Berinobis Twins Played Big This Spring For Dad-Coach

Wednesday - June 18, 2008
By Jack Danilewicz
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Castle's Kori Berinobis
Castle’s Kori Berinobis. Photo by Nathalie Walker,nwalker@midweek.com

Often the best leaders are defined as those who adopt their coach’s mind-set as their own and take it out onto the field. That was an easier process for Kori and Kelsea Berinobis of Castle than for perhaps others - their coach is their father, longtime Knights head softball coach Jon Berinobis - but both nevertheless set the pace for the Knights this past spring.

“They played the game like I like to play it since they’ve been with me forever,” Jon Berinobis said, “so it was nice to have them out there. We counted on them a lot.

They’re not very big, but they played the game big. They kind of made our infield complete with Kori at second in the middle and Kelsea at catcher.”

Among the pair’s admirers were the rest of the coaches in the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s Red West conference, who chose them to the league’s All-Conference First Team during a recent vote.

Freshman outfielder Kaitlyn Wills also made the First Team for the Knights, who also placed five players on the East’s Second Team. In all, eight of the 10 players on the Castle roster were selected for either the First or Second Team.


“To have eight is amazing,” Berinobis said.“The girls worked hard to better themselves.”

Castle completed a breakthrough season last month that saw them make the state tournament for the first time in three years, following an 8-4 regular-season in the OIA that tied them for second with Kailua. The Knights faced a difficult road in the OIA playoffs in their quest to get into the state tournament, having had to face four teams from the ultra-competitive West, including Campbell on the road. Although the Knights lost that game, wins over Pearl City, Leilehua and Waipahu in the fifth-place “play-in” game enabled them to earn the league’s final berth. Castle went on to finish its season at 11-7 overall.

While his daughters graduated from Castle recently, six of the Knights’ 10 team members from this spring’s team still have eligibility remaining, highlighted by Wills, the first freshman in the program to receive First Team honors in recent memory.

“We tried her at all different positions, and she came through big-time,” Berinobis said of Wills. “She made some great plays, and she swung a hot bat at times. She has a bright future.”

Leisha Li’ili’i, Maycee Moe, Alana Abbey, Ryanne Dacosin and Chandelle Dacosin were named the Second Team from the Knights.

Kailua, which tied with Castle for second in the East behind Moanalua at 8-4, and which finished 12-7 overall, placed both second baseman Zsalei Kamaka and designated hitter Kawehilani Hall on the East’s First Team. Kamaka got a late start on softball after a highly successful basketball season at the school but came on strong as a sure-handed fielder. Hall batted .382 for the regular season with a pair of home runs to pace the Surfriders, offensively, in only her first season of varsity softball.


“She hit some long balls, and she’s a pretty good clutch hitter,” Kailua coach Bernard Victor said of Hall.“Zsalei is a good player, and she’s pretty consistent.”

Utility player Tiffany Pereza made the Second Team for Kailua.

Caira Pires was Kalaheo’s lone First Team selection. She was also chosen as a utility player.

 

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