Honokaa shuts down Damien to win first state championship in baseball

Greg Yamamoto | SL

In this storybook ending, it was the Dragons who did the slaying.

Joysah Napoleon-Umeda continued his mastery on the mound, stymieing Damien with a three-hit shutout in Honokaa's 3-0 win in the Division II title of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Baseball State Championships.

"The past three years we didn't get it done, but we knew this year our team was looking even better and we just got it done," said Napoleon-Umeda.

The opening round starter, Napoleon-Umeda threw 10 scoreless innings in two outings on Oahu during the tourney, allowing just three hits while striking out 15 and walking just four in that stretch. Napoleon-Umeda, who was named the Division II tourney's Most Outstanding Player, also scored six runs as the leadoff bat for the Dragons.

Honokaa started out fast, plating two runs in the opening frame, as a pair of one-out singles from Jayden Salazar and Rory Crabbe put two runners aboard. From there Isaac DeRego drove in one run on a fielder's choice and Chrys Coelho doubled to left to bring home another.

"Oh man it meant a lot," said Napoleon-Umeda of the outburst in the top of the first. "I knew we was gonna win after that."

From there, Napoleon-Umeda kept the Monarchs batter off balance all afternoon, scattering three hits across the seven inning span. Damien stranded five runners, including three in scoring position, but the Dragons found their way out of inning unscathed in the first, third and fourth to keep the slate clean.

"My bat wasn't on today, but I knew all I had to do is throw strikes," said Napoleon-Umeda. "Pitching was more important right now because we got to stop them from scoring, and I know my team got my bats to back me up."

Damien's Max DeTrinis, who went six innings before hitting the pitch count limit, settled after a rough first and kept the defending champs at least within striking distance, allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck out six and walked six.

But unlike the magical end for the Monarchs in the semis, the Dragons hope for another fairy tale finish were not in the cards as the bottom of the seventh went three up and three down, and the celebration began for the kids from the Big Island.

The big bats in meat of the order for the Dragons did the heavy lifting in the state title game, as they have all season, with Salazar (2 for 4, run, RBI), Crabbe (2 for 4), DeRego (1 for 2, run, RBI) and Coelho (1 for 3, RBI) all chipping in.

Coelho, DeRego and Salazar, along with Napoleon, all seniors, were named to the All-Tournament team.

"It means a lot, bringing it back to Honokaa, not too much states we've won in our school (history), but I'm grateful to do it with these boys and our baseball team," remarked Napoleon-Umeda. "We're one family, that's it."