Special section: Road To Victory
![Pikai Winchester carried the Hawaiian flag during a victory lap after beating Mexico, culminating a month of intense playoff competition and years of commitment.](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2008/Aug/31/hawaii80830066AR_b.jpg)
Waipi'o's championship was not an overnight success story
To national media and casual baseball fan alike, the emergence of Waipi'o as the best Little League team in the world might have seemed like a spontaneous occurrence, the team of unflappable 12- and 13-year-olds mysteriously overrunning the South Williamsport field like mushrooms on the lawn after a warm summer evening.
![Christian Donahue jumps for joy after beating out a hard-hit grounder to first that allowed the tying run to score.](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2008/Aug/31/hawaii80830067AR_b.jpg)
Waipi'o's six-run sixth was rally to remember
When Lake Charles, La., scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on Aug. 23 to take a 5-1 lead on Waipi'o in the Little League World Series U.S. Championship game, hundreds of fans in the announced crowd of 28,500 at historic Lamade Stadium started to make their way to the exits.
![Waipi'o players parade around the field after beating Mexico to win the Little League World Series title in Williamsport, Pa.](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2008/Aug/31/hawaii80830063AR_b.jpg)
Waipi'o wins it all, scoring early, often
In the final game of its thrilling roller-coaster ride to a world championship, the Waipi'o Little League baseball team this time took out much of the drama with a couple innings to spare.
![Timo Donahue](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2008/Aug/31/hawaii80830068AR_b.jpg)
A Pep talk, then a rally
The following is the sequence of Waipi'o's improbable rally in the top of the sixth and final scheduled inning against Lake Charles, La.
![Catcher Iolana Akau and shortstop Christian Donahue let their emotions go after scoring a stunning 7-5 comeback victory.](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2008/Aug/31/hawaii80830064AR_b.jpg)
Improbable rally puts Waipi'o in title game
Struggling with only one run on four hits in the first five innings against imposing 5-foot-11, 154-pound heat-throwing Lake Charles (La.) pitcher Trey Quinn, the Waipi'o Little League baseball team did not give in.
![The Waipi'o Little League team lines up along the third baseline as Christian Donahue recites the Little League pledge before the U.S. championship against Lake Charles, La.](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2008/Aug/31/hawaii80830002AR_b.jpg)
Donahue made all the right moves
Timo Donahue was an Interscholastic League of Honolulu all-star shortstop for Damien, played Pac-10 baseball for the University of Washington and spent four years in the Cleveland Indians farm system.
![Keelen Obedoza tracks his ball as it leaves the stadium for a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth, giving Waipi'o a 6-4 lead. He then pitched the top of the sixth to earn the save.](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2008/Aug/31/hawaii80829098AR_b.jpg)
Catcher made his first hit count
Keelen Obedoza hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a tie and pitched a perfect sixth to lead Waipi'o to a 6-4 come-from-behind victory over Rapid City, S.D., at the Little League World Series.
![Tanner Tokunaga put the game away with a fifth-inning grand slam off Tampa, Fla., pitcher Darren Miller. Greeting Tokunaga at home were Jedd Andrade, above left, and Keelen Obedoza. Tokunaga's hit turned a 6-2 game into a 10-2 rout. Pikai Winchester drove in three.](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2008/Aug/31/hawaii80829097AR_b.jpg)
Parade of hits and runs for Waipi'o
Pikai Winchester drove in three runs and Waipi'o overcame an early two-run deficit to beat Tampa, Fla., 10-2, at the Little League World Series.
![Christian Donahue is pumped after he manufactured the tiebreaking run by stealing third and scoring on a wild pitch for a 2-1 lead.](http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2008/Aug/31/hawaii80829095AR_b.jpg)
Pitching, hitting, and hustle key to win
Christian Donahue's hustle led to the go-ahead run and Pikai Winchester's solo homer helped back a strong pitching performance by starter Caleb Duhay as Waipi'o defeated Shelton, Conn., 3-1, at the Little League (ages 11-12) World Series.
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