Kapaa outlasts Pearl City to win back-to-back Division II titles

Brian Bautista | SL

In the words of Sienna Yamashita, "It's a great day to be a Warrior."

And indeed it was, as Kapaa rallied from an early Pearl City advantage to post a 7-5 win over the Chargers, hoisting its second straight koa trophy and third in the last four years.

"It's a whole different team," said Yamashita when asked about what makes this repeat special. "We lost a good bunch of senior and we have nine freshman, we have a couple of sophomores and just being able to get together and being able to get together and win another one is just everything to us."

The Warriors made its move in the bottom of the fifth with the score knotted at 4-all, as a Welina Carvalho-Brede single end up an a run scored by Nahe Marshall on a fielding error.

Kapaa added an insurance run on an RBI single by Jacie Martinez that brought home Sienna Yamashita to make it a 6-4 game, and extended it to 7-4 on another single by Naylea Machado that drove in Martinez.

In the top of the seventh, Pearl City made it a 7-5 game on a Maile Oda single that scored Phoenix Sky Lumabao from first, but Oda was tagged out after getting caught between second and third to end the contest.

"I definitely threw it in the dirt, but I trusted in my second base," said Yamashita of the play.

Pearl City drew first blood in the game on a leadoff home run by Lumabao, then extended the lead to 3-0 on a two-run shot by Haley Shinjo in the second.

Kapaa's Karlee Rose Keale went the distance to earn the victory, allowing five runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out three.

The win by the Warriors' was the first of a possible three state titles possible for teams hailing from Kapaa, as both the baseball and boys volleyball teams also reached the championshp game in their respective sports.

"I mean the boys all worked hard. Baseball, coach Duke (Sardinha) did a great job with that team, and the volleyball boys keep grinding," said Yamashita.

HHSAA Softball Division II All-Tournament Team
(as selected by the media and HHSAA)

Most Outstanding Player: Sienna Yamashita, Kapaa

Karlee Rose Keale, Kapaa
Charlize Kenney, Kapaa
Phoenix Sky Lumabao, Pearl City
Jacie Martinez, Kapaa
Lilyanni Mata, Pearl City
Samantha Nakamatsu, Pearl City
Saunette Oshiro, Pearl City
Haley Shinjo, Pearl City
Kamaile Valente, Waimea
Mauliola Zuttermeister, PAC-5