Punahou 4-peats

Buffanblu stop the Chargers 7-1 for the state baseball title

Punahou coach Eric Kadooka was thankful for modern technology.

Without it, his ace, Harrison "Jeeter" Ishida, would not have been ready for last night's Wally Yonamine Foundation/ HHSAA State Baseball Championship game at Les Murakami Stadium.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM Most Outstanding Player: Harrison "Jeeter" Ishida, Punahou Infield: Kellen Ushijima, Pearl City; Trysen Cosier, Kamehameha-Hawaii; Reece Kiriu, Punahou; Chad Quillopo, Pearl City; Ryne Acosta, Pearl City. Outfield: Tyson Goo, Kamehameha-Hawaii; Matt Suiter, Punahou; Rorry Nakayama, Pearl City Catcher: Zach Kometani, Punahou Pitcher: Toby Inouye, Kaiser Utility: Paul Snieder, Punahou

Ishida's sterling performance in the state baseball championship -- two wins, one earned run in 14 innings with 16 strikeouts -- led Punahou to its fourth state crown in a row as the Buffanblu beat the Pearl City Chargers 7-1.

The unprecedented accomplishment by the Buffanblu came just after Ishida fell and sprained his ankle as the team arrived at the stadium on Thursday.

"It was inside the dugout. There used to be carpet there last year, I think," catcher Zachary Kometani said. "I know he was hurting. He was limping all over."

Kadooka's prayer was answered, though, with top-notch medical care from the Punahou staff and sports medicine specialist Dr. Pat Ariki.

Ishida went six strong innings last night to lead the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champions over their Oahu Interscholastic Association counterparts.

Punahou finished the season with a 17-1 mark as the Buffanblu captured their 10th state title overall in baseball. Ishida gave up only one run on six hits. He struck out six and walked two, which was good enough for Punahou to seal the deal.

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NO MATTER WHAT adjustments Pearl City coach Melvin Seki tried to make, it really didn't matter.

Punahou was just too good.

The top-seeded Buffanblu capped one of the most dominant seasons in Hawaii high school history with their fourth consecutive state championship after beating Pearl City 7-1 in last night's Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA State Baseball Championship game at Les Murakami Stadium.

The Buffanblu (17-1) were ranked No. 1 all season long and showed how talented they are by romping through the state tournament. They won all three of their games by a combined score of 28-7 and never trailed in any game. They now have won 14 straight state-tournament games dating back to a loss in the 1997 state final to Iolani. It's Punahou's 10th state title overall.

"Our teams have been kind of the same up to this year," Punahou coach Eric Kadooka said. "I'm probably most proud of this team because of the external pressure they had on them."

Punahou junior Jeeter Ishida baffled the Chargers over six innings of work to pick up the win. The reigning Star-Bulletin pitcher of the year gave up six hits and one run while striking out six and walking two. He was a game-time decision to start after spraining his ankle prior to the Buffanblu's quarterfinal game against Hilo, but showed no ill effects on the mound.

"On the mound I was fine," Ishida said. "I struggled at the beginning with my control, but getting a strikeout with the bases loaded is huge -- not only for me, but the team, too."

Zachary Kometani doubled and drove in three runs and Evan Bisho bounced back from an 0-for-4 game in the semifinals to score two runs and reach base three times.

For the Chargers, Ryne Acosta and Carlton Tanabe had two hits apiece, but they were the only ones who found success against Ishida. The Oahu Interscholastic Association champions entered the final on a nine-game winning streak, but couldn't get that last win, which would have delivered the school's first-ever state baseball championship.

"I haven't experienced a team that went on a roll like this team did over the last few weeks," Seki said. "I was hoping we wouldn't peak until after this game, but Punahou was outstanding. I don't think we've seen a pitcher like Ishida in a long time."

Leadoff walks killed the Chargers all night, especially in the fourth inning. Trailing by one, Pearl City's Kurt Poentis walked Jeremy Fujimoto to open the inning. Another walk and a hit batter loaded the bases, forcing Seki to bring in Cory Yuh from the bullpen. The crafty right-hander struck out Joshua Bninski for the second out, but couldn't sneak a fastball past Kometani, who drove a 2-0 pitch into the gap in right-center for a ground-rule double that plated two runs.

"I told myself to look fastball up in the count and I saw it coming out of his hand before he even threw it," Kometani said. "I really wanted the triple though because it would scored another run."

Paul Snieder put the Buffanblu on top 1-0 in the first inning with a two-out RBI single up the middle past the diving attempt of Pearl City shortstop Chad Quillopo. Matt Suiter, who opened the game with a walk, scored on the play.

The Chargers managed to work Ishida in the bottom of the first inning, forcing the junior right-hander to throw 29 pitches in the opening frame. Bryson Nakamura and Kellen Ushijima drew two-out walks, and Jeffrey Domingo singled to load the bases, but Ishida struck out Tanabe to end the threat.

