

"I know we needed one run and we had three big batters coming up," Memea said. "I knew we had the leverage, but didn't think it would come that quick."

Memea said she was actually concerned about Michael because he had not been hitting very well before his final at-bat.

"Then he just crushed one out!" she said. "How is that?"

A crowd of 25,506 watched the game at Lamade Stadium.

"They couldn't have gotten any closer than they did to killing us," said Don Vinvalkenburgh, a New Jersey resident and grandfather of left fielder Ty Tirpak, and father-in-law of coach Clint Tirpak.

Ty Tirpak's other grandfather, Clint Tirpak's father, Richard Tirpak, was still trying to calm down.

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack," he said. "That's got to be one of the best Little League games ever played. I have to keep pinching myself."

Richard's wife, Virginia, said her husband paced during the game more than he watched it, and that at one point someone asked if he needed a doctor.

"It's like hitting the lottery," Richard said. "That was just ... just beautiful."

Making up most of Hawai'i's cheering section were about 50 members of the Tirpak family, who were able to make the drive from their homes in New York and New Jersey to support the team.

"It felt pretty good," Ty Tirpak said of when he first realized he and his teammates had won the World Series. "We were happy because we worked really hard for two years. This is what our goal was."

Ty said they had practiced six days a week and all day on the weekends.

His father, Clint, also commented on the team's work ethic.

"They worked hard enough to deserve it and they just had to go take it," he said. "Because when you get this close, all the teams are good, so it all depends on how much you want it."

Family members also said they believed their intense enthusiasm in the stands — which included clapping, chanting and cheering — and faith in the team helped keep the boys motivated during the game.

"I believe that it got the kids pumped up," Terry Memea said of their loud and proud cheering section. "The parents never gave up, we kept cheering — we're so happy to be here."

Although Vinvalkenburgh said the boys claimed they can't hear their supporters in the stands, he said he is certain the fans made a difference during the game.

"They say they don't hear us, but they've got to," he said. "They may not pick certain people out, but they know we're here."

Ty Tirpak agreed that his friends and family played a part in their success.

"It helped keep us up," Ty said. "If we only had a small (cheering) section, I think it would have been harder."