Nanea Kalua’u got the big hits when Kealakehe needed someone to step up to the plate and push the softball team over the hump known as Waiakea.
The sophomore shined at shortstop, at the plate and in her leadership and was named the BIIF Division I player of the year, in a vote by the league’s coaches, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald and West Hawaii Today.
“It’s a surprise,” Kalua’u said. “We had a lot of younger players, and I wanted to be a good leader and help them out. My goal was to improve from last year, and I think I achieved that goal.”
For the last three years, second place became familiar to the Waveriders, who would skate past the BIIF semifinal series before falling to Waiakea. It was a thorn in Kealakehe’s side that couldn’t be extracted.
But in her second season with the Waveriders, Kalua’u was a different player, more relaxed, confident and just plain all-around better.
In the championship series sweep against Waiakea, she had six hits, five RBIs, scored four runs and slugged two homers. Kealakehe won its first BIIF championship on the back of Kalua’u’s monster numbers.
Kealakehe coach Loni Mercado wasn’t the least bit surprised, and she knows she has a game-changer for two more years.
“She’s such as asset and has lot more to give,” said Mercado, who was named the coach of the year. “Her performance this year superseded her freshman year.”
Kalua’u is joined on the first team by five teammates in freshman Mia Joaquin, sophomores Lisan Mudong and Telsea Taketa, and juniors Kenye Palik and Malia Cosare.
Other first-team members are all from Waiakea: freshman Kayla Kodani, juniors Alize Ka’apana, Halee Sweat, and seniors Lyndsey Mae Carvalho and Jolene Hirata.
Kalua’u grew up playing baseball with her brother Makana, a 2018 Kealakehe graduate. When she switched to softball, she played on her grandpa Jerry Hiraishi’s Gold Coast team, which reached the Little League World Series last summer.
“Makana and I would go down to practice after school when we were young,” she said. “My grandpa taught me everything I know about softball.”
What Mercado noticed was a shift in Kalua’u’s demeanor. She went with the flow, and big hits followed.
“She trusted the process. We talk about it all the time, to let things happen,” Mercado said. “She has so much talent behind her. This year, she did so many big thins for us, and she’s such a great kid.
“She had more playfulness, which allowed her to enjoy the game. She had fun with the girls, laughed a lot more, and really opened. She had so much more fun. That’s one thing I noticed.”
The Waveriders return the bulk of the roster for next season and figure to be front-runners for the BIIF title.
“Every year we’d get there and it would be the same scenario with Waiakea,” Mercado said. “As long as I’ve been there, even as an assistant, Waiakea has been a thorn in our side and a hump to get over. But this year, nothing stopped them once they got going. They jelled and that made a big difference.”
All-BIIF softball
Division I
First team
Nanea Kalua’u Kealakehe INF 10
Mia Joaquin Kealakehe INF 9
Lisan Mudong Kealakehe INF 10
Alize Ka’apana Waiakea INF 11
Kayla Kodani, Waiakea INF 9
Lyndsey Mae Carvalho Waiakea INF 12
Jolene Hirata Waiakea OF 12
Kenye Palik Kealakehe OF 11
Malia Cosare Kealakehe OF 11
Halee Sweat Waiakea P 11
Telsea Taketa Kealakehe P 10
Player of the year
Nanea Kalua’u, Kealakehe
Coach of the Year
Loni Mercado
Honorable mention
Kealakehe: Lucky Isisaki, Chandice Fujihara-Kaai
Waiakea: Alyssa McKeague, Kelsie Imai, Johnacy Mackwelung,
Hilo: Chalisse Kela
Keaau: Anela Gonzales, Nohea Quiinderno
