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Kahuku Banks On Fast, Solid Pitching Arms In OIA Tourney

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Kahuku High School junior Joe Deal whips out a fast ball April 6 during practice. Photo by Byron Lee, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Asked what could make the difference for his team next week when they play in the OIA Division II baseball tournament, Red Raider head coach Roger Van Ness answered without hesitation.

“Absolutely, our pitching,” said Van Ness, whose team took a seven-game win streak (and 7-1 record) into their season finale versus McKinley last weekend. “To me, our pitching staff is as good as any. When our boys are on, they’re on.”

There is no better time than the present, of course. The team’s greater goal beyond winning the OIA tournament is to secure one of the league’s three berths for the state baseball tournament next month. If they are the top seed out of the East, as expected, Kahuku would only have to win two games to win the tourney. Pairings were to be finalized over the weekend. If Kahuku is a No. 2 or No. 3 seed, it will have to win three games to win the OIA. The fourth-place finisher in the post-season also can secure a spot by winning a play-in game that would take place on the Big Island.

“We don’t want to take the long, hard route,” Van Ness said.“We already played King Kekaulike in preseason, and it was a really good game with them. Right now, it looks like it would be them (in the play-in game).”

More in the Red Raiders’ collective consciousness is West power Waipahu, which is seeking a second straight OIA title under veteran coach Milton Takenaka. The Marauders beat Kahuku in the season-opener for both teams March 11 and beat them last year in a first-round league playoff game.

“The kids want another shot at Waipahu. Waipahu is a really good team, but we had five errors in that game and didn’t execute. We think Radford is a really good team, too.”

Whoever the opponent, the Red Raiders have a talented group of arms to choose from, highlighted by the coach’s son, R. J. Van Ness, who was a First Team all-White Conference selection as a utility player as a junior in 2008. He’s continued the pace he set last year when he averaged 10 strikeouts a game.

“He has college (baseball) in sight, so he’s been working hard. He’s a really good off-speed pitcher with five legitimate pitches. His fast ball is only in the mid-80s but it works when you’re a good off-speed pitcher.”

Also expected to log innings this week are Kekoa Hughes, Justin Van Ness, J.J. Nozawa and A.J. Kubota, the team’s center fielder when not pitching in relief. Hughes, a junior, will likely start one of this week’s games, while R.J. Van Ness gets the call in the other.

“Kekoa’s style is deceptive,” Van Ness said. “It’s hard to pick up his fast ball, which he’s throwing at about 84 or 85, and he has a good curve ball. Joseph is not overpowering, but he’s a real good middle reliever.”

Only a freshman, Justin Van Ness is also the team’s lead-off batter and mans a spot at third base.

“He’s not your traditional lead-off hitter,” Roger Van Ness said, noting he has four home runs already this spring. “He’s young, and he wants to do better than anyone on the field.”

Kubota is a key component in an outfield that also features senior Saint John Lessary in left and Tima Tapusoa in right.

“They’re all fast, and they have good arms,” Van Ness said of the pair.

Also in the lineup are first baseman Joseph Deal, Evan Ramirez, Zach Guadnola and catcher Brian Kukahiko, a Castle transfer who had been away from baseball for a year. Jacob Kalua, Robert Bowers, Natua Teriipaia, Paul Kanda, Hekili Greycocha, Nainoa Fernandez, Justin Nozawa and Kai Saniatan round out the team.

“We’re a normal team that plays hard,” Van Ness said. “We just have to go out and do our own thing. If we play our game, we’ll be just fine.”

While the team is certainly in the mix this year, long-term prospects have perhaps never been better, according to Van Ness, who has made a smooth transition into the head job after taking over for brother Steve Van Ness, who began Kahuku’s baseball revival in 2003.

“Until now, we’ve never had a year where we had nine experienced players,” said Van Ness, who credited the work of assistants Nolan Ramirez and John Guadnola. “We always had three who were great athletes playing other sports and who we taught a position.”