Whether it be the Hilo All-Stars’ Pony world championship in 2014, the spirited World Series run made by West Hawaii’s Lil Soljahs that same summer or the Hilo Broncos powering their way to the past three state titles at Walter Victor Complex, most of the greatest memories created by the boys of summer recently have come in PONY League.
Whether it be the Hilo All-Stars’ Pony world championship in 2014, the spirited World Series run made by West Hawaii’s Lil Soljahs that same summer or the Hilo Broncos powering their way to the past three state titles at Walter Victor Complex, most of the greatest memories created by the boys of summer recently have come in PONY League.
But it wasn’t too long ago that Little League was the favorite pastime for many involved with youth baseball on the Big Island. In 2011, future pro ballplayers Kean Wong and Kodi Medeiros helped a Hilo team win the Senior World Series.
After falling on hard times here, the organization could be on the rise again with the creation of Little League Hawaii’s District 4, which is set to host its first postseason tournament since the Big Island regained its charter.
Island teams had been placed under the umbrella of Maui’s District 3 since October of 2009, but the move to regain independence gives the organization an opportunity to get its credibility back, said a league official.
“We’re trying to build what we had before and work with the communities,” said the official, who wished to remain anonymous. “This is a good thing. Better communication for all involved, and most important it’s better for the kids.”
District 4 is made up of Hilo, Hamakua, North Hawaii, West-Side Hawaii, Kona Coast, Ka’u and Gold Coast for softball.
It will take time for participation levels to reach what they once were, the official said, but a few changes are already evident. Big Island Little League was mostly relegated to the younger baseball age divisions – Minors (9-10) and Majors (11-12) – the past handful of years, but District 4 will host a Junior League (ages 13-14) tournament from July 9-10 at Walter Victor, and states follows July 15-19 at the same site.
Hilo had largely been dropped as a site of Little League tournaments since the Big Island lost is charter.
“Getting fields can be tough,” the official said, “but this is a push to get back our visibility. We had lot of tournaments in rural areas when the decisions were being made on Maui.”
A District 4 Minors tournament (ages 8-10) runs Friday through Monday at Old Kona Airport Park, with North Hawaii, Hilo and West-Side Hawaii in the field.
PONY League
Sure as summer, it had become a tradition that at least one state PONY tournament would be held at Walter Victor at the end of June, and the Hilo Broncos All-Stars took advantage by securing the threepeat for ages 11-12.
The Big Island was bypassed this summer as PONY opted for Kauai as a site of its state tournaments in Mustang 9s, Mustangs (9-10), Broncos and Pony (13-14).
With a fresh set of faces, the Hilo Bronco All-Stars lose the state bye given to the host and will have to earn their way to Kauai during a sectional Saturday and Sunday at Walter Victor that also includes another Hilo team and two from West Hawaii. A four-team Mustang sectional will run concurrently.
A group of youngsters coached by Shon Malani was on track to represent the Hilo Bronco All-Stars this summer, but after winning a Mustang 9s title in 2013 and Bronco 11s crown last year, the team decided not to pursue a state title in the 11-12 age group this season, instead traveling to Cooperstown, N.Y., for a tournament.
“That opened the opportunity for a lot of new kids to step up,” said Ronald Auwae, coach of the 2016 Hilo Broncos. “I think we have a good nucleus. The strength of the team is hitting, and hopefully we take care of the fundamentals.”
Boys (and girls) of summer
Youth baseball and softball tournament on the Big Island:
PONY League
• Broncos (ages 11-12) sectional, Saturday-Sunday, Walter Victor Stadium
• Mustangs (ages 9-10) sectional, Saturday-Sunday, Walter Victor Stadium
Little League
Baseball
• District 4 Minors (8-10) Friday-Monday, Old Kona Airport Park
• District 4 Majors (11-12), July 8-11, Walter Victor Stadium
• District 4 Juniors (13-14), July 9-10, Walter Victor Stadium.
• State Juniors (13-14), July 15-19, Walter Victor Stadium
Softball
• District 4 Majors (11-12), July 1-2, Waiakea Uka Ball Park, Hilo
• District 4 Seniors (14-16), Waiakea Uka Ball Park, Hilo