High school softball hasn’t been played on the Big Island since March 2020.
So when Hawaii Prep and the Kailua-Kona club team took the field more than a year later for a doubleheader in Waimea on Saturday, it was understandable that the players and coaches were a little rusty.
“It was good when we got on the field, but it was challenging,” HPA softball coach Travis Bondallian said. “The girls have to play with masks on, and a lot of them were having trouble breathing, so that played a factor in the game.”
Kailua-Kona shut out HPA in the first game 28-0, and won the second 14-7.
“The masks kind of stressed them out on the first game,” Bondallian said. “And it was a tough team that we faced. It’s a club team and they have a bunch of talented girls on that side.”
The doubleheader opened a modified BIIF spring sports schedule announced earlier this week. A true BIIF spring season, complete with championships, will not be played for the second straight year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Along with softball, baseball, tennis, boys volleyball, girls water polo, track and golf competitions are scheduled to be played through May 8, and feature the island’s private schools, Pahoa and various club teams.
That means HPA softball has more chances to redeem themselves from a 28-0 loss to begin the season. That redemption started with the second game in the doubleheader, thanks in part to Ka Makani freshman centerfielder Brooke Samura, who was 2 for 4 with a home run and a double in the second game.
“Offensively, we struggled in the first game, and that’s obvious because we didn’t produce a run. And then the bats came alive,” Bondallian said. “The thing that hurt us the most is we need to get more disciplined on defense. It’s the simple things we have to fixed and then I’ll think we’ll be okay.”
“That was a tough team to face and for us to go into the second game and hang in there, that shows a lot on our side.”
HPA’s next game will be a doubleheader against Kamehameha at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 10 in Waimea.
Baseball
Konawaena-Honokaa Club 14, Hawaii Prep 4
The Konawaena-Honokaa club team opened the baseball season with a 14-4 win over Hawaii Prep on Saturday in Waimea.
Konawaena senior James Kapela was 3 for 3 with two RBIs and pitched three innings with no hits and three strikeouts. Konawaena’s Riki Furuto was 3 for 3 with three RBIs.
Center fielder Cade Arafiles was 2 for 2 for HPA, and Ka Makani’s Braeden Samura was 1 for 3 with one RBI.
HPA hosts a doubleheader against Kamehameha at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 10 in Waimea.