Nānākuli's Kextyn Cafa (50) waves the Nānākuli Golden Hawks flag on the mound celebrating the school's first OIA crown in school history. CJ Caraang | SL

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WAIPAHU—For the first time in school history, a baseball title is coming back to the valley.

In a showdown between two Leeward Coast teams, Nanakuli came out victorious with a 10-0 win in six innings over Waianae at Hans L'Orange Park Saturday.

The Golden Hawks (13-1 overall) outscored their opponents, 26-0 in 11 combined innings in the playoffs and it resulted in their first-ever Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II title.

"Like our principal said, in the 50 years of baseball, this is the first one right here and our team created history," Donald Kapaku, Jr. said. "This is a huge one, thanks to the community for coming out. It was good the community came out to support us."

"We prayed, God answered our prayers and the plan came through," Nanakuli coach Donald Kapaku, Sr. said.

Waianae (10-5 overall) blew out Kaimuki, 18-5 in five innings and took down second seed Waipahu (11-3 overall), 7-3, to reach the title game but was held scoreless for the second time this season.

Nanakuli racked up 11 stolen bases led by Keahi Ah Sui, who had four on the afternoon and Jordan Kay added three. Ah Sui scored two runs and Kay was 1 for 2 with a pair of runs.

"The run support. We put the pressure on them," Kapaku, Jr. said.

"We like to put pressure on the other team, so we were able to create it and we were successful," Kapaku, Sr. added.

Kapaku, Jr. pitched six innings, striking out six and scattering five hits to improve to 9-0 on the season. He also added a run and stole a base.

"He's a good pitcher, he's still young too. He's got a lot of years left in high school baseball. The way he showed composure out there and going after our hitters, these guys deserve it," Waianae coach Ben McQuown said, complementing the Golden Hawks and Kapaku, Jr.

"All I was trying to do hit the outside corner and hit my locations. Try to make ball go into play so my defense can make it," Kapaku, Jr. said.

Kapaku, Jr. did not overpower hitters, but changed it up to keep Waianae on their toes.

"This is years of building and making sure he can be like Greg Maddux. He's not going to be a speed pitcher, he's going to be Greg Maddux," Kapaku, Sr. said of his son.

Ah Sui led off with a walk and stole second to open the top of the first inning. After Kapaku, Jr. grounded out to third, Damian Griffin was intentionally walked. Isaiah Enriquez, who went 2 for 3, plated Ah Sui and Griffin for the Golden Hawks' first runs and scored off of two wild pitches for an early 3-0 lead.

The Golden Hawks padded their lead in the third inning after Griffin reached on an error by the third baseman and scored on an errant throw from first. The Seariders committed four errors for the game. 

"Defense is our Achilles heel. It's either we're up or we're down. Today was a down game for us, we can't beat teams like this, especially Nanakuli. They don't make mistakes and we have to take care of the baseball," McQuown said.

Enriquez followed up with a hit to center then moved over to second on a single from JB Gonsalves. He stole home to make it, 5-0.

Shysten Nagasako pitched two innings, of the five runs, three were earned and he walked one in the loss.

Kulia Kahookele finished out the inning by inducing a fly out to right, a fielder's choice to second took out Gonsalves and fly out to left ended the inning.

The short-handed Seariders were missing four starters due to prom and participation in a Pylon tournament.

"We were short-handed, but no excuses," McQuown said.

Joeziah Clifton led Waianae going 2 for 3 at the plate and stole a base and three other Searider batters went 1 for 2.

Kay led off the fourth with a base hit stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Ah Sui walked and the Golden Hawks went for the double steal as Kay scored stealing home and Ah Sui took second. Ah Sui made it 7-0 after scoring off another wild pitch.

After Kapaku, Jr. walked, the Seariders made a pitching change and Luke Aona went to the mound to clean up the fourth inning and had a 3-1 put out and two strikes in the fifth.

Aona loaded the bases and Griffin brought in a run on a bases-loaded walk and he was changed out for Clifton. Clifton walked Enriquez and beaned Gonsalves to bring in Kapaku, Jr. Micah grounded out to first for the second out, but it scored Griffin to end the game.

Nanakuli and Waianae clinched spots in the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division II Baseball Championships at Wong Stadium in Hilo starting on May 5. Waipahu's 14-1 win over Kahuku (7-7 overall) today clinched the league's final state tournament berth.

The Golden Hawks swept the season series with a 8-2 win on Mar. 26 and a 7-2 win on Apr. 16.

Waianae was seeking its first OIA Division II title since 2017 and its seventh overall OIA championship in school history.