There is, of course, an “I” in the school name on the softball jersey, but it’s buried in the middle and surrounded by stronger and grittier traits. Try wild, amiable, animated, knockabout, exuberant and affable, just to name a few.
Together that spells Waiakea, and while you can call the Warriors all of the above, when it’s blended together it makes for a wicked collaboration. As a collective and to make it easier, you can simply call the Warriors the three-time defending BIIF Division I champions.
“A little bit wacky,” coach Bo Saiki said Saturday with a nod to his girls celebrating a few feet away.
The Warriors were as unrelenting Saturday as the midday late April sun that splashed their home field, overpowering Kealakehe 18-4 for a sweep of the championship series and Waiakea’s first unbeaten BIIF season since 2011.
This was Saiki’s eighth title in 11 seasons, but this fun bunch has an unmistakable personality all its own.
“Because we’re crazy in a good way,” standout senior shortstop Skylar Thomas said. “All of our personalities click.”
Fellow senior Emma Fincher chimed in: “We’re really loud and feed off each others’ energy.
Contributing an RBI single in the third, Fincher could have been describing Waiakea’s offense. With a continuous title wave of efficiency and frivolity, the Warriors (17-0) scored two runs in the first inning, seven in the second, six in the third and three more in the fifth to back freshman Kelsie Imai in the circle.
Thomas and fellow senior Kristi Hirata have been key contributors on all three title teams.
“We have our ups and downs and we have our goofballs,” Hirata said, “but at the end of the day we come together, and that’s what makes us a team.”
The catcher went out in style, tripling in a run in the first, then driving in runs in the second and third with singles.
Freshman Halee Sweat, the Game 1 winner, also drove in three runs, including a two-run single in the second, when Waiakea sent 11 batters to the plate against Waveriders ace Kiara Cantiberos.
“We love the pressure, and we know we are going to come through,” Thomas said. “Our defense was amazing.”
Waiakea had to know things were going its way in the bottom of the third, when with two runners on and two out, Imai induced a meager yet potentially harmfully shallow pop up halfway between third base and home. Third baseman Shaily Moses charged and made the grab, flashing a look-what-I-found smile in the process.
“I think we’re wacko because we’re different in our own ways,” Moses, a junior, said. “We all have each others’ backs in different ways and no matter what.”
For all of their fun-loving ways, Thomas hinted Waiakea, with three freshmen playing prominent roles, went through its share of drama this season.
“A lot of young teammates, but they made the difference,” she said. “We’ve had our differences, and we learned how to accept one another.”
“When it comes to games, we get serious and we depend on each other.”
Imai allowed an RBI single to Kitara Cantiberos and was touched for a two-run triple by Breianna McLeod before settling down after the second inning. At one point, Saiki thought he might have to summon Jourdan Perreira for relief help, but the freshman right-hander overcame six walks and six hits allowed – three to Brittney Keaunui – to pitch a five-inning complete game.
Imai led off the third with a triple as Waiakea finished with 12 hits. Perreira had two hits, both in the second, and drove in a run, and Brandee Chinen also collected two hits with an RBI.
“A good group,” said Saiki, even allowing himself to crack a smile “They mix well.”
Kiara Cantiberos left after the second inning and was relieved by her sister, Kitara. They combined to walk seven batters and the Waveriders (10-7) made five errors.
Kealakehe is still searching for its first BIIF title, but Loni Mercado’s team will join the Warriors at the HHSAA tournament for the second consecutive year. States run May 3-6 in Honolulu.
There is, of course, an “I” in Hirata, but you wound’t have known it afterward, because it was swept away in a wave of emotion that the senior’s BIIF career is over.
“I’m just so proud of our team,” she said, her voice trailing.
They all were, and most were gregarious enough to let you know it.
