HONOLULU — The Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i baseball team made the entire Big Island proud over the weekend on Oahu.
The Warriors played a near-perfect all-around game in the Wally Yonamine Foundation/Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Division II Baseball Championship on Saturday at Les Murakami Field, routing Damien 12-1 in five innings to clinch their second state title in school history. KS-Hawai‘i’s last championship was in 2016.
The Warriors battled rain delays and postponements throughout the three-day tournament, experiencing a two-day semifinal from Thursday to Friday against Kauai due to heavy storms. Nonetheless, KS-Hawai‘i maintained composure and won 7-2 — setting up its run-rule of the Monarchs the following day.
Against Damien, the Warriors’ bats were on fire from the opening pitch, scoring nine runs at the top of the first inning. Shortstop Kaohu Kawelu, catcher Dominic Christensen and pitcher Shiloh Santos led with a game-high two hits apiece. Teammates Liwai Correa, center fielder Kamaka Ili, left fielder Keagan Pacheco and third baseman Braden Gomes additionally logged one each to make up the rest of KS-Hawai‘i’s 10 base hits.
Santos also delivered on the mound for the Warriors, throwing 78 pitches and allowing one run as the team’s sole pitcher of the outing.
On the other side, the Monarchs tallied just four total hits — one each from center fielder Francis O’Connor, left fielder Nainoa Begonia, right fielder Kona Begonia and Sam Cezar-Kanakaole. Damien went deep into its bullpen trying to find answers for KS-Hawai‘i’s red-hot offense, turning to Cade Lurito, Joe Paparo, Max DeTrinis and Cezar-Kanakaole across the five innings.
The Warriors ended 2024 nothing short of dominant — winning the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) DII title, going 16-1 overall and outscoring opponents 168-22. KS-Hawai‘i’s longest winning streak was nine straight before dropping its only game of the season to Hilo on April 13.
The Monarchs finished 2024 6-11 overall. Coming into the tournament as a lower seed, Damien surprised many and made a Cinderella run of its own — routing No. 4 Molokai 18-0 and escaping No. 1 Waianae 2-1 before the title game.
Other state winners
Although KS-Hawai‘i was the only BIIF team that won at states, other teams across the state brought home championship hardware.
In DI baseball, Baldwin and Maui were named co-champions due to rain in the third inning of their championship game Saturday at Les Murakami. Tied 2-2, officials decided to end the game after an hour delay due to safety concerns. Because of various upcoming end-of-the-school-year activities, the two teams were unable to agree to a make-up date. The stats for the shortened game will not count.
This is the Bears’ seventh state title, while the Sabers collected their third.
Over in softball, first-seeded Mililani dominated Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama on Friday in the DI title game at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium — winning 14-1 in five innings.
Out of the Trojans’ 12 hits, third baseman Jerrell Mailo and center fielder Sunni Kahanu led with three apiece. Of Kahanu’s three hits, two of them were home runs. Designated hitter Makayla Pagampao also homered as her lone hit. Teammates Hinano Bautista, shortstop Taryn Hirano, second baseman Kamryn Aoki and catcher Kaui Garcia all had hits.
Bautista additionally pitched for Mililani, going all five innings in the win.
Left fielder Mikaela Scarborough, shortstop Mua Williams, catcher Kezia Lucas and center fielder Marley Espiau made up the Warriors’ four collective hits with one each. The team went through three different pitchers — Peahi Grilho-Armitage, Jordyn Blackstad and Rylie Teramoto.
Mililani finished 2024 17-1 overall, while KS-Kapalama ended at 14-6.
In the DII softball title game Friday at RWSS, Kauai powerhouse No. 1 Kapaa routed PAC-5 13-1 in five innings.
The Warriors out-classed the Wolfpack in hits 12-2. Of Kapaa’s 12 hits, second baseman Rhea Furtado led both teams in hits with three — including a home run. Her teammates — shortstop Sienna Yamashita, third baseman Charlize Kenney, left fielder Hailey Gibson, catcher Lilinoe Kuhaulua-Leong, first baseman Ashlynn Souza, right fielder Makena Kupihea and center fielder Nahe Marshall — also added base hits.
Karlee-Rose Keale was the game’s winning pitcher, throwing all five innings.
Of PAC-5’s two hits, one of them was from center fielder Mauliola Zuttermeister — who also homered.
Third baseman Kylie Oshita logged the Wolfpack’s other hit. Zuttermeister and Miya Yoshioka pitched for PAC-5.
The Warriors finished the season unbeaten at 15-0, while the Wolfpack ended at 11-3-1.