Kailua takes OIA

Longballs and strikeouts got the highlights for Kailua, but in the end, defense led to another championship.

Ashley Hopfe and Krista Dumandan combined on a three-hitter as the Surfriders defeated Leilehua 6-0 last night for the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference softball championship.

Kailua (13-2) earned the OIA's opening-round bye for the state championships, which begin Wednesday. Leilehua (9-7) also plays in the state tourney after a remarkable run in the playoffs.

"Nobody expected us to be here. We're second in the OIA, and that's nothing to be ashamed of," Leilehua first-year coach Stacy Araki said.

With Shyenne Hussey and Jarrish Mauhili-Kaneakua providing thunder for the Kailua hitting attack, the Surfriders won their 14th OIA championship. Six of them have come under the guidance of Bernard Victor.

"This year, we've played good defense, and we're playing well together," Victor said. "We weren't bringing runners home early in the season."

Oh, how that has changed. The Surfriders came out swinging from the start. Syd Kaneshiro and Dumandan socked singles before the No. 3 hitter, Hussey, belted a Ruthian three-run homer over the right-field fence.

"I was looking for a base hit," said Hussey, a senior. "I looked up when I got to first and it was gone."

That gave Hopfe plenty of confidence. With a sterling defense behind her, Hopfe retired the first 13 Mules she faced, but ran into problems in the fourth.

Tiana Vierra reached base on a check-swing single that barely got halfway to first base before Hopfe walked Chelsea Crawford. After Jamie Kim lined a single to left, the bases were loaded for Leilehua.

Victor immediately made a switch, bringing Dumandan in from right field to replace Hopfe.

"I was surprised. I thought Ashley was doing well. The defense was backing her up," the sophomore said.

The veteran coach's tactic worked. Dumandan struck out Mahealani Christian and induced a flyout by Ashley Phillips to douse the fire.

"The inning before, I started thinking about making a change already," Victor said. "The walk, the hit, those could have built Leilehua's confidence."

The Surfriders answered Leilehua's threat moments later. After Kaneshiro doubled to the center-field fence, Dumandan reached base on an infield single and Hussey was hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded, Brittany Tokunaga's sacrifice fly to left brought Kaneshiro home for a 4-0 Kailua lead.

Mauhili-Kaneakua, better known as "Rambo" to teammates, then belted a two-out double to deep center, scoring Dumandan and Hussey to give the Surfriders a comfortable 6-0 lead.

Leilehua	000	000	0	--	0	3	0
Kailua	300	030	x	--	6	8	0

Alex Smith and Ashley Phillips. Ashley Hopfe, Krista Dumandan (4) and Brittany Tokunaga. W--Hopfe. L--Smith. Sv--Dumandan.
Leading hitters--Leilehua: Tiana Vierra 2-3. Kailua: Syd Kaneshiro 2-4, 2b, 2 runs; Dumandan 2-3, 2 runs; Hussey 1-3, HR, 3 RBIs.

THIRD-PLACE GAME

Pearl City 9, Mililani 6

Marina Gusman-Brown and Sanoe Aina powered the Chargers past the rival Trojans. Along with a complete-game win, Gusman-Brown went 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice. Aina drove in three runs with a homer and a double.

Pearl City	320	010	3	--	9	9	2
Mililani	030	100	2	--	6	8	1

Marina Gusman-Brown and Noelle Hirahara. Kishti Kamaka, Sarah Fukumoto (3) and Casey Sugihara. W--Gusman-Brown. L--Kamaka.
Leading hitters--PC: Gusman-Brown 2-4, 2b, 2 runs; Sanoe Aina 2-3, HR, 2b, 3 RBIs. Mililani: Makani Duhaylonsod 2-4.

FIFTH-PLACE GAME

Moanalua 3, Kapolei 1

Shelby Nakachi hit a two-run double to lift the Menehunes past the Hurricanes in the fifth-place game.

At Moanalua H.S. field

Kapolei (9-7)	000	100	0	--	1	5	3
Moanalua (11-5)	002	001	x	--	3	5	1

Tajia Acierto, Cierra Acierto (3) and Ashlynn Ashby. Sarah Robinson and Shelby Nakachi. W--Robinson. L--C. Acierto.
Leading hittters--Kap: Kaili Smith 2-3, 2b, RBI; Jasmin Yoro 1-3; Champagne Paris 1-3. Moan: Traci Yoshikawa 3-3, run; Nakachi 1-3, 2b, 2 RBIs; Lea Tamura 1-2, run.

Seventh-place game
Campbell 6, Castle 2