Mililani tops Kapolei for D-I championship
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Mililani High School won its first state softball championship last night, holding off defending Division I champion Kapolei, 5-3, at the University of Hawai'i's Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
The Trojans (16-3) had lost to the Hurricanes (14-5) in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association title game, 9-1, on Feb. 5. But last night, Mililani broke a 1-1 tie on Dana Lee's solo home run in the third inning and broke it open with three runs in the fourth, taking advantage of a two-base throwing error and getting a run-scoring single from Lee.
Mililani's Dana Lee is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run against Kapolei in the third inning of the Division I state softball championship. Mililani beat defending champion Kapolei, 5-3.
Kapolei fought back with two runs in the fifth after RBI singles from Ka'ili Smith and Malama Manuma, but Trojans freshman pitcher Makani Duhaylonsod stranded two runners by recording the final assist in the top of the seventh for her fourth tournament victory.
"This is unbelievable," said Lee, a junior first baseman. "We have so many young players, this gives us hope even for next year since we have our freshman pitcher. But we also have five seniors who have been here a long time, and we really wanted to do it for them."
Lee actually was Mililani's No. 1 starter the past two seasons, but handed over that role to Duhaylonsod in the past two weeks of postseason play.
"I have no problem with it," Lee said. "People said I was the ace pitcher on our team, but I think she is because look at what she just did — she came through when we needed her."
Duhaylonsod struck out only two and gave up 11 hits, but got all the crucial outs against some of the Hurricanes' most dangerous hitters.
"She came through," said Mililani coach Mike Okimoto, who said he will step down after just completing his 11th season at the Trojans' helm.
Okimoto, who had developed Mililani into a multiple OIA champion and Hawai'i powerhouse the past decade, said this team was not expected to be the one to win the elusive state championship.
"This year was tough, we had to overcome a lot of stuff," Okimoto said. "This team does not have many stars, but it is well-rounded and it was a team effort. When it came to that, these kids were unreal, and that's why they won — because they were a team, nothing else.
"It's a good way to go out."
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.
KAPOLEI MILILANI
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Robinol rf/lf 3 0 1 0 Ci. Senas lf 4 1 2 0
Warash. lf/cf 3 1 1 0 Sugihara 2b 3 1 1 0
A. Paris ss 4 1 2 0 Lee 1b 4 1 3 1
Yoro 2b 4 0 1 0 Apo dp 4 0 1 0
Smith cf/c 3 1 3 1 Goo ss 2 0 1 0
T. Acierto p 4 0 0 0 Virtudes c 3 0 1 0
Manuma 1b 4 0 2 1 Cuban pr 0 1 0 0
Ribac pr 0 0 0 0 Duhaylon. p 3 0 0 0
C. Paris 3b 3 0 1 1 Maxwell pr 0 0 0 0
Ashby c 3 0 0 0 Bolosan cf 3 0 0 0
Morales rf 0 0 0 0 Lehano 3b 3 1 1 1
Ch. Senas rf 0 0 0 0
Totals 31 3 11 3 Totals 29 5 10 2
KAPOLEI (14-5) 010 020 0—3
MILILANI (16-3) 011 300 x—5
E—Yoro, C. Paris, Ashby, Sugihara, Lee, Duhaylonsod. DP—Mililani 1. LOB—Kapolei 10, Mililani 8.
2B—Virtudes. HR—Lee. SB—Sugihara, Lee, Bolosan. SH—Robinol, Sugihara, Goo.
Kapolei IP H R ER BB SO
T. Acierto 6 10 5 2 0 5
Mililani
Duhaylonsod 7 11 3 1 2 2
WP—T. Acierto.
T—2:03. A—1,050.
All-tournament team
Infielders—Kimberly Goo (Mililani), Marina Gusman-Brown (Pearl City), Dana Lee (Mililani), Jasmin Yoro (Kapolei).
Outfielders—Ciera Senas (Mililani), Ka'ili Smith (Kapolei), Shanna Vierra (Pearl City).
Catcher—Erin Guerrero (Kailua).
Pitchers—Tajia Acierto (Kapolei), Makani Duhaylonsod (Mililani).
Most outstanding—Duhaylonsod.
Selected by the media
