It was the look every coach wants to see from a player, one of steely determination that made Keaau’s Peter Ngirngotel confident he was making the right call.
It was the look every coach wants to see from a player, one of steely determination that made Keaau’s Peter Ngirngotel confident he was making the right call.
Then again, Lohi Kamakea-Wong didn’t leave him much of a choice, not with a glare that Ngirngotel read as give me the ball and get out of the way.
“I wasn’t going to let anybody else pitch,” she said. “My senior year. I just wanted to get us a strong to start.”
Her look, as it turned out, was not one of an eventual BIIF champion. But under Kamakea-Wong’s watch, the Cougars’ program reached new heights.
As a freshman, she already was front and center for Keaau, earning a save as the Cougars ended Waiakea’s 59-game league winning streak.
“I remember being scared,” she said.
That trepidation soon lifted, and as a senior Kamakea-Wong led Keaau to its second HHSAA tournament berth in three years.
In a BIIF Division I softball season that featured uncommon parity, Kamakea-Wong was selected Player of the Year.
What was the look on her face when she found out?
“I was surprised more than confident that I would get it,” she said.
Kamakea-Wong was Keaau’s ace for the better part of three seasons, but Ngirngotel preferred to insert her in the middle of the lineup in the field in many games during the 2015 regular season because she was versatile and trustworthy.
“I could play her anywhere,” Ngirngotel said.
But with Keaau set to take on postseason nemesis Hilo in the BIIF semifinals in a do-or-die, best-of-three series, Ngirngotel had little doubt who he was going to give the ball to – at least in the first game a doubleheader
Kamakea-Wong highlighted the 16-5 victory, pitching a complete game with six strikeouts and hitting a home run with four RBIs.
It was in between games that Ngirngotel approached Kamakea-Wong and asked her how she felt and told her to let him know if she got tired during Game 2. Ngirngotel handed the ball to his right-hander and never saw it again as the Cougars won 6-2 behind another complete game by Kamakea-Wong.
“She was always good for us,” said Ngirngotel, who was an assistant for the first two years of Kamakea-Wong’s career. “Took us to states as a sophomore. She’ll be hard to replace.”
The all-BIIF coaches’ voting underscored the parity of a regular season that saw three teams finish 7-3. Fourth-place Kealakehe had as many selections as BIIF runner-up Keaau and twice as many as BIIF champion Waiakea. Kamakea-Wong was joined by teammates Ranchell Berinobis (first base), and outfielders Kiana Akana and Macey Mokuhalii. All are seniors. The Waveriders were represented by second baseman Verly Decasa, shortstop Tavian Taketa, catcher Leisha Nakagawa and outfielder Breianna McLeod.
Warriors’ third baseman Taylor Ogawa and outfielder Jayla Costa made the list, as did the Vikings’ Caitlyn Price and Samantha Saltiban.
When Ngirngotel, who was selected Coach of the Year, was asked by OC16 to select an impact player to spotlight for the telecast of the Cougars’ state opener, he chose Rylann Hacoba, another of Keaau 11 seniors.
Kamakea-Wong is hopeful to continue playing softball at UH-Hilo. First, she’ll take the stage Friday at Keaau’s graduation, when she can look back upon a high school career that started as wide-eyed freshman, ended with senior resolve and was marked by success and perseverance along the way.
“It was a learning experience that helped me certain ways,” she said.