HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Mistakes don’t cost Mules
the OIA West baseball title
Leilehua recovered from costly mistakes to beat Pearl City 2-1 and capture the Oahu Interscholastic Association West Division baseball championship yesterday in Wahiawa.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jesse Matsuura lined a single to center to drive home Andrew Ontai with the winning run.
The winning hit decided the fates of dueling pitchers John Olley of the Mules and Tony Ganigan of the Chargers. Olley finished with a six-hitter and didn't walk a batter in the victory. Ganigan yielded four hits.
"I don't know how to explain this, emotions are running so high right now," said Leilehua coach Garett Yukumoto, who also guided the Mules to the West title in 2000, his first year as coach. "I'm so proud of the kids. They've got a never-say-die attitude from the first pitch to the last."
With the win, Leilehua (9-1) wrapped up a first-round bye and the West's top seed in the OIA championship tournament, which starts next Wednesday. Pearl City (7-3) is the third seed out of the West's six postseason teams.
Although yesterday's cloudy and cool weather didn't yield rain, the Mules' celebration was wet. The players all threw water balloons at each other and they doused Yukumoto with a container full of water.
"We struggled early in the game and made it through," Matsuura said. "This feels great. We've worked hard for so long ... from before the season when we were all lifting."
During his pivotal at-bat, Matsuura said he was looking for "that one pitch."
"And he (Ganigan) gave it to me, a fastball, on the first pitch," he said.
Ontai, who scored the winning run, started the rally with a single and got into scoring position on Bryant Moniz's groundout. Before his hit, Ontai was nearly out on a foul pop as Chargers first baseman Blayne Kamahiai chased it down but was unable to snare it.
Leilehua missed golden chances to go ahead. The Mules left the bases full in the fifth, and loaded them up again in the sixth with a drastically poor end result. Yukumoto took two big chances and didn't get the desired payoff when Olley was nabbed in a pickle between third and home on a failed suicide squeeze attempt. Ross Masuhara, who moved to third on the play, became the inning-ending out while trying to steal home during a perfectly timed Pearl City pitchout.
"It could have gone either way, but it went their way," Pearl City coach Melvin Seki said. "It was a helluva ballgame. Tony (Ganigan) is disappointed, but it's only natural to be hurt. That's the reason we play the games, so we can learn how to handle situations like that."
At Fred Wright Field
Pearl City (7-3) 010 000 0 -- 1 6 5 Leilehua (9-1) 010 000 1 -- 2 4 2
Tony Ganigan and Corey Giammalvo; John Olley and Jesse Matsuura. W--Olley. L--Ganigan.
Leading hitters--PC: Giammalvo 2-3, 2b; Thomas Yamasaki RBI; Kyle Fukuda 2-3. Leil: Bryant Moniz 3b; Jesse Matsuura RBI; Melvin Ferreira RBI.
Mililani 15, Waialua 2
Ian Koki, Chaz Miyashio, and Kelsey Nakata combined on a two-hitter as the Trojans defeated the Bulldogs.
At Waialua H.S.
Mililani (6-4) 262 50 -- 15 13 2 Waialua (0-10) 200 00 -- 2 2 3
Ian Koki, Chaz Miyashiro (3), Kelsey Nakata (5) and Jordan Apduhan, Koki (3). Justin Barit, Michael Kuraoka (2) and Justin Manglallan. W--Koki. L--Barit.
Leading hitters--Mil: Jaron Hanzawa 2-3, 2 RBIs; Troy Flores 3-3; Tony Aquino 2-3, 2 RBIs; Pierce Manglallan 2b, 2 RBIs; Brandon Oshiro 2b. Wai: J. Manglallan 2-3, 2 RBIs.
Campbell 14, Waipahu 0
James Bannister bonecrushed a three-run homer and Tristan Bailey added a two-run shot as part of an eight-run third inning as the Sabers shut out the Marauders.
Campbell (7-3) 008 33 -- 14 13 0 Waipahu (3-7) 000 00 -- 0 1 4
Tristan Bailey, Ian Pantonilla (5) and Pantonilla, Jeff Ramos (5). Mark Peralta, Alfred Maglangit (4), Jordan Mikami (5) and Jake Tabieros. W--Bailey. L--Peralta.
Leading hitters--Cam: Brandon Tanigawa 2-3, 2 RBIs; James Bannister 2-3, HR, 4 RBIs; Bailey 2-3, HR, 2 RBIs.
Aiea 17, Radford 0
Na Alii demonstrated their OIA West dominance, ending their regular season with a shuout of the Rams.
At Radford H.S.
Aiea (9-1) 465 20 -- 17 11 0 Radford (2-8) 000 00 -- 0 2 5
Lance Powell, Shane Koga (4), Blake Lamug (5) and CJ Tausaga. Chad Afi, Andrew Atmospera (3) and Kyle Howell. W--Powell. L--Afi.
Leading hitters--Aiea: Dylan Libadisos 2-3, 2b, 3b, 4 RBIs; Powell 4-4, 2b, 3b, 4 RBIs; Kepa Wong 2b, RBI. Rad: Kahoku Tampos 2b.
