Iolani baseball coach Dean Yonamine sees the Interscholastic League of Honolulu as highly competitive from top to bottom this year. Iolani’s Yonamine
predicts close ILH
baseball seasonBy Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.comThe Raiders beat Maryknoll 7-0 in last Saturday's season-opener.
"No one really has a team filled with veteran guys," he said.
"Everybody has to mix and match youth with veterans. There'll be a lot of parity.
"Because it's so even, anything goes. It'll go down to who's pitching and playing the most defense. Nobody's a real weak hitting team."
The Raiders return standout senior catcher Kala Ka'aihue, who has orally committed to play at the University of Hawaii. Senior third baseman Reid Saito and senior right-handed pitcher Dustin Goto are other key returnees.
Yonamine said defending league champion Kamehameha is loaded on offense with Keoni Ruth, J.P. Kennedy, Kahe Santos, Nick Freitas and Isaac Kamai, among others, who can swing the bat.
The Iolani coach believes defending state champion Mid-Pacific is the team to beat until someone knocks the Owls off.
Shortstop Troy Hanzawa, outfielder Keven Whalen and third baseman John Hee are among the solid returners for Mid-Pacific, which may suffer from the loss of standout pitcher Ryan Basco, who transferred to Leilehua.
Yonamine also thinks some of the other league's premium players will go a long way in helping their teams --infielder Danny Lee and outfielder Shane Butcher of Saint Louis, left-handed pitchers Tyler Inouye and Owen Simmons of Pac-Five, and first baseman/pitcher Mark Veneri and third baseman Kasey Ko of Punahou.
Saint Louis lost pitcher Kaimi Mead, who transferred to Roosevelt.
"We went 6-5-2 in the preseason," Yonamine said. "We showed moments of greatness and we also had moments that were real terrible.
"But one loss (in the regular season) won't matter in this league. Even if you've got two, three or four losses, you'll still have a chance."
Yonamine is glad to have Ka'aihue back. He was out with a broken foot for most of last year.
"If he's not the best catcher in the state, he's one of the best," the Raiders coach said.
Wolfpack have bite: Pac-Five baseball coach Randy Oyama likes his team's chances for a successful year.
The Wolfpack beat defending state champion Mid-Pacific 4-1 last Saturday in the season opener.
"We're relatively young, but we can play some ball," Oyama said. "Overall, we're pretty small, but we do some things pretty well. We run well and we put the ball in play. I think we can do the job.
"The biggest obstacle we face is consistency. Against Mid-Pacific, we were into it and intense. But in some preseason games, we were virtually lifeless."
He's counting on shortstop Jeris Nakamatsu, catcher Colby Holt and junior pitchers Inouye and Simmons for leadership.
Nakamatsu and Holt are three-year starters.
"Inouye is a little midget, but he's crafty and he keeps hitters off balance," Oyama said. "He never gives me any problems and is always alert."
Inouye, who earned the victory against the Owls, is high on the team's prospects.
"We've got a lot of potential. The team is focused and ready to play," he said.
Grappling girls return: Two former Moanalua wrestlers -- 1999 graduates Shelley Tomita and Clarissa Tomita -- came back to help coach Joel Kawachi as assistant coaches this year. The Menehunes placed second among girls teams at last weekend's state tournament.
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Athletes of the Week
BOYS
>> Jonathan Spiker, Saint Louis: Won his fourth straight state wrestling title by beating Konawaena's Ray-Ian Transfiguracion in the 152-pound final.
GIRLS
>> Caylene Valdez, Moanalua: Became Hawaii's first girl wrestler to capture four straight state championships after she beat Tamitha Hufana of Farrington in the 114-pound final.
Honor Roll
Wrestling
>> Laosamoa Misa-Uli, Farrington: She won the 175-pound weight class at the state meet to finish off an undefeated season.
>> Danyelle Hedin, Kailua: Won her second straight state title in the 121-pound class.
>> Jared Wakayama and Ben Wilmore, Saint Louis: Captured their second straight state championship.
>> Elizabeth Torres, Kahuku: Earned her first state title after placing second two years in a row.
>> Rene Suehiro, McKinley: Won his second straight state title.
Basketball
>> Megan Ching, Kamehameha: Scored 14 points in a win over Maryknoll. She also had four rebounds, two steals and two assists.
>> Kiani Wong, Iolani: Scored seven of her nine points in the fourth quarter to help the Raiders break away from St. Francis. She had four rebounds and three steals in the game, and she also scored 11 points in a win over Maryknoll.
>> Jodi Kamemoto, Hawaii Baptist Academy: In a Division II victory over Hanalani and losses to St. Andrew's Priory and Punahou, she combined for 48 points, five assists and nine rebounds.
>> Diane Okubo, University: Scored 38 points with 11 assists, nine rebounds and six steals in three games last week.
>> Sela Fisilau, Maryknoll: Poured in 20 points in a victory over University.
>> Hennasea Tokumura, Iolani: Hit a clutch basket in overtime to help the Raiders beat Maryknoll.
>> Danielle Mafua, Mid-Pacific: Scored 13 points to lead the Owls past Sacred Hearts.
Cheerleading
>> Kamehameha: Roelle Ho'ohuli, Giselle Kim, Summer Maunakea, Kamaile Maldonado, Jessie Ahuna, Mia Archuleta, Tiare Camarillo, Kanana Dang, Alyssa Kong, Tamara Patton, Shawna Lee and Emi Manuia won the large division at the state tournament.
>> Moanalua: Blossom Caballero, Janelle Corpuz, Jessica Reed, Angelica Wright, Megan Batara, Maria Olmos, Lelanie Gastro, Tyzelle Ortego, Jenna Nedey and Linsey Okumoto won the medium division at the state tournament.
Baseball
>> Darin Yamashita and Eric Muraoka, Iolani: Yamashita went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs in a win over Maryknoll. Muraoka pitched a complete-game shutout.
>> Avery Kagawa and Shannon Camero, Waiakea: Had three hits each in a victory over Kealakehe.
>> Tyler Inouye and Paul Nishimura, Pac-Five: Inouye went the distance on the mound and Nishimura went 2-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the Wolfpack over Mid-Pacific.
>> Robert Kurisu, Punahou: Went 2-for-2 with three RBIs in a victory over Damien.
>> Keoni Ruth, Kamehameha: Went 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI in a win over Saint Louis.
Golf
>> Troy Higashiyama, Mid-Pacific: Shot a 65 and earned boys medalist honors at an ILH meet at the Kalakaua Golf Course.
>> Lindsay Hong, Punahou: Won girls medalist honors with a 75 at the Kalakaua course.
>> Casey Kobashigawa, Iolani: Shot a 72 for boys medalist honors in a tournament at the Pali Golf Course.
>> Mari Chun, Kamehameha: Earned girls medalist honors at the Pali course.
Track and Field
>> Carly Killam, Punahou: Won the 200- and 400-meter runs and anchored the winning 400-meter relay team at an ILH meet.
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