Punahou top seed in state baseball

Advertiser Staff

Nationally ranked Punahou will try to repeat as Wally Yonamine Foundation/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association champion, this time as the No. 1 seed.

The Buffanblu, who are ranked No. 15 in USA Today's Super 25 and No. 43 in Baseball America's poll, earned the top seed yesterday. The tournament begins with first-round action on Wednesday at Les Murakami Stadium and continues through Saturday's championship game.

Punahou (31-2-1 overall, 18-2-1 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu) won the 2004 state title despite being unseeded and without a first-round bye.

Kailua, Baldwin and Waiakea are the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 seeds, respectively, and also will have first-round byes in the 12-team field.

Tournament schedule

Wednesday

First round

11:30 a.m. — Maui (13-4) vs. Moanalua (10-2)

2 p.m. — Kaua'i (11-1) vs. Pearl City (8-5)

4:30 p.m. — Kamehameha-Hawai'i (12-3) vs. Mililani (9-2)

7 p.m. — 'Aiea (9-4) vs. Kamehameha (16-5)

Thursday

Consolation bracket

9 a.m. — Maui/Moanalua loser vs. Kaua'i/Pearl City loser

Quarterfinals

11:30 a.m. — No. 4 Waiakea (12-2) vs. Maui/Moanalua winner

2 p.m. — No. 3 Baldwin (14-3) vs. 'Aiea/Kamehameha winner

4:30 p.m. — No. 1 Punahou (18-2-1) vs. Kaua'i/Pearl City winner

7 p.m. — No. 2 Kailua (10-3) vs. Kamehameha-Hawai'i/Mililani winner

Friday

10 a.m. — Consolation game

12:30 p.m. — Consolation game

3 p.m. — Consolation game

5:30 p.m. — Semifinal

8 p.m. — Semifinal

Saturday

Noon — Consolation final

2:30 p.m. — Fifth place

5 p.m. — Third place

8 p.m. — Championship