Bninski started the third inning with a triple to left-field that fell just under the glove of Nakamura. Bninski then scored on a balk to make it a 2-0 game. Punahou put runners on first and third with two outs, but relief pitcher Poentis picked off Young at first to end the inning.

The Chargers cut the lead to 2-1 on a groundout by Ushijima that scored Acosta, who singled with one out. Nakayama, who followed Acosta's hit with a double, was stranded on third when Ishida struck out Domingo on three pitches.

Punahou added the final run in the seventh inning on an RBI triple by Jeremy Fujimoto.

"Chemistry and senior leadership is big on championship teams, but for us, great teams are the ones that do the little things," Kadooka said. "Jeeter was huge again tonight and I thought this was one of his best performances."

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Punahou 7, Pearl City 1

Punahou	AB	R	H	BI	Pearl City	AB	R	H	BI
Suiter cf	1	1	0	0	Nakayama cf	4	0	0	0
Bninski	3	1	1	1	Acosta 2b	3	1	2	0
Kometani c	2	0	1	3	Nakamura lf	2	0	1	0
Yoshiyama pr	0	0	0	0	Dekneef lf	0	0	0	0
Snieder 1b	3	0	1	1	Ushijima 1b	2	0	0	1
Kiriu 2b	3	1	1	0	Domingo dh	3	0	1	0
Young dh	2	0	0	0	Tanabe c	3	0	2	0
Fujimoto 3b	3	1	1	1	Tanaid prph	1	0	0	0
Lee ph	0	0	0	0	Casarez 3b	2	0	0	0
Makaula rf	1	0	0	0	Quillopo ss	2	0	0	0
Kunita rf	2	1	1	0	Sugitaya rf	2	0	0	0
Bisho lf	3	2	1	0	Rasa ph	1	0	0	0
Lim 1b	0	0	0	0
Totals	23	7	7	6	Totals	25	1	6	1

Punahou (17-1)	101	202		1		--	7	7	0
Pearl City (13-4)	001	000		0		--	1	6	1

E--Yuh. LOB--Punahou 8, Pearl City 6. 2B--Kometani; Nakamura. 3B--Bninski; Fujimoto. SH--Suiter; Snieder; Young; Kunita; Quillopo. SF--Bninski; Kometani. SB--Suiter; Acosta; Nakamura. CS--Young.

Punahou	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Ishida (W)	6	6	1	1	2	6
Snieder	1	0	0	0	0	0
Pearl City	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Muraoka (L)	2 1/3	3	2	2	2	3
Poentis	1	0	2	2	2	0
Yuh	2 2/3	2	2	1	0	3
Nakamura	1	2	1	1	0	1

HBP--by Muraoka (Kiriu); by Poentis (Young); by Poentis (Suiter). BK--Muraoka.

T--2:15. A--2,906.

THIRD PLACE

Kaiser 4, Kamehameha-Hawaii 2

At Les Murakami Stadium

KS-Hawaii (13-5)	000	020	0	--	2	6	2
Kaiser (11-6)	011	110	x	--	4	4	1

Isaac Chung, Reece Alnas (4) and Kolten Wong. Toby Inouye and Bryce Marcouiller. W--Inouye. L--Chung.

Leading hitters--Kamehameha-Hawaii: Makana Cazimero 2-3; Blake Amaral 3b. Kaiser: Marcouiller 2-3, 2b.

FIFTH PLACE

Waiakea 14, Hilo 8

At Les Murakami Stadium

Hilo (12-5)		004	400	--	8	8	5
Waiakea (14-2)		006	62x	--	14	14	0

Royce Ebesu, Kendal Ushijima (4), Casey Koizumi (4), Jordan Otis (5) and Kiley Kawazoe. Matthew Loeffler, Sheldon Shishido (4), Michael Kenui (5) and Rory Inouye. W--Shishido. L--Ushijima.

Leading hitters--Hilo: Ebesu 2-3, 2b, 3 RBIs; Cortney Arruda 2 RBIs; Kawazoe HR, 3 RBIs. Waiakea: Inouye 2b; Brian Alben 2-3, 3b, 2 runs; Thad Yasuhara 3-4, 3b, 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Richie Chinen 2 RBIs; Colin Cabatbat 2-2, 2 runs.

CONSOLATION FINAL

Mililani 6, Kauai 4

At Les Murakami Stadium

Mililani (12-4)	001	203	0	--	6	10	3
Kauai (12-3)	110	000	2	--	4	6	3

Kylen Cadiam and Richard Mariano, Brandon Akiyoshi (6), Kacey Miyasato (6). Braden Balocan, Rysan Sakamoto (4), Dalston Miyasato (6) and Anthony Calves, Lanan Rice-Kashima (6). W--Cadiam. L--Sakamoto.

Leading hitters--Mililani: Adam Schroeder 2-4, 2b, 2 RBIs; Joshua Queja 2-4; Travis Jones 2-3. Kauai: Jordan Leanio 2-3; Rice-Kashima 2 RBIs; Kaylen Wakumoto 2b.