Mustang Softball: Young But Willing
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usIn the year Kalaheo High School makes the leap to Division I, it’s only fitting that the Mustang softball team should play a demanding pre-season schedule.
“All of the teams that we’ll play in our (three) pre-season tournaments are good, so we’re learning every time out,” said Kalaheo coach Al Cofran.“We’re hoping we can just keep going forward. We have a great outlook, so we think we’re going to have a good season.”
Last week, the Mustangs opened their pre-season schedule with games against Campbell and Punahou when they took part in the Mililani Tournament. On Wednesday, Kalaheo meets Saint Francis at 3 p.m. at Aikahi Park in the first round of the eighth annual Kalaheo Softball Invitational. The tournament continues through Saturday and will guarantee the Mustangs at least three more games. Cofran’s team is coming off another stellar season which saw Kalaheo go 10-2 overall and make a second consecutive Division II State Tournament appearance. Despite the loss of several key components from that team, the Oahu Interscholastic Association promoted the Mustangs to Division I for this regular season, where they will be grouped with fellow Windward powers Castle and Kailua. Kalaheo played in the DII OIA title game each of the past two seasons, winning the title last March. That success can only serve the Mustangs well as they make the leap to Division I.
Four key returnees - short stop/catcher/pitcher DeAnn Horswill, outfielder/infielder Jasmine Natihaa, short stop/pitcher Caira Pires, and third base-man/first baseman Lili Cabral - are back in the fold and will provide leadership for Kalaheo early on this season.
“We have a good nucleus with the four,“said Cofran, who is assisted by his daughters, Kehau Aina and Uilani Lapera.“DeAnne plays well anywhere you put her. She’s really dedicated, and she’s a leader. She’s our No. 3 batter. Jasmine puts her heart and soul into the game. She was our center-fielder (in ‘05-‘06), but we’ve asked her to do some catching, and she’s done a fantastic job.
“Lili is a leader by her actions,” he added. “She always gives her best, and Caira is a very good athlete who can hit and play good defense. We’re counting on these four to direct our young ladies, and they’re doing a pretty good job. Hopefully, our young girls can learn from them.”
Kalaheo took 16 players to the Mililani Tournament last week, but its roster hadn’t been finalized before the weekend.
“We’re still in try-out mode,” said Cofran, the Division II OIA’s Coach of the Year in 2006. “The strength of this team right now is that they really want to play and they play hard. I’m proud of them. With five freshmen, it will be a building process, but they’re playing well together and getting better every day that they play.”
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