Marauders Finding Their Fit In New Division II Format
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usThe Waipahu baseball team has always taken a trip to the Mainland over spring break, but this time the Marauders will see the competition come to them.
“We like to go on trips - it shows the kids what it’s like,” said coach Milton Takenaka, whose team will host California power Northern Monterey High at 10 a.m. Saturday and Eastern Union High of Mississippi at 3:30 p.m. Monday.“With the yearlong schedule, spring break ran a little earlier, so we weren’t able to do it, but whenever anyone (from the Mainland) calls us, we’re always willing to play. It’s more for the kids.”
Those two encounters also will serve as an ideal springboard for the Marauders into their regular season, which begins March 11. Waipahu, which went 2-8 last season, is hoping for a better fate this spring in the newly formed Division II. Under the new format, the Marauders are grouped with Kalaheo, Kahuku, Kaimuki, Farrington, Radford, Nanakuli and Waialua, OIA schools known historically for their prowess in sports other than baseball.Waipahu will play home and away games versus each DII school from the West with one meeting each against DII schools from the East for a 10-game season.
“Overall, Division II is going to be a good fit for us,” said Takenaka, who coached Waipahu to an OIA championship in 1985, his first season as head coach of the program. “Right now, it’s all about playing up to our potential. We’ve looked decent in the last couple of scrimmages, so we’re starting to come around a little bit. It’s a matter of believing in ourselves.”
Highlighting the list of returnees is senior pitcher Eric Hudson. A left-hander, he’s slated to be the team’s No. 1 pitcher and is the projected starter for the March 15 season opener at Nanakuli.
Takenaka labeled “pitching and keeping mistakes to a minimum” as keys to a successful season. With that in mind, returnees include a pair of three-year varisty junior pitchers in Triton Gante and Kaimi Haina. Gante will hold down shortstop while Haina will be in center field when not on the mound.
Takenaka also expects junior Iggy McKenzie to have an immediate impact for the Marauders. A transfer from American Samoa, he enrolled at Waipahu in January and is slated to be the team’s starting catcher.
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