The Waiakea High School softball team swept Hilo High School in the BIIF Division I Championship series, winning its first BIIF DI title since 2018.
“The girls were excited,” WHS head coach Erin Paredes said. “Tears of joy. I’ve never seen a group of girls want it more than them. They were very hungry and they wanted it from day one.”
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GAME 1: WHS 14 – HHS 13
The Warriors capitalized on a seven-run bottom fourth to overcome the Vikings’ early lead — escaping with a narrow victory and securing a 1-0 series lead.
Waiakea was led by Tehani Chinen, who had a gargantuan day in the box — going three-for-four with two homers.
Both teams quickly downed each other in the first inning, then Hilo plated three runs in the top second.
Boosted by Chinen’s first home run, the Warriors scored two runs in the bottom frame — but the Vikings added another run in the top third and shut WHS out in the bottom third, increasing their lead to 4-2.
In the top fourth, Kiana Agpalza hit a solo homer for the Vikings. Hilo plated three more runs before the end of the frame to put Waiakea behind 8-2.
This didn’t faze the Warriors, who promptly scored six runs in the next frame to take the lead. The frame saw big slugging, with a triple by Keani Kaneshiro, a double by Kaylee Aiona and Chinen’s second homer.
Waiakea boosted its lead in the fifth inning — shutting out the Vikings in the top and plating two runs in the bottom, boosted by Jhayda Turner’s RBI triple.
Down 11-8 entering the sixth inning, Hilo put up five runs on six hits in the top frame to briefly retake the lead. The Warriors quickly took the lead back with three runs in the bottom sixth, then sealed the deal by downing the Vikings in three batters in the top seventh.
Agpalza led Hilo at the plate — batting four-for-four with a walk to score two runs. Mackenzie Valentin trailed — going three-for-four and reaching on an error, scoring two runs.
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GAME 2: WHS 18 – HHS 12
Game Two began Friday at Kealakehe HS, but was rained out in the second inning as the Warriors led 6-0.
The game was rescheduled to Saturday morning and moved to Kea‘au High School, where Waiakea took a dominant victory.
The outing saw Chinen hit her third homer of the playoff, and Hilo’s Kuuipo Kalipi also notch a home run. The Warriors capitalized on their early lead, scoring two more runs in the third inning as the Vikings also added two.
Hilo finally outscored Waiakea in the fourth inning, plating five runs while Waiakea scored two. The Warriors came back with another four runs in the fifth, holding Hilo to two.
The Vikings outscored the Warriors again in the sixth, 3-1, but Waiakea cemented its dominance with three runs in the seventh — then shut Hilo out to end the series. Chinen touched base in all five of her plate visits — going three-for-three, reaching on an error and walking. Agpalza led Hilo again, going four-for-five.
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STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
By making it to the BIIF Championship, both Waiakea and Hilo qualified for the HHSAA State playoffs — which begin tomorrow on O‘ahu and end Thursday.