Ever since Kamehameha’s baseball team moved down to BIIF Division II in 2010, Honokaa has moved out of the running for the HHSAA tournament.
The Dragons, to be sure, are intent on ending that hex, but that doesn’t quite do their aspirations justice.
“They want to win states, that’s their goal,” first-year coach Devin Joaquin said. “That’s what they are playing, but we’re just taking it one game at a time.”
Starting off what it hopes will be a long journey, Honokaa took a small step with a 10-0 home win Wednesday against Hawaii Prep. Aidan Joaquin struck out 14 in a six-inning, one-hitter. Featuring a fastball, curve, and changeup, Joaquin delivered 89 pitches, and the junior smacked two hits at the plate, including a double, and drove in two runs.
Honokaa claimed its last BIIF title in 2008, and it won a game at the state tournament the following year to reach the quarterfinals.
Then Kamehameha arrived on the scene. The Warriors have nine of 10 BIIF titles in D-II and eight in row, relegating Konawaena and HPA to runner-up. Meanwhile, the Dragons have been left behind.
Honokaa’s confidence this season comes from its enhanced experience level. Joaquin says he’s been working with many players on the team since coach-pitch. The group includes his son and seniors Ioane Ka’aekuahiwi and Justin Birch. Ka’aekuahiwi went 4 for 4 Wednesday, while Birch is the co-ace.
Devin Joaquin credited Ka Makani starter Arel Urbanozo with “matching up well” against the Dragons. Urbanozo struck ouy seven and came up with his team’s only hit
Kamehameha 9, Konawaena 3: Dylan Hansen collected three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs, Liwai Correa also produced an RBI double among his two hits Wednesday and the Warriors scored five times in the sixth inning to pull away in Keaau to win their opener.
The Wildcats (1-1) finished with just two hits, but they took advantage of two walks, a hit batter and an error to score three runs in fourth inning to tie the game. In the bottom half of the inning, Spencer Yoshizumi singled with one out, moved to third on Kydyn Nakamura’s sacrifice bunt and scored when Correa reached on an error.
Noah Palea was credited with the win, while Trez Uemoto took the loss.
Kamehameha’s first four batters reached in the sixth without the benefit of a hit, then Kaohu Kawelu hit a two-run single, and Keahi Hisashima and Hansen followed with run-scoring hits.
Correa, Kawelu and Hansen each scored two runs.
Kingston Lee’s had the Wildcats’ only extra-base hit, a double.
Each team made four errors.
