Kailua Emerges From Tough OIA To Play In State Tourney
By Jack Danilewicz
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Even in the higher levels of sports, there’s nearly always a chance for a second chance. In the NBA and NHL playoffs, among others, you can lose a game - even three - and still move on in the post-season because of their respective best-of-seven formats.
Unlike in the pro game,prep baseball in the OIA comes with few second chances in the post-season. To make way for a state tournament appearance next month, member schools must first win the quarterfinal round of their league tournament or they guarantee themselves the long, hard route to states by way of the consolation round. Take the league’s three-time defending champion Pearl City, with 29 wins in its last 31 games dating back to March of 2009. None of that would matter much suddenly if the Chargers had lost last Thursday in their own quarterfinal with Moanalua. The purple haze of their regular season would have faded after all, if they somehow missed the state tournament.
“The kids know what they need to do - you have to win to advance,” coach Gary Nakamoto said. “All season long, they’ve been up for games, so hopefully it turns out good. Every game is a big game for us. Anyone can beat anybody.”
Castle and Kailua faced the same prospect last week during the OIA playoffs. The Knights had to win on Wednesday against Aiea (they did, 1-0) to extend their season, and again versus Campbell on Thursday,to better position themselves.Kailua had earned a much-coveted first-round bye into the quarterfinals and breezed by Kaiser 18-6.
Kailua coach Corey Ishigo knows firsthand the significance of earning the first-round-bye, having seen his 2004 team end its season with an upset loss in league playoffs.
“The one year we didn’t make it to the state tournament was probably one of our best teams,“he said.“The year before,with mostly juniors,we made the state championship game.”
The by-product of an allor-nothing game is a more seasoned team as the post-season runs its course.“It helps being in that situation before,” Ishigo said.“Everything we do in the summer (American Legion League) is geared to our high school season and having been in big games.Our boys have been through it all, but there is still pressure.”
His superstitious nature led Ishigo to request an interview only after he knew the Surfriders were officially in the state tournament. “I was thinking maybe we should change (the OIA format for deciding state tourney teams),” he said, noting regular-season champions from the OIA Red Divisions (East and West) could receive automatic berths as part of a change, as is often the case in college basketball. “It seems like we’re just playing the regular season for seedings and the top two byes.”
Castle also has known both ends of the spectrum.Last year, the Knights lost to Mililani, 1-0, ending their season. Last week, in the same position, Castle beat Aiea by the same score to move on in the OIA Tournament,only to be defeated by Campbell.
“Every game is a pressure game,“said Castle coach Jason Berinobis.“We set goals, and that game brought us one step closer.”
Berinobis doesn’t have to remind his team that a bad showing in the post-season almost surely means an early exit.“They know the situation.
That’s what kids play for - to be in a tournament like this and see how far you can go. We have a lot of togetherness right now. Morale is good.”
The Knights were playing as well as anyone as last weekend approached, having won seven in a row prior to their quarterfinal game with Campbell. Another added dynamic in the post-season is the play of seniors who realize their eligibility clocks are running.
Berinobis is quick to point out that it was a pair of seniors - Brede Kochi and Tyler Kon - who delivered big with the Aiea game on the line last week.“I remind them that this is their year - ‘We can go as far as you go,’” he said.
Pairings for the state tournament, which will run next Wednesday through Saturday, will be unveiled Sunday afternoon.
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