ILH baseball showdown

Saint Louis was young, but successful even before the Interscholastic League of Honolulu baseball season began.

Punahou, the five-time defending state champion, had plenty of holes to fill. The teams meet today in the opening round of the league's double-elimination tournament at Patsy Mink Central Oahu Regional Park.

The Buffanblu are coming off a 3-2 win over 'Iolani. Saint Louis, which opened the season ranked No. 2 in the state, has found its footing as young players were tested in league play.

HBA ranked at top in poll

What was once a hypothetical scenario turned into reality this week, when Hawaii Baptist was voted as the No. 1 team in the Star-Bulletin Boys Volleyball Top 10 (see page 58). Not only is it the Eagles' first stay atop the rankings, this is the first time a Division II team has been voted to the top spot in any sport in recent history.

Since beating then-No. 1 'Iolani in a three-set battle, the Eagles have soared to a place that is well deserved. Though there are just 400 or so students in the high school, HBA is highly competitive in several sports, including cross country and volleyball.

If the Eagles win the rest of their ILH matches — the rest of the slate is against D-II teams — and captures the D-II state tourney, it's possible they could get the nod as the state's No. 1 team in the final Top 10.

Athletes of the week

Girls

Marissa Keao » School: Waialua

» Sport: Softball. She homered and pitched two complete-game victories, allowing one run on nine hits over 14 innings.

Boys

Sheldon Lee » School: 'Iolani

» Sport: Baseball. He pitched a five-hit shutout over Kamehameha in the ILH tiebreaker game as the Raiders won the regular-season title.

Honor roll

Baseball

» Breland Almadova, 'Iolani: homered against Saint Louis, and homered and pitched three scoreless innings in a win over Maryknoll

» Michael Arakaki, Mid-Pacific: hit the game-winning, run-scoring single in the Owls' comeback win over Kamehameha

» Kamalu Kamoku, Aiea: went 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs and pitched five innings for the win against Leilehua

» Jordan Oshiro, Pearl City: went 3-for-5 with a homer, double and five RBIs against Kapolei

» Alika Ramseyer-Ho, Kailua: pitched four innings in relief for the win and belted a game-winning, two-run homer against Moanalua

Softball

» Chandelle Dacosin, Castle: fired a five-inning one-hitter against Kaimuki

» Hayley Luke, Roosevelt: went 3-for-4 with a triple and four RBIs against Farrington

» Noelani Maglinti, Kalaheo: went 4-for-4 with a double against McKinley

» Winona Pauline, Mid-Pacific: fired a complete-game victory in her varsity pitching debut and went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs against Pac-Five

» Kim Souza, 'Iolani: went 4-for-4 with a double and three RBIs against St. Francis

» Charisse Tanabe, Roosevelt: went 4-for-5 with a double and three RBIs against Farrington

» Chante Tesoro, Pac-Five: blasted two home runs against Mid-Pacific

Track and Field

» Cecilla Durocher, Castle: placed first in the 300-meter hurdles and pole vault at the Honolulu Marathon meet at Kaiser High School

» Joy Piotrowski, Punahou: won the long jump and triple jump at the Honolulu Marathon meet

Volleyball

» Kyle Barretta, Hawaii Baptist: had all six of his blocks in the third set as the Eagles upset then-No. 1 'Iolani

» David Fink, 'Iolani: 10 kills against Hawaii Baptist

» Ryan Leung, Hawaii Baptist: team-high 12 kills against 'Iolani

» Logan Nowack, 'Iolani: 28 assists against HBA