Kohala’s softball team doesn’t show signs of taking a step back despite losing one of the most accomplished athletes in school history.
Exit Mikayla Kekoa, enter Jaylah Kekoa.
The freshman’s fabulous debut included a 5-for-5 day at the plate and nine strikeouts in the circle Saturday in Kealakekua as the Cowgirls beat Konawaena 24-2 in their BIIF softball opener.
Jaylah is the younger sister of Mikayla, who led Kohala to the state Division II title game last season as a senior.
“She’s pretty much the same as her older sister,” first-year coach Glen Roxburgh said. “She throws hard and is accurate.
“She looked comfortable, and her defense started picking her up.”
The Cowgirls return seven starters, and most of them enjoyed a big game as Kohala smacked 17 hits against a young Wildcats team. According to stats kept by Konawaena, Kayla Joy Juan Kealoha batted 4 for 5 with three runs scored and three RBIs, Laila Caravahlo scored five runs and went 3-3 with three RBIs and Harley Yamasaki drove in five runs, hitting a three-run double.
Anela Cazimero-Roxburgh and Juan-Kealoha hit two-run doubles in the third as Kohala scored 11 times. Kekoa and Caravahlo also had doubles in the game.
“It was good to see the girls out there talking and laughing and playing together as a family, that’s the biggest thing,” Glen Roxburgh said.
Jayla Medeiros connected for two of the four hits allowed by Jaylah Kekoa, who walked only one in the four-inning TKO.
Halanala’i Acasio took the loss for Konawaena, walking seven and striking three in four innings. Thanks to six Wildcats errors, 10 of the runs she allowed were unearned.
Kohala didn’t make an error.
Roxburgh said he had five to six girls turn out for offseason workouts on Sundays, and he’s pleased with how the team has developed so far after three weeks of practice.
The goal, he said, is not to look too far ahead, not even at a March 25 matchup between Kohala and eight-time defending BIIF champ Kamehameha in Kapaau.
“It’s going to be a fun and interesting year,” Roxburgh said.
Kamehameha 11, Kealakehe 9: Dioni Lincoln hit a three-run game-tying home run in the sixth, and Leiloa Bustamante followed with a go-ahead homer as the Warriors won a battle of reigning BIIF champions in Kailua-Kona.
Lincoln also hit a solo shot in the fifth, driving in five for Kamehameha, which rallied from a pair of three-run deficits.
Lincoln (3 for 5) and Bustamante (2-4) also doubled as eight of Kamehameha’s 17 hits went for extra bases. Kawai Kauahi-Raquel was 4 for 4 with a triple, and Hiwa Helenihi hung tough for a complete game, yielded 14 hits and nine runs (eight hits), with six walks and two strikeouts.
Mia Joaquin smacked three extra-base hits for the Waveriders, doubling twice and tripling in two runs in the fifth to give Kealakehe an 8-6 lead. Nanea Kaluau hit a two-run double in going 3 for 5 with four RBIs and Telsea Taketa collected two hits and drove in two.
Taketa went the distance in the loss, striking out three and walking two.
Joaquin and Taketa reached to put the tying runs aboard with no outs in seventh, but Helenihi induced a double play grounder and a flyout to end the game.
Helenihi, Kawehi Ili and Kealohi Grace each finished with two hits.
Hawaii Prep 14, Keaau 2: Elizabeth Evans and Sarah Taniguchi finished with three hits apiece and Kina’u Grace earned the win and had two hits, but the highlight of Ka Makani’s road win, coach Travis Bondallian said, was the triple play his team turned in the second inning.
Kailena Akau and Johnna Lorenzo also collected two hits as HPA marked a successful return after not fielding a team in 2019.