Waianae 21, Nanakuli 3
Dillon Guzman homered for the Seariders as they pounded the Golden Hawks to finish the season at 6-4.
At Nanakuli H.S.
Waianae (6-4) 012 7(11) -- 21 14 2 Nanakuli (2-8) 120 00 -- 3 5 3
Allen Holt, Ande Kuakini (4) and Mike Ferreira. Bryson Felisi, Devan Harris (4) and Nathan Naehu. W--Holt. L--Felisi.
Leading hitters--Wain: Kuakini 3-3; Ferreira 1-3, 3b; Dillon Guzman 1-3, HR; Ransen Sylva 2-3. Nan: Ainoa Oliveira 2-2.
OIA EAST
Castle 14, Moanalua 9
Shane Dydasco's one-run double in the top of the second ignited a seven-run inning en route to a Knights win over the Menehunes.
At Moanalua H.S.
Castle (4-6) 174 110 -- 14 15 9 Moanalua (5-4-1) 422 010 -- 9 10 3
Kaimi Ah New and David Mohika. Trevor Bell, Chance Daskauskas (2), Andrew Blomberg (5) and Donovan Souza. W--Ah New. L--Bell.
Leading hitters--Cas: Ikaika Reppuhn 2b, RBI; Travis Paaga 2-4, 2b, HR, 4 RBIs; Mohika 2b; Shane Dydasco 2-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Kelsey Kochi 2-4, 2b, RBI; Mike Hiyasoka 2-4; Evan Kaneshiro 3-4. Moan: Glenn Taijeron 3-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Dayne Dela Cruz HR, RBI; Kawika Kaulukukui 2b; Peter Arakawa 2b.
Kailua 11, Kaiser 2
Kekoa Sua belted a two-run homer and Michael Kealoha held the previously unbeaten Cougars to just two runs on four hits as the Surfriders snapped a two-game losing streak by handing the Cougars their first loss of the season.
At Kaiser H.S.
Kailua (7-3) 223 011 2 -- 11 12 0 Kaiser (9-1) 000 001 1 -- 2 4 4
Michael Kealoha and Hoo Obed. Reyn Kimura, Trent Hamada (2), Andy Uehara (5), Mitch Shimabukuro (7) and Jarryd Maeda. W--Kealoha. L--Kimura.
Leading hitters--Kail: Kealoha 3-5, 2 2bs; Kekoa Sua 1-3, HR, 2 RBIs; Kevin Matsumoto 2-4, 2 RBIs; Obed 2-2. Kais: Shimabukuro 2b.
Kalani 7, Kahuku 2
Falcon pitcher Randy Kitagawa faced 29 batters, struck out 14, walked one and allowed only seven hits to end the regular season with a win over the Red Raiders.
At Kahala Field
Kahuku (1-9) 010 001 0 -- 2 7 2 Kalani (8-2) 200 104 x -- 7 8 0
Melvin Silva and Bronson Ponciano-Ahue. Randy Kitagawa and Preston Pires. W--Kitagawa. L--Silva.
Leading hitters--Kah: Ponciano-Ahue 2-3, 2b; Silva 2-2, 2b. Kaln: Chassis Moody 3-3; Trevor Teraoka 2-2.
Kalaheo 17, Kaimuki 0
The Mustangs clinched the final East postseason playoff spot with a rout of the Bulldogs.
At Kaimuki H.S.
Kalaheo (5-5) 403 37 -- 17 10 1 Kaimuki (2-8) 000 00 -- 0 3 4
Sonny Harbottle and Jacob Myking. Tyson Seto-Mook, Corey Morihara (3), Erik Leong (5) and Janson Hew. W--Harbottle. L--Seto-Mook.
Leading hitters--Kalh: Myking 2-2; Aaron Luis 2b, 2 RBIs; Scott Galusha 2-runs, 2 RBIs; Chris Gonglas 2-3, 2-runs; Rasen Kaanoi 3-3, HR, 2-runs, 3 RBIs. Kaim: Morihara 2-3, 2b.
Roosevelt 8, McKinley 2
Grant Hiyami and Josh Danz had two RBIs apiece to lead the Rough Riders.
At McKinley H.S.
Roosevelt (7-3) 404 000 0 -- 8 9 0 McKinley (2-8) 000 020 0 -- 2 7 1
David Chow, Kalani Yoshimura (4), Rob Oshimo (5), David Aquino (6), Ricky Eusebio (7) and Kevin Fujii. Nagatori, Hirosaka (3), Okinaga (6) and Mitani. W--Chow. L--Nagatori.
Leading hitters--Jared Furtado 2-3, 2b; Josh Danz 1-2, 2b, 2 RBIs; Eusebio 2-4; Grant Hiyami 2-4, 2b, 3b, 2 RBIs. McK: Hirosaki 3b; Yonemura 3-3, 2b.
BIIF
First-round playoff game
Keaau 7, Kealakehe 2
W--Kamalu Blaisdell. L--Paxton Chatfield.
Leading hitters--Kea: Kie Awong 2-4, 2b, 3b, 2 runs 2 RBIs. Keal: Alson Kajikawa 3b.