His team surprised him last year, winning a fifth straight Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I title despite entering the season with virtually a brand-new starting lineup.
His team surprised him last year, winning a fifth straight Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I title despite entering the season with virtually a brand-new starting lineup.
However, with just about everybody from Waiakea’s championship team returning, Warriors coach Bo Saiki knows his team won’t sneak up on anybody this year.
“We’re the ones with the target on our back,’’ Saiki said.
But Saiki said a sixth consecutive title won’t come so easily.
Keaau got a boost with the addition of Hilo transfer Chelsey Pacatang-Hirai, and the Vikings lost just two other seniors from last year’s team.
Also, the emergence of Summer McEntee in the circle has the Waveriders primed to make a run at their third consecutive Hawaii High School Athletic Association state tournament appearance.
“It’s going to be a challenging season,’’ Saiki said. “We’ve got to improve like everybody else because everybody else is getting stronger.”
Below is a team-by-team Division I softball preview, with teams listed in alphabetical order:
HILO
c Coach: Leo Sing Chow (third season)
c 2011 record: 7-4 (lost to Kealakehe 16-5 in BIIF semifinals)
c Players to watch: Ashlyn Kaneshiro (P, Sr.), Fantacie Keahilihau-Kuamoo (SS, Jr.), Aliesa Kaneshiro (C, So.), Shyanne Higa-Gonsalves (UTIL, So.), Tracee Fukunaga (2B/LF, Sr.)
c Between the lines: Looking back on last year, Sing Chow hopes her team can handle the pressure of playing in tight games a little better. The Vikings took a step in the right direction on Friday, beating perennial power Kamehameha-Hawaii 4-2.
The Hilo coach said she tries to avoid talk surrounding wins and losses, instead focusing on improvement on the field.
Sing Chow said senior pitcher Ashlyn Kaneshiro has improved in the circle.
“She’s focusing on hitting her spots and making the ball move,’’ Sing Chow said. “She’s been doing well.”
Junior Wendilyn Simmons will also have opportunities to pitch.
Kaneshiro’s sister, Aliesa, will catch, and Sing Chow likes the younger Kaneshiro’s arm behind the plate. Also, Fukunaga and Nau give the Vikings strong defense on the infield.
Ashlyn and Aliesa Kaneshiro will bat second and third, respectively, while the fleet-footed Higa-Gonsalves will hit leadoff. If any of the three can get on base, the powerful Keahilihau-Kuamoo can put runs on the scoreboard in a hurry.
“She has the potential to be a great leader,’’ Sing Chow said.
KEAAU
c Coach: William Wong (fourth season)
c 2011 record: 4-7 (lost to Waiakea 5-4 in BIIF semifinals)
c Players to watch: Jacy Pagala (2B, Sr.), Chelsey Pacatang-Hirai (P, Sr.), Momi Cariaga (P, Sr.), Lohi Wong (P/SS, Fr.), Rylan Hakoma (3B, Fr.)
c Between the lines: The effective Pacatang-Hirai returns to the Cougars, but William Wong expects to give Cariaga and the promising Lohi Wong their fair share of innings in the circle.
“I’m going to use the three of them anytime,’’ William Wong said.
Pagala, also a star player for the school’s basketball and soccer teams, gives the team offensive firepower and speed. She’ll hit third in Keaau’s order.
Experienced senior Mahina Homalan and Lohi Wong will share time at shortstop.
But William Wong will lean on a handful of younger players this season.
Hakoma gives the team more speed at the leadoff spot, and William Wong likes the way sophomore Shanaya Wong has performed at the plate, giving the Keaau coach reason to believe the Cougars won’t have any problems scoring runs this season.
KEALAKEHE
c Coach: Wesley Takimoto (eighth season)
c 2011 record: 9-7 (lost to Waiakea 3-2 in BIIF final, 0-2 at HHSAA state tournament)
c Players to watch: Summer McEntee (P, Sr.), Nicole Rivera (2B, Sr.), Brooke Rivera (3B, Sr.), Ashley Isisaki (SS, Jr.)
c Between the lines: The Waveriders graduated all-everything Kihani Palmer-Kahananui, who turned in gritty performances in the circle while hitting a robust .719 and driving in 17 runs.
But McEntee gave Kealakehe got a shot in the arm on Friday, throwing a four-hit shutout against a Kohala team that topped last year’s Division II regular-season standings at 10-2.
McEntee showed great velocity in the circle last season, but Takimoto said her improved command of the strike zone has made her effective this season.
“She’s looking good control-wise,’’ Takimoto said. “She has nice velocity, and the change-up is working for her, too.”
It appears the Waveriders have enough offense to give McEntee the run support she needs.
At the top of the order, Brooke and Nicole Rivera can get on base consistently. Isisaki, the team’s cleanup hitter, can hit for power.
The Waveriders figure to do well defensively considering they return three quarters of their infield in Brooke Rivera, Nicole Rivera and Isisaki.
Kealakehe may have gotten stronger defensively in the outfield with strong-armed junior Taylor Kurashige patrolling center field.
Add everything up, and Takimoto believes the Waveriders should make a run at their third straight state tournament berth.
Kealakehe beat both Hilo and Keaau in nonconference play at Pahoa’s preseason tournament.
“We should be there again,’’ Takimoto said. “But I don’t want them to get too overconfident.”
WAIAKEA
c Coach: Bo Saiki (seventh season)
c 2011 record: 12-2 (beat Kealakehe 3-2 in BIIF final, 0-2 at HHSAA state tournament)
c Players to watch: Chelsea Camello (P, Sr.), Skyler Agrigado (3B, Sr.), Brandi Maximo (SS, Jr.), Cheylee Octavio (RF, So.), Anela Granito-Wallace (1B, Sr.)
c Between the lines: Everything starts with Camello, who pitched a complete game on Friday as the Warriors won their 55th consecutive BIIF contest with a 7-2 win over Pahoa.
Last year’s East Hawaii BIIF Player of the Year doesn’t overpower batters, but she’s a control specialist who mixes speeds well.
During the 2011 regular season, the senior went 10-0 with a 1.20 ERA. In 58 1/3 innings, she gave up 38 hits, walking only 14 batters and striking out a whopping 80.
“She’s just mentally strong,’’ Saiki said of Camello.
Saiki likes the defense behind Camello, especially up the middle with junior Alexis Anzai at second and Maximo at short. The Waiakea coach said junior center fielder said junior Desarae Javillonar adds “good speed and a strong arm” in center field.
Saiki has more speed at the top of the batting order with sophomore Cheylee Octavio. Behind her, Maximo gives Waiakea a good contact hitter with a high on-base percentage. Last season, she hit .333 and drove in 10 runs.
Agrigado, who hit .679 with 15 RBIs last season, provides power out of the cleanup spot. Agrigado, Maximo, Octavio and Javillonar all earned first-team All-BIIF East Hawaii honors in 2011.
The Warriors gained a quality hitter in Granito-Wallace, who hit the ball well in nonconference play and drove in three runs in Waiakea’s win over the Daggers.
Junior catcher Ariana Mareko and senior left fielder Ishael Shaw-DeMello round out the starting lineup.
When asked about team goals, Saiki emphasized focus.
“What we talked about is to stay intense,’’ Saiki said. “We need to keep that intensity up